This Summer, I had the amazing opportunity to intern for the Hon. Joyce Murray P.C, M.P, President of the Treasury Board, Minister of Digital Government, and Representative for Vancouver Quadra. I interned in her parliamentary office located in Ottawa, Ontario Canada. Here I fulfilled many roles by: gathering and entering data, attending and taking notes at meetings, and implementing a letter writing campaign. I not only worked in my office, I took advantage of other opportunities available on Parliament Hill. This included attending committee meetings on topics I am interested in like human rights, digital privacy, and international relations. I also attended receptions where I conversed with people involved in all levels of Canadian politics. Finally, I attended question period in the House of Commons. At question period I was able to experience live debates between members of parliament. My favorite event I got to attend was the Garden Party. This is a gathering that takes place at the residence of the Canadian Prime Minister for all the liberal staff members. Here, we all had the opportunity to meet Justin Trudeau.

(Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Myself)

(Me, MP Joyce Murray, and my fellow interns Dorothy and Rebecca)

Outside the office I had the ability to explore some amazing cities such as Quebec City, Montreal, and Ottawa. In Quebec City my favorite part was the gorgeous cathedral we visited. In Montreal I loved exploring the cities’ sites, food, street performances, and art. In Ottawa, I spent most of my time on parliament hill but when I did have the time I enjoyed Byward Market and the National Art Gallery. I am extremely grateful for my experiences in Canada and would love to do something similar again.

(Some friends and I exploring Montreal)

(Me and one of the few nice days in Ottawa)

06/09/2019

On June 4th, 2019 I sat down with the Hon. Joyce Murray of Vancouver Quadra to discuss questions that my 2 coworkers and I gathered based on the work we had done for her over the past few weeks. My experiences working in her Ottawa office, specifically correspondence with her constituents, made me significantly more curious about her priorities and policy stances. Because Murray recently became Minister of Treasury in March, it was hard to fit this interview into her very busy schedule. I am grateful for the priority she gave us and the time she dedicated.

The first thing we discussed was her advice for professional women. Murray efficized the need for young women to follow their intuition. We need to be confident in what our gut is telling us, for we are always absorbing information subconsciously and it comes out in surprising ways. Murray told us that trusting her gut is how she became so successful in politics and that she would not have it any other way.

I then asked her a question I have been curious about since I knew I would be working in an environment and climate change focused office. Murray provided an uplifting answer to my question: “What gives you hope in the battle against climate change, specifically the proliferation of pollution in the oceans?”. She answered using examples on how she was able to enact significant progress in environmental protection within a short period of time. Before Murray was in office plastic pollution was not on the government’s radar. It took a constituent, who had volunteered their time, to approach Murray and share how they had been clearing Canada’s coastline of plastic. This constituent shared how they had no government assistance and Murray believed in their cause.

She decided to begin the process of directing government support towards this cause. Murray’s first step was to make a resolution in caucus that would begin the process with the help of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. The Minister of Environment, McKenna, saw this,and was immediately interested. Murray then began consulting NSERC, the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, about what the best approach would be. From this Murray developed a national strategy. There were 2 main objectives in this strategy. 1. Get rid of single use plastic. 2. Change Canada into a green government. This would involve decreasing plastic use and having a 75% reduction in plastic waste within the government. Minister McKenna formally committed them to this plan. The moral of the story according to Murray is a pebble starts a landslide. If you see a problem figure out how you can contribute to the solution; after all, movements have to start somewhere.

We then discussed Murray’s goals for her riding, Vancouver Quadra. She has 5 main goals:

1. Progress on action against climate change and the implementation of more environmental protections
2. Decrease income inequality
3. Stimulate the clean energy economy
4. Continue Indigenous reconciliation
5. Defend the health of our democracy.

She has accumulated these goals based on feedback from constituents and progress already made during her term. Murray made progress by getting the federal government to deliver on climate change policy, and shifting metrics on housing and renting affordability. She gained feedback from constituents by having monthly policy breakfasts. At one breakfast in particular she focused on the problem of loneliness and isolation in Vancouver. Murray then decided to make an effort to shift the federal government’s vast resources to help the isolated connect with the greater community.

Another influence on her policy positions is her past experience running a reforestation company with her husband. This gave her awareness on how we thoughtlessly harm, we do not take accountability for our wrongdoings. One example that stuck with Murray is when a shipment of half dead seedlings was delivered and she was told to plant them anyway. This shipment was sent by a company who partnered with the government and neither party would fix the problem. Murray, her husband, and her company decided to lobby the government and they were successful. Now, the harvester of forests must replace them with the same amount of diversity as was present before. They must also ensure these replacement pace the growth mark so that there is a greater chance at survival. This policy ensures clear accountability and consciousness.

Murray is a passionate environmental advocate and a strong supporter of women. She sets attainable but difficult goals. She listens attentively to her constituents. She also takes immediate and practical action against problems presented to her. I admire Murray and her ability to thrive in the difficult field of politics.

06/11/2019

On June 5th, I attended a meeting held by the Standing Committee on Operations and Estimates. The members of this committee include: Tom Lukiwski, Yasmin Ratansi, Daniel Blaikie, Gerard Deltell, Francis Drouin, Greg Fergus, Majid Jowhari, Stephen MacKinnon, Kelly McCauley, Alexandra Mendes, Kyle Peterson, and Jean Yip. I attended this meeting to hear the testimony my Member of Parliament, Joyce Murray, gave addressing business relevant to her position of Minister of Digital Government. She addressed transparency of government spending, the introduction of a new pay system, the Open Government International Summit, and the Privacy Act.

Murray began her testimony by answering the question of how can we improve the transparency of spending. She explained how the budget implementation vote from last year was a great improvement. It made spending trackable online which is an important first step.

The focus of this meeting shifted after Murray’s explanation. A committee member asked Murray “why have you stripped away the seniority rights of veterans?”. She is not directly involved in this issue. The answer would come from the Departmental Committee for Veterans Affairs. The committee member did not accept this answer. He began interrupting her and using a condescending, rude, and pushy tone. I found this disrespectful and was disappointed that this one member derailed the relevant topics in favor of party politics.

Questions then continued on topic. They focused on the Next Generation which is the new pay system replacing Phoenix. This new pay system will be focused on the users and opportunities for pilot projects. $16 million has been spent over 2 years on this project.

The next line of questioning focused on Digital Government Strategy and the Open Government International Summit. The Digital Government Strategy entails improving services for citizens. 9 countries are involved in these improvements. The Open Government International Summit is a parallel initiative that includes over 80 countries. The goal of this summit was to improve citizens access to government data. This would build a stronger level of trust and reduce corruption. The main point taken from this summit should be: the digital world can be exploited to undermine democracy, open government is made to address this and strengthen democracy.

Attending this committee meeting was a great learning opportunity for me. I got to see how Murray fulfills her new role as Minister of the Treasury and Digital Government. I also was able to witness how she structures her statements when questioned and responds to aggressive tactics. It is very interesting to see the processes in which the committees in the Canadian government operate and how they affect policy.

05/29/2019

On May 29, 2019 I attended the International Grand Committee on Big Data, Privacy, and Democracy meeting held by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. Members of this committee include: Bob Zimmer, Nathaniel Erskine Smith, Charlie Angus, Frank Baylis, Mona Fortier, Jacques Gourde, Hon. Peter Kent, Michel Picard, Raj Saini, and Anita Vadenbeld. The focus of this meeting was to hold media platforms and other similar service providers accountable for their use of consumer data and privacy. The committee was particularly interested in talking to the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg did not comply with this request and the government of Canada has now subpoenaed him. The committee was also not successful in securing the attendance of other high level players. They wanted the CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google to be in attendance. These companies provided security and privacy experts for the event who often did not have the information that the committee needed.

The committee members focused on the following topics during their questioning of the representatives from the tech companies: competition law, user profiles, predatory pricing, antitrust practices, the transferring of private user information, sand boxing, data breaches, data portability, diversity, digital monopoly, ad exchanges, consent, and anti-union practices.

Questioning was often targeting competition law. The tech company officials did not have the expertise to answer this line of questioning. The companies were then interrogated on their management of user profiles. Amazon confirms that they track individual purchases. However, they deny this gives them an advantage over 3rd party sellers that use their platform. Amazon was accused of predatory pricing as well. The committee viewed them as a monopoly and would like to further investigate them in relation to anti-trust law. The amazon representative claimed that they have no expertise in this area and declined to answer the questions.

The next line of questioning was targeted more towards the Google and Microsoft representatives. They were asked if they transfer user information through their independent businesses. They would neither confirm nor deny if they partake in this practice.

The committee requested that these companies share their privacy practices. They questioned the representatives on why they would do business with Facebook if they knew information was being used in a corrupt manner. Apple claimed that being in business with facebook was not a choice. If they did not allow the app on their devices users could access Facebook through their website. There would not be an effective way to bar Facebook use. Relating to privacy practices, Amazon was interrogated about a recent security breach which they denied having knowledge of.

Another topic this committee looked into was foreign interference. The representative from Singapore inquired about ad transparency. During her question time, she made it clear that companies like Facebook would rather sell advertisements than protect the United States from Russian interference.

The companies were also put in the hot seat over the amount of diversity they hold. Those who program influence the algorithms with their social identity. We need people other than white young men in charge of programming otherwise the world will continue to only cater to them. Consent was another central topic. Should consent be implied, contextual or placed in the content? The companies did not have concrete answers on this.

Attending this committee meeting exposed me to the complexities of large technology companies and the freedom they currently hold in the use and misuse of our data. The representatives from these major companies did not provide sufficient evidence to convince me they have our best interests at heart. In fact, they spent most of their time dodging answers and using superfluous language to waltz around difficult topics.

06/08/2019

On May 29th, I had the privilege of attending an update on the Rohingya and Sri Lanka crises held by the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. The subcommittee members include: Anita Vanderbeld, David Sweet, Cheryl Hardcastle, David Anderson, Peter Fragiskatos, Iqra Khalid, and Marwan Tabbara. It was encouraging to see the great work being done by Canada, even if progress is slow. The current government is taking a large step by placing themselves in a leadership position when addressing these crises. For this analysis I would like to focus on the Rohingya crisis, as this is the one the meeting went into with depth.

Currently, there are refugee camps in Bangladesh for the Rohingya. They prioritize the protection of women and the evidence they provide for crimes committed against them. In these camps some progress has been made in the form of learning centers being provided for children under 12 and reproductive health services being made available. The government of Bangladesh is not happy with the location of the refugee camps in their country so they are refusing to provide education or employment opportunities for the residents. This is lowering the quality of life for an already traumatized people. When one of the ministers visited Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh they learned that what the Rohingya desired most was justice and accountability. The Rohingya also wanted to extend their thanks to Canada for acknowledging and validating the crisis. Canada was the first country to do so. The United Kingdom is the second and only other country to follow Canada’s example.

Bangladesh has proposed the expulsion of refugees. This would take away the Rohingya’s last line of defense against Myanmar. Due to the fragile relationship between Canada and Bangladesh, blocking this motion is difficult. Canada has so far been able to continually delay this plan. They have even convinced the government to grant permission for necessary infrastructure to be built in the refugee camps. This includes sewers and protections against monsoons. Even so, the government of Bangladesh continues to search for ways to limit the refugees. Their latest attempt is sending refugees to an old military base on the Island of Basanchar. This camp would have terrible conditions. Refugees would find themselves trapped on an island where their safety would not be guaranteed and there would be very little access for foreign entities to help them. It would basically be a one way ticket. Luckily, Canada has been able to delay this attempt and will continue to block motions like this.

There are 2 options Canada believes are the most effective ways they can hold Myanmar accountable for the Rohingya genocide. They can either prosecute Myanmar individuals in the International Criminal Court or they can prosecute the state in the International Court of Justice. Option 1 entails finding specific individuals that the UN Security Council agrees should be charged. This is an issue because China holds a seat here and they hold the power to cast a veto vote. Once charged the indivuduals will likely face sanctions which will require jail time. Option 2 has multiple ways in which it can be enacted. The UN General Assembly can call for a vote on using the International Court of Justice; or, Canada can take legal responsibility and take Myanmar to court themselves. The issue with this option is there may not be enough evidence to result in Myanmar being held accountable.

The timeline for Canada to choose one of these options depends on the success of their diplomats. Canada is hoping other countries will join them in this pursuit of justice. In order for Canada to have the highest likelihood of success other states need to be involved. Other states like Japan can impose influential sanctions that will be persuasive as they are Myanmar’s biggest investor.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to experience the steps a powerful human rights leader like Canada takes to address crises. They identified the issue, consulted the people affected, and are currently taking meticulously thought out action to create positive change. I would love to learn more about the various possible approaches and what other experts believe would be the best solution.

April 18, 2019

Over Summer 2019, I will be serving as an intern for the Canadian Parliament member Joyce Murray. Murray was born in Schweizer-Reneke, South Africa. She later settled in Vancouver within the Point Gray area. Murray is married to Dirk Brinkman, who she has 1 daughter and 2 sons with. Her alma mater is Simon Fraser University. Here, she studied archaeology, linguistics, and pre-med. After earning her undergraduate degree, Murray worked towards and received an Executive Masters Degree in Business Administration. She used her extensive education to be a successful business woman who started the company Brinkman and Associates Reforestation Ltd. Her company focuses on reforestation, ecosystem restoration, urban restoration, and forest management for First Nation Communities.

Joyce Murray is a member of the liberal party. Her parties current numerical standing in Parliament is 179. The liberal party in Canada has had a wide range of major legislative objectives. In the past, the Canadian Liberal party was a centrist party that valued free markets and personal responsibility. After World War 2, the party moved towards the left. P.E Trudeau, a liberal prime minister, contributed to this leftward shift. He addressed social and economic problems during his time in a position of power. P.E Trudeau’s successors were rightward leaning economically. They wanted to lower taxes. In present day, “the modern Liberal Party portrays itself as a party that is fiscally responsible, but socially progressive. Liberals are strongly supportive of unrestricted abortion, LGBT rights, and high rates of immigration, but also favor a free market economy that is not subject to overly burdensome regulation” (Canada guide). The liberal party is to the left of conservatives but to the right of the NDP.

A large part of being a parliament member is serving on committees. Murray is currently a Parliamentary Secretary and a non-voting member on many committees. This includes: the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Standing Committee on Public Accounts,and Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. In the past, Murray was a Parliamentary Secretary and a non-voting member for the following committees: Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, Public Accounts, Government Operations and Estimates. During the 41st Parliament in the 2nd Session, Murray was the Vice-Chair for National Defence. She was also on the subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on National Defence and the National Defence. During the 40th Parliament in the 3rd Session, Murray was the Vice-Chair on the Health committee. Additionally, she was a member on the committee on Fisheries and Oceans, the committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, the committee on Health, the subcommittee on Agenda, and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Health. During the 40th Parliament in the 2nd Session, Murray was the vice-chair for the Health committee. During the 39th Parliament in the 2nd Session, she was a member of the International Trade committee.

Murray has participated in many elections, many of which ended successfully for her. In March of 2008, she won the election for Parliament member with 36.05% of the vote. In October of 2008, Murray again won the election for Parliament member. This time with 45.59% of the vote. In 2011, she was elected parliament member by 42.17% of voters. In 2015, Murray won the general election to be a parliament member with 59% of the vote. In 2015, Murray ran against Justin Trudeau as the liberal party leader. She lost and was not even appointed to his cabinet. This was highly unusual as she played such a key role in the liberal party.

Joyce Murray’s riding is Vancouver Quadra. Vancouver Quadra is located in British Columbia. According to Statistics Canada, the ethnic composition of this riding is determined from 102,740 people in Vancouver Quadra. The information was taken from the 2016 census. 2,590 have North American Aboriginal origins. 60,540 have European origins. 695 have Caribbean origins. 2,135 have Latin, Central and South American origins. 1,425 have African origins. 40,505 have Asian origins. 990 have Oceania origins. According to the elections in 2019 which determined the Parliament member for the 42nd Parliament, the following is the percent of people that voted for each party. These statistics will convey the general political composition on Vancouver Quadra. 58.7% of voted for the Liberal Party. 25.83% voted for the CPC. 10.85% voted for the NDP. 4.21% voted for the GP. 0.16% voted for the PPCA. 0.12% voted for the MP. 0.11% voted independently.

The most recent press coverage about Joyce Murray is centered around her relationship with Justin Trudeau and the current scandal surrounding him. In an article called “Joyce Murray is Toughing it out”, she comments on those who recently resigned from working under Trudeau’s government. Murray acknowledged the immense pressure caucus members face and the different perspectives on events that they each hold. Additional news about Murray has been concerned about her son. Murray’s son was on his honeymoon in Mexico when he fell from a height and received critical injuries. He was evacuated to Vancouver for treatment. Murray received a lot of public support and well-wishes after this event took place.

In another article “Justin Trudeau defends Trans Mountain takeover as vital economic move” Joyce Murray is asked her opinion of the political risks for liberals as a result of the Trans Mountain pipeline takeover. Murray addressed the unpopularity of this decision and stated that “they took a decision that was reflecting a broader interest”. There is a concern the voters will view her unfavorably as a result of this decision even though she was publically strangely against it. In the article “Joyce Murray is Toughing it out” she also comments on the Trans Mountain takeover saying: “I am concerned about the marine environment, our southern resident killer whale population and the opposition of Indigenous people. That is the solid opinion of the majority in my riding”. There is speculation that her outspoken opinion on this topic is part of the reason she does not hold a cabinet position.

Many articles were written about Murray when she ran against Trudeau for the leader of the liberal party. One article, written in 2012, is called “B.C. MP Joyce Murray launches Liberal leadership bid. ” This article includes Murray’s argument about why she is the best candidate for liberal party leader. She argues her background as a former environmental minister and a successful business woman “leaves her uniquely positioned to balance environmental sustainability and economic growth”. Murray also talks about the need of cooperation with the other parties and how she would be the best person to initiate it. Murray was unsuccessful in this election and lost to Justin Trudeau.

In conclusion, the parliamentary member I will be interning for over the Summer is a very impressive and well accomplished woman. Joyce Murray is a liberal with a passion to protect the environment and indigenous people. She has implemented numerous policies that fulfill that goal. I am excited to work with her and learn more about how she got to this level in her career. Hopefully in the future partly as a result of her guidance, I will also be an impressive and well-accomplished woman who has made a significant impact in the fight against climate and inequality.
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