OLIP Unplugged

Lauren: Turning a New Leaf in Placement with Green Energy Critic

OLIP — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:33:27 +0000

My first placement is with MPP Lisa Thompson from Huron-Bruce riding in South-Western Ontario. Lisa is one of the new Progressive Conservative MPP’s with a mandate to represent the province’s rural interests. Lisa is the deputy critic for Energy with focus on the Green Energy Act. This portfolio is a good fit for Lisa’s riding, which is home to a large number of the province’s wind turbines and nuclear generation. So far, I’ve been in Lisa’s Queen’s Park office doing research on policies in other jurisdictions, writing briefings on constituency issues and academic reports, and writing my first articles for local media outlets. I will be in the riding later this month when Lisa hosts two media events at her constituency offices in Blythe and Kincardine during the visit of fellow Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fideli. Lisa’s office has been enthusiastic about having me on their team and, although the house isn’t sitting, I’ve been involved a variety of interesting work projects.

Evan: Working for Kevin Flynn

OLIP — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:35:06 +0000

One day, I’m sitting in a creperie on Rue St. Jean in Quebec City with my fellow interns, both Ontarian and Quebecois, discussing our whirlwind travel week, and what MPPs we expect (or hope) to work for – the next, I’m in a boardroom in the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, flanking my brand new MPP Kevin Flynn, being briefed on the implementation of the Ontario College of Trades, a new self-regulating body for Ontario’s tradespeople. The life of an intern is nothing if not unpredictable! My past few weeks have been spent hanging on for dear life, familiarizing myself with this large new enterprise, almost three years in the making, and all of the many interests at play. Kevin has been great about having me by his side every step of the way, attending Ministry briefings, as well as meetings with College of Trade Board members and the Minister. It is a fascinating project, and I’m excited to be a part of it.

I’ve also been to the constituency four times already. I attended a meeting of the Ontario Parliamentary Youth Advisory Committee, met with a civics class at Oakville Trafalgar High School, and visited the Goodrich Landing Gear facility. Back in Toronto, I attended the launch of the government’s new tuition grant at OCAD University with Kevin and Minister Murray. The lights may be dark in the Chamber, but political life is never dull!

Craig: Of Potholes and Patties

OLIP — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:39:06 +0000

n”: address the concerns of some local seniors about an uneven sidewalk. Mike took the matter into his own hands, which is how I found myself shaking pothole filler into the hole as Mike pounded it down with a shovel. What a great introduction to the intimately local level of provincial politics – enhanced by the fact that he knew at least half of the people who walked by while we were doing this.

It was a great chance to start seeing the diversity of his Toronto riding. Having gone to the University of Toronto, I must admit that my conception of Toronto used to end just north of Bloor Street – but after seeing everywhere from Lawrence & Dufferin to Eglinton & Caledonia, I’m starting to realize the incredible socio-economic and cultural differences within the riding.

Another notable stop we made was at Randy’s, which I’m told has the best Jamaican patties in Toronto. After eating two of them, I can attest that they’re pretty incredibly delicious, with a good amount of spicy fire that left my lips tingling. Seeing Mike transition easily from meeting Italian seniors to joking with the staff at Randy’s has given me a taste of the lifestyle of a high-calibre politician, who seems to be ubiquitous and recognizable all over his riding.

Needless to say, my day was the envy of the entire intern cohort, and I’m looking forward to even more days like it (although next time, some of the constituency’s Italian food may have to be on the menu!).

New Major Sponsor: Shoppers Drug Mart

OLIP — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:44:33 +0000

Shoppers Drug Mart is one of the most recognized and trusted names in Canadian retailing and plays an important role in delivering pharmacy care, health service, education and support in communities from coast to coast.
With more than 1,200 Shoppers Drug Mart and Pharmaprix stores, we also license or own 60 medical clinic pharmacies, Shoppers Simply Pharmacy, and 63 Shoppers Home Health Care stores across Canada. Additionally, we operate Shoppers Drug Mart Specialty Health Network Inc., a provider of specialty drug distribution, pharmacy and comprehensive patient support services, and MediSystem Technologies Inc., a provider of pharmaceutical products and services to long-term care facilities in Ontario and Alberta.
As a leader in health and community pharmacy, Shoppers Drug Mart continues to invest in the well-being of Canadians and our communities. In this regard, Shoppers Drug Mart developed the WOMEN program, a commitment to the health of Canadian women in body, mind and spirit. This national initiative connects women to health information and resources that help ensure their health only gets stronger. Our WOMEN program includes our leadership in the Shoppers Drug Mart /Pharmaprix Weekend to End Women’s Cancers, facingcancer.ca, the nationally focused Motherisk program and our community oriented Tree of Life Campaign.
In 2011 in Ontario alone the Toronto and Ottawa Shoppers Drug Mart Weekend to End Women’s Cancers raised $9.4 million for the Princess Margaret Hospital and $1.8 million for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. This included 671 Shoppers employees who personally raised $725,000 for these organizations. In addition, the 2011 Tree of Life campaign raised $1.7 million to support 154 women’s organizations across Ontario.
We are very proud to sponsor the Ontario Legislative Internship Programme and congratulate the participants for their commitment to learning first-hand about our parliamentary system and the development of public policy. We look forward to one day partnering with these future leaders who will no doubt help create vibrant, healthy communities.
. It is money well spent.

Patrick: Feeling Energized in Vic Fedeli’s office

OLIP — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:42:13 +0000

Last Monday, I began my first term placement in the office of Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nippissing and Progressive Conservative critic for Energy. Although the House is not sitting and most MPPs from outside the GTA have headed back to their constituencies for the holidays, Vic and his Executive Assistant, Clint Thomas, welcomed me onto their team with open arms and got me started right away on important research for the upcoming session in February 2012. The placement in Mr. Fedeli’s office promises to be a busy and rewarding one, with the former businessman and mayor of North Bay given a range of responsibilities during his first term as an MPP.

As someone who is passionate about and interested in Ontario’s energy future, I couldn’t be happier to be working on Vic’s critic portfolio. Energy will continue to be a central and contentious issue at Queen’s Park, especially during a time of economic turbulence and minority government. And what better way to learn the file than to work for the Opposition Critic!

Vic also works on the PC Job Creation Task Force, a team that will focus on bringing forward new ideas for private-sector job creation while getting government spending under control. At a time of unusually high unemployment in Ontario, it will be fascinating to see what ideas this team of high-profile PCs will propose to get Ontarians back to work. Finally, as the MPP for the northernmost riding captured by the Tories in the October 2011 election, Vic is also the go-to guy for party on northern issues. As someone who came of age in southern Ontario, this offers a perfect opportunity for me to better understand the different challenges and opportunities of Northern Ontarians. I look forward to heading up to North Bay to spend some time working in Vic’s constituency office.

This will be my last blog post until the New Year, so I’ll end it off by wishing Vic and Clint, as well as my fellow interns, a merry Christmas and best of luck in 2012!

Angie Brennand, V.P. Policy and Government Relations, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

OLIP — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:41:04 +0000

Our meeting with Angie Brennand was chock-full of useful tips and
advice for us to carry with us as we move forward with our careers.
Angie discussed the importance of integrity, honesty, and of
developing a plan so that we are able to fulfill the objectives we
have for ourselves. I know we all benefitted a great deal from her
candidness and willingess to answer any and all of our questions. The
meeting also allowed us to learn more about the Ontario Chamber of
Commerce (OCC) and the organizations policy objectives. We were able
to discuss some of Ontario’s emerging economic sectors with an
experienced policy expert, including Ring of Fire development and
innovation in health care.

The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA)

OLIP — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:48:44 +0000

Shortly after returning from our adventures in Ottawa and Quebec, we found ourselves sitting in a boardroom with Kristopher Stevens of The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA). OSEA is a member-based, non-profit that represents approximately 200 organizations and individuals who are engaged in or supporting Community Power projects and renewable energy. Kristopher has been with OSEA for ten years, growing the organization’s voice and networks in the renewable energy sector. In his capacity as the Executive Director, Kristopher has made news headlines by contributing to the often highly charged debates about green energy. Before coming to OSEA, Kristopher studied social friction in the energy sector to pursue his interest in sustainable grassroots development, and he went on to do professional recruiting abroad. Our discussion might prove to be helpful for those of us who are working with MPPs responsible for energy and environment. Kristopher says he is eager and willing to meet with all sides of the energy sector. With the government’s Green Energy Act receiving significant media coverage in this session, chances are we’ll be seeing much more of Kristopher and OSEA in the months ahead.

Ottawa: Comparative Study Visit Part 2

OLIP — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:55:18 +0000

On Friday morning, we met with the Conservative MP for Simcoe-Grey, Ms. Kellie Leitch. We chatted with her about the transition from her career as an orthopaedic surgeon to operation on Parliament Hill. Although a new MP, Ms. Leitch has been active with the party for many years, notably authoring the current government’s Children`s Fitness Tax Credit which was introduced in 2006 and chairing numerous campaigns, including at the provincial level. Her position as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and to the Minister of Labour has already thrust her in the public eye, as she was the main point of contact for the government’s handling of the asbestos-exports file. It isn’t hard to see why Ms. Leitch has been called “a rising star” within the party.
We also met with another ‘star’ that day – Supreme Court Justice Maurice Fish. A last-minute addition to our schedule, Justice Fish was gracious enough to host us within the court itself for a short meeting. He gave us an overview of the technical workings of the Supreme Court and answered a few questions from the budding lawyers among us.
At the American Embassy, we were greeted by a panel of representatives from the public affairs, trade, consular, and political and military affairs sections. We discussed the importance and uniqueness of the Canada-U.S. relationship as well some specific issues such as softwood lumber, banking regulations, counter-terrorism and the war in Afghanistan. The visit was a welcome balance to our otherwise Canadian agenda.
Back on Parliament Hill, we were honoured to be invited into the opposition parties’ lobby by a member of the staff of the Liberal Whip’s office. We talked about some of the sticks and carrots at the whips disposal and how this role changes depending on the number of the party’s seats in the house.
One of the most interesting meetings we had, in my opinion, was with Stephen Lecce, Deputy Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister. Stephen gave us a presentation on how to communicate effectively in the political sense. His advice was based in real life examples in recent communication triumphs as well as challenges. That fact that Stephen is our peer was all the more impressive!
Our last official day of visits in Ottawa was rounded out with a meeting with The Hill Times journalist Tim Naumetz, with whom we discussed some of the top political issues of the day. Thus ended our action-packed stay in Ottawa. Saturday, we had the day off to enjoy the offerings of the capital a little bit and recuperate before the long drive to Quebec City the following day!

Ottawa: Comparative Study Visit

OLIP — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:53:30 +0000

If reports about adverse weather effects in Ottawa at the beginning of December had you worried, fear not – it was just the OLIPers taking the capital by storm.

It was an exciting moment: beginning our first trip, meeting our federal intern counterparts, as well as completing the extensive visit program they put together for us! After our six-hour drive, we started with a visit to a reception at the Chateau Laurier to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Canada World Youth, and then managed to get into the All-Party Holiday Party. It was great to see a bit of the Ottawa receptions scene, and meet the political staffers (and some MPs) while they were letting their hair down.

The next day started early – 7:45am, to be precise. Thankfully, our first meeting was the incredibly funny Clerk of the House, Audrey O’Brien, who shared some great anecdotes and keen insight into their parliamentary procedure. We then jumped over to the upper chamber for a briefing from Senate Speaker Noel Kinsella’s policy advisors, Michael Reid and Peter O’Sullivan, learning much about the institution and getting to visit the beautiful Speaker’s Chambers.

For many of us, the meeting with Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page and Sadhir Khan(sp?) from his office was a highlight. Their advice to be fearless in pursuing a career was heartfelt, and it was interesting to compare the experience of an independent officer at the federal level to the many we have met in Toronto.

We were lucky to meet with excellent Members of Parliament from all three parties. From the NDP, we met Pierre-Luc Dusseault, MP for Sherbrooke and the youngest Member ever elected! He provided interesting perspective on the party and his personal experience in the House. On the Liberal side, we met with former Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, and former leader Stephane Dion. Both were incredibly passionate, and we gained a lot from our brief conversations. Finally, we had the pleasure to meet with Conservative MPs Candice Hoeppner, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Safety and the leading voice of ending the long-gun registry; and the Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. The conversations were insightful and honest about issues ranging from parliamentary procedure and Private Members’ Business to policy directions and party politics. In particular, Minister Kenney was gracious in giving over an hour to a conversation with both our group and the PIPs.

One further highlight was watching Question Period from the gallery, and seeing how strongly the spectacle contrasts with Queen’s Park. A three-fold increase in size means one needs headphones to hear the discussion, and the nature of heckling changes dramatically (more of a dull roar in Ottawa, rather than audible pointed barbs as in Toronto). The most substantive difference came from having 35-second questions and answers, instead of them being a minute long.

The long day ended with some relaxation at our Alumni Pub Night. It was nice to unwind with fellow political junkies – gleaning advice from our OLIP alumni, getting to know the PIPs even better, and meeting several students in the Masters of Political Management program at Carleton. After a (very) long day, we headed back to the hotel to rest up – the visit to Ottawa was only half over!

Quebec City Comparative Study Visit

OLIP — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:50:41 +0000

Ottawa was fantastic, and the second leg of our whirlwind winter tour had a lot to live up to. Luckily, that second leg took us to one of the most beautiful cities in the world (and I say that without hyperbole). We drove up to our hotel at Place D’Youville Sunday evening, and were confronted with the old gates to the city, beautifully illuminated, serving as a backdrop to a charming skating rink, while Quebec’s proud old buildings, bedecked in Christmas decorations, gathered around, and Christmas carols filled the air. It was a scene ripped right out of the corniest of holiday television specials; a perfect winter moment, and it set the tone for our next few days beautifully.
We were, of course, in Quebec on official business, and magical moments aside, Quebec is also home to a political institution as unpredictable and fascinating as any in the world. The interns at the Assemblée Nationale were extremely gracious hosts, providing us with a deep and meaningful glimpse into this institution, and making us feel welcome and cared for every step of the way. Our first morning began with a hot, delicious breakfast served in the Assembly’s stunning dining room, provided by the Quebec internship programme and the Fondation Jean-Charles Bonenfant.
A welcome like that sets the bar high for the remainder of the visit, and the meetings that followed did not disappoint. Before truly getting down to business, we were taken on a guided tour of the Assembly. From the Chamber itself to the former Senate (now used for Committee hearings), down every storied hall, into the library, the building was stunning, with every moment heightened and accented by lavish holiday decorations. Furthermore, in a province where identity politics are always prominent and always contentious, every piece of symbolism (British lions, Canadian maple leaves, the French fleur-de-lis) took on a new and fascinating flavour.
Sufficiently dazzled by the building that was to host us for the next two days, we began our meetings, first speaking with Nancy Ford, who shared the ins and outs of Quebec parliamentary procedure. Quebec is distinct from Ontario in that it has numerous independent Members, and several small, unrecognized parties. This unusual composition affects the manner in which proceedings are conducted. In the case of the ADQ, we learned, the standing orders were altered to allow them to retain official party status. Such volatility and diffusion we do not often face in Ontario.
From there, we met with Globe and Mail journalist Rhéal Séguin, who offered us a blistering crash course on Quebec politics, from the current state of the Liberal government, through each of the opposition parties, including the newly-formed Coalition Avenir Québec, which has taken the political scene by storm, and will likely merge with the ADQ. Oftentimes Quebec politics are so distinct and unusual that they can be difficult to wrap one’s head around, even for us political science eggheads! M. Séguin made the issues digestible, and served as a great introduction to our visit.
Our final meeting tore us away from the National Assembly, and took us out into suburban Ste-Foy to visit the Directeur général des élections, where we learned about problems with turnout in Quebec (a problem with which we could easily relate), and new party financing regulations meant to increase transparency and reduce the frequency of financing offences.
Perhaps the best part about the National Assembly, however, is that at the end of the day, you walk out the front doors on to the streets of Quebec City. We spent the rest of our night exploring Old Quebec and enjoying the finest in Quebec cuisine. Our stay already half over, we had to quickly take it all in!