From religiously watching CBC’s Power and Politics and perusing through The Globe, to quite literally being at Canada’s center of power and politics and rubbing shoulders with parliamentarians of every political stripe, working on the Hill as one of Jaimie’s Interns has certainly been a surreal and remarkable transition. For a long time, I was always curious to know what really went on behind the scenes at the House. I longed to know what it would feel like to meander through the hallowed corridors of Parliament where our Fathers of Confederation once walked. I even pondered about the chitchats on the side that would transpire after lengthy committee meetings. Ultimately, however, I had to confine all of this to my imagination, but I knew for certain being on Parliament Hill would mean having my finger on the very pulse of Canada.
Now, even after having completed a little over a month on the Hill, I still find it hard to believe that I’m working here in Ottawa. I still get excited when I pass by some of Canada’s renowned politicians and journalists, who, for the longest time, I only had the chance to see on TV or read about in the news. I also still find myself relishing the distinct old-wood smell that reaches my nose as I immediately enter the House. And sometimes, believe it or not, it still takes me a minute or two to figure out that I’m actually sitting in a House committee meeting, sharing the room with some of our country’s top politicians. All of this has felt so strange and new to me. Though in a very good way. In a way that is wholly empowering. Indeed, my days thus far on the Hill have been full of sensing and feeling, learning and doing – from getting back to the basics and understanding more deeply the legislative process of our parliamentary system to the role of the media in holding government to account to witnessing the symbiotic, albeit sometimes tense, interaction between government and industry associations. Almost every evening I find myself coming home from the Hill with new insights to mull over and stimulating policies to explore in greater detail. I’ve been very fortunate to be on ‘the inside’ and this opportunity has allowed me to really appreciate the finesse and dynamism of Canadian democracy today, which, before, was something I was not quite able to do to the fullest extent.
I’ve had an excellent experience these past six weeks in the Office of Bernard Trottier, Conservative MP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Originally from the French-speaking town of St. Paul, Alberta, Bernard completed his MBA at Western University (coincidentally, my alma mater too!) as well as a B.Sc.Eng. at UofM, and later worked as a business consultant. He was elected to federal office in 2011 with the biggest election night shocker, sweeping aside the incumbent Michael Ignatieff who was at the time the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. To my surprise, I learned that it was the first personal defeat for a Liberal leader in a general election in Canada since 1945. Much like my Dad, Bernard is frank, unrestrained and sensible, and I very much admire him for these qualities. He is always animated, adding to the overall positive atmosphere of the office. Bernard’s dedication and commitment as an MP to his constituency is apparent and his indefatigable approach to his work is noteworthy. Through working with Bernard and occasionally scurrying along with him from the Justice building to La Promenade to Center Block and back again, I’ve been fortunate to witness firsthand the many varied and demanding roles of the job of a parliamentarian: legislator, negotiator, ombudsman, policy analyst, public speaker, social worker and office manager. It was fascinating for me to bear witness to these roles. I find that the average Canadian associates parliamentarians with images of heated debates. We tend to remember those dramatic moments that make up the news, but I find we tend to be less familiar with the many roles and responsibilities that make up a parliamentarian’s daily work. That is why seeing Bernard in action was quite the eye-opener.