Canadian Parliament Internship

Layla Khalid

Canadian Parliament Internship

My STEP Signature Project was a five week internship in an office of a Member of the Canadian Parliament, Joyce Murray, in Ottawa, Ontario.I did a variety of tasks including answering constituency mail, filming and editing videos, writing speeches, managing social media accounts, researching issues that are important to my Member’s riding, conducting tours of Parliament, and many other office tasks. I also attended Question Period, committee meetings, and receptions where I was able to meet and network with Members of the Canadian Parliament and other government officials.

This internship taught me many skills and changed my understanding of Canadian and American politics. I saw the way America operated from an outsider’s perspective and it taught me to think more holistically. This program taught me to compare different government styles and not be too quick to dismiss other methods that are different than what I am used to.

I have also learned a lot about the culture and history of Canada that I did not know before. Canada’s multicultural values really inspired me and showed me how a country can effectively embrace diversity in a welcoming way.  Working in the government also taught me how to work with and respect people who have different viewpoints and political affiliations than I do. I really hope to take these values back to America and use them in my day to day life.

The biggest contribution that led to my transformation were the people I met and the friendships I formed over the past five weeks. I became very close with my office and it was very insightful to talk with my coworkers about their lives growing up in Canada and their experience in politics. I was also very inspired that there were so many diverse people in politics. I had the privilege of meeting and speaking to The Honorable Ahmed Hussen who is the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. He is a refugee from Somalia and is also Muslim. As an aspiring immigration lawyer, it was so inspiring to see a fellow Muslim and refugee working as a Minister in the Canadian government and hearing about all the incredible change he is making in the world. I also met Canadian Senator Mobina Jaffer, who is the first Muslim senator, the first African born Senator, and the first senator of South Asian descent. I had the privilege to speak with her one-on-one and she gave me a lot of valuable advice about being a Muslim women in politics. She is also an immigration lawyer and spoke to me about law school and my aspirations. Speaking to these educated, yet humble people who have successfully become impactful in politics really inspired me and motivated me to make a difference.

It was also inspiring to see many women in politics. I interned for MP Joyce Murray, who is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Board. She has been in politics for many years and I learned so much about being a woman in politics by working for her. I am really grateful that I was able to learn from such a wise and experienced Member of Parliament. I also attended an event where I met Helen Clark, who is the former Prime Minister of New Zealand. She was the Prime Minister when I lived in New Zealand so this was very special to me and she shared her experience in being a Prime Minister and working in the United Nations.

During my internship, I also met and spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Speaker of the House of Commons Geoff Regan, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, and US Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft. Each interaction and conversation I had during my internship contributed to my transformation and growth through the past five weeks.

This transformation is very valuable to both my academic and professional goals. I never thought that working in government was a career that I would consider, but this internship changed my mind. It taught me there are many different paths and careers I can take with a Political Science degree. It also taught me that I can pursue many different careers with a law degree and it does not have to be a straight path. I spoke to many politicians, foreign service officers, and professionals from many different careers. These interactions helped me broaden my horizons and think about my future differently. This internship also provided me many skills that will be valuable for law school and any career I choose in the future. It taught me how to think critically, solve problems, and be organized. It also taught me time management, leadership, and networking skills that will be valuable in my academic, personal, and professional life

I am so grateful that I was given this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience Canadian politics from a hands-on experience. I cannot wait to visit Ottawa again. Overall, my STEP Signature Project has given me many skills, values, and experiences that I hope to take on with me for the rest of my life.