Canadian Parliamentary Internship (STEP Reflection)

Name: Kayla Wilson

Project: Canadian Parliamentary Internship Program

  1. For my STEP project, I participated in the Canadian Parliamentary Internship Program. For 5 weeks, I worked in the office of a Member of Parliament. I wrote speeches and statements for my MP to give in the house, compiled press releases, worked on constituency concerns, and attended legislative committee meetings.
  2. My perspective definitely changed during my time in Canada because I was fully immersed in not only a different country, but a unique political system. I was trusted with important government business and had to do things that actually impacted citizens. It gave me a broader view of how politics can be carried out because I was in the mix of something completely foreign to me. I also gained a lot of new skills that I would not have had the opportunity to learn anywhere else. I feel as though my time working in Parliament made me a better and more globally conscious person by not only putting me right in the middle of politics, but by giving me a lot of responsibility, as well. It was a time for personal growth and exploration of world issues and how leaders approach solving them.
  3. One of the most memorable and impactful experiences that I had while in Canada was my visit to the US Embassy and meeting the US Ambassador to Canada. My internship took place when the trade war began between the US and Canada, and our visit to the embassy was actually just a few hours after the tariffs had been announced. Hearing from real diplomats about this issue and how they see it playing out, as well as their vast experiences in other countries, really opened my eyes to politics on a new, global level. I like to think I had always been decently globally minded, but this experience really opened my eyes to all of the different people that were involved in global issues like this, and how they affected every person.                                                      A few weeks later, we had the opportunity to meet the US Ambassador to Canada. No one on the trip was particularly excited about this because she was not a career diplomat, and we assumed she would be under-qualified for the position. However, we were very surprised by not only her knowledge, but her openness and friendliness to our group. She invited us to her home for a Canada-US reception, and we got to interact with Canadian and American politicians. It was a truly transformational experience that opened my eyes to new perspectives after hearing from actual politicians. We were fortunate enough to hear about their individual work and experiences dealing with relations between the two countries, which is something that I would definitely not have experienced anywhere else.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Another aspect of this trip that was extremely transformational was my time in the actual office. They have be an immense amount of responsibility, which is something I would not have been trusted with in the US. I was able to directly influence the words and actions of my MP, allowing me to genuinely participate in Canadian politics. It was intimidating at first, but I soon realized I was gaining invaluable skills and networking with very important people. It was a life-changing opportunity, and I am so thankful that I was brave enough to dive in and get the full experience.
  4. I have always been passionate about creating positive change in our world, and when arriving at OSU I decided that politics were the best way for me to do so. This internship provided me with real, valuable experience that I can take to other jobs and apply in order to succeed. I now know how to better write political speeches and pieces, and I have experienced many government meetings and interactions. I feel as though I was introduced to so much that I hope to do in life, in just 5 weeks. I will take these skills and experiences to my government job in Columbus, graduate school, and future interviews and jobs and be able to begin further ahead than many of my peers. I will also value the connections I made and stay in touch in order to keep opportunities open. I know that my time in Canada will be invaluable during my future endeavors to create positive change.

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