Each year, the organization holds a four-day debate conference on Family Day weekend for youth ages 14 to 21 from Ontario, Canada.

[1] The first session of the Older Boys' Parliament met in the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park in Toronto in January 1925.

The spiritual side of OYP is addressed through open nightly discussion on the theme chosen for that year and attendance at the host church's worship service.

OYP has long operated as a non-denominational organization,[3] although it maintains a spiritual element and relationship with the United Church as reflected in activities such as vespers.

[citation needed] The Ontario Youth Parliament is overseen by a registered charitable organization, the executive of which is styled as a "senate".

[6] The parliament is traditionally opened by a person acting as lieutenant-governor, a role that has been played by figures such as Moderator Robert McClure and Governor General Roland Michener.

[10] Delegates at OYP have debated controversial political issues such as gay rights,[11] environmental regulations[12] and aboriginal autonomy.

OYP is the successor organization of the Older Boys' Parliament of Ontario, which began in 1921[3] as a youth program within the United Church of Canada.

[16] The Older Boys' Parliament movement, which began in Western Canada and moved eastward, was an extension of the Trail Rangers and TUXIS programs of various churches.

[18] In October 1918 the Trail Rangers and TUXIS programs were implemented by Taylor Statten and Wallace Forgie under the covering name of "Canadian Standard Efficiency Training" (CSET).

[23] Within a decade, thousands of boys were participating in leadership training courses, summer camps and other activities run through CSET programs in a number of provinces.

[26] Three years later, the National Boys' Work Board of the Religious Education Council of Canada was established as an interfaith group composed of representatives of the Anglican and United Churches as well as the YMCA.

[28] Taylor Statten believed that boys themselves should be given the responsibility of a leadership role in making decisions about the CSET program and that adult advisors should not impose their opinions and ideas on the young people.

[29] They became one of the most important phases of the CSET movement, with party leaders citing extensive involvement in the Trail Rangers and TUXIS programs.

[30][31] At annual parliamentary sessions, boys were selected as representatives of their local churches and then gathered to work out ideas for the CSET program and debate the issues of the day.

[38] They drew criticism for purporting to represent an entire province, using legislative and administrative buildings for annual sessions, and then excluding boys whose religious scruples made it impossible to participate.

[41] More than just a governing body for the CSET program, the Older Boys' Parliament became regarded as an organization that facilitated "a real understanding of the meaning of democracy,"[42] teaching a respect for democratic values such as tolerance for dissent and the protection of the individual.

[43] For example, the Saskatchewan Older Boys' Parliament urged members to participate actively in politics as informed and open-minded voters.

[50][Note 2] The same debate was occurring in the British Columbia and Alberta Older Boys' Parliaments as they sought to meet societal changes.