For my STEP Signature Project, I participated in the Education Abroad Canadian Parliament Internship program. I interned for a Member of Parliament for five weeks in Ottawa. During my internship, I drafted speeches, conducted research on key policy issues, and even went to a garden party at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s residency.
While in Ottawa, I learned so much about Canadian politics and US-Canada relations. I was able to see the differences between these two countries, and the significance behind them. As an International Studies major, I was very interested in observing the differences between the foreign policies of the US and Canada. Upon returning from my education abroad program, I have developed a new sense of respect towards Canada and I am more appreciative of our strong relationship with our neighbor to the north.
Throughout the duration of my internship, I became very close with the members of my office and other OSU students on the trip. I would often talk about the differences between American and Canadian culture and politics with my office, and I ended up learning a lot about my own culture and values. I was able to attend so many incredible events during my internship and I met a lot of interesting people.
I also travelled through the country and saw with my own eyes the difference between Anglophone and Francophone Canada. Our group spent the weekend in the majority French-speaking province of Quebec, visiting Quebec City and Montreal. Before this program, I had only visited Toronto, which is majority English-speaking. It was incredibly fascinating to see first-hand the differences between the cultures of the different regions of Canada, which most Americans don’t realize.
While I was in Ottawa, the US administration announced they would be implementing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. I think this was an interesting time to be in Canada because I was able to talk to so many Canadians about how they felt about this news. I was surprised to learn that many Canadians believed that this decision made their country realize how important their relationship with the US was, and only further solidified their determination to improve relations. This belief was not covered on American news stations, so I was in a very unique position to see firsthand Canada’s reaction.
Because of my experience interning for a Member of Parliament in Canada, I feel much more confident in my skills and abilities. I know have real-life experience that will benefit in my future International Studies classes, and this experience has better prepared me for future internships and careers. I have a much more well-rounded view of international relations, and I am even more excited to continue my studies and pursue more amazing experiences like this one.
