With a heavy heart, the Parliamentary session has ended, and therefore so has my internship in the office of Isabelle Morin. I can say without hesitation that I have learned as much, if not more, in my brief stint on the Hill as I have to this point in my university career. The first day on Parliament is somewhat daunting, as relatively simple tasks like finding the cafeteria or maneuvering through security while waiting for the permanent security pass provide unnecessary stresses. I was told early into my internship that there is a steep learning curve when it comes to Parliamentary operations. I am not convinced this is entirely true if you are willing to learn and are passionate about the work in front of you. The promise that was made to me on my first day reigned true as the work that I did was far less that of an intern and more like that of a junior legislative assistant. While I could not possibly write an exhaustive list of all of the exciting things that I was able to do during my internship, the highlights would certainly include writing a question for question period, helping to organize an event with the UN independent expert on the Human Rights crisis in Sudan, writing a speech for the House of Commons, attending committee meetings, and much more.

For many students, the academic environment can give some insight into events in politics, be they formal events, bills that are being debated, or what the characteristics of our politicians are. Before starting on the Hill, I believed I had a fairly good grasp of these concepts, though my knowledge of the work behind them was limited. Because of my time at NCCAR, I had the chance to see how these things came to be. I came away from my internship with a renewed appreciation for the work that goes on out of the media spotlight, which is not given the attention it deserves, nor the credit it demands. An example of this was the schedule that Isabelle works every week. On Monday morning, she drives from her riding outside of Montreal to Ottawa to begin a lengthy week of debates votes in the House of Commons. Seemingly every morning, she would arrive on the Hill around 8:30 and work until votes were completed. This could run anywhere from 5 pm in the afternoon to 11 pm at night, Monday through Thursday. On Thursday nights, she would drive back to Montreal to take part in community events and meet with constituents. I understand that her schedule on weekends is equally demanding, often working 16 hour days on weekends in order to meet with as many constituents as possible. The work that she does was truly inspiring and shows the level of dedication and drive that politicians across the country work to display in order to best represent the voices of their constituents in Ottawa.

While I had understood that politicians worked lengthy hours, I was somewhat surprised to see how the hours of a legislative assistant mirror those of the elected officials. On a typical day, Wassim would arrive to the office around 9, running around the Hill to make sure that every task was completed to the best of his ability to alleviate some of the pressures of Isabelle’s schedule. Often, he would work until 9 or 10 pm in order to keep on top of his work in an environment where priorities and focuses can change in an instant. During my time working with Wassim, I was able to learn a significant amount about how Parliament operates behind the scenes, as well as having been given the chance to see what sort of skills I should work on if I decide that the work of a legislative assistant is something worth pursuing upon graduation. I am extremely grateful to have had him as a sort of mentor throughout this experience, as he was willing to share advice, give tips, and always took the time to explain his positions and his actions.

In all, my experience on Parliament Hill was extraordinary and gave me a new perspective on the work that takes place on Wellington Street. Before applying to the internship with NCCAR, I was somewhat resigned to the fact that seeing politics happen on the Hill would require experience in the public galleries of the House of Commons, rather than in the office of an MP. As a result of this internship, I have had the chance to try this work first hand and have decided without doubt that work on the Hill is unequivocally ideal for me, and worth pursuing post graduation. For any students seeking to better understand life in politics firsthand, I would highly recommend applying to this internship.

Thank you to all of those at NCCAR and those in the office of Isabelle Morin for making this possible.

The post Brent Lamothe – Parliamentary Internship Report 2015 appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Owen Maxwell, Ottawa ON,
Carleton University

My time on Parliament Hill was an invaluable experience. From my first day there my view on the political process changed. Working in Peter Julian’s office with his team was the best possible experience I could’ve had, the people were all great, interesting and passionate people, who were a joy to be around every day of the internship.

The office work gave me a unique perspective on the load of work that an individual MP’s office has to deal with. Seeing Mr. Julian’s unique devotion to his job and tireless work ethic renewed a lot of my hope in politicians, as much of my time in journalism had left me cynical. In some of the talks I got to have with Mr. Julian, I gained a lot of insight on how he and his partners in the NDP use the media structure of Question Period to talk directly to voters, as well as how they’ve been tackling the modern political landscape. I also briefly met Mr. Mulcair and was able to see the kind and down-to-earth person he is.

Seeing Question Period from the inside was also a very interesting experience as the broadcasts really temper down the intensity in the actual room. I really appreciate the stress Mr. Julian and his partners go through in a day more.

Working with the other interns in our office was a great experience that I will never forget, we became a really efficient team, I look forward to working with them again and believe we will be friends for a long time.

All in all I found the experience to be one that will stay with me my whole life. In my journalism career, I now have a unique perspective compared to my peers and hope to apply this to my work. I also have a new passion for politics, that wasn’t burning nearly as brightly before my time in Parliament. This time has been some of the most fruitful of my life, my experiences make me want to return in the future and continue to learn and help make our country better.

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The third week of my parliamentary internship has come to a close and i cannot stress on how much i’ve learnt throughout the past 3 weeks. Working in MP Craig Scott’s constituency office and with the constituency assistant has definitely been exciting. As a Communication Studies major with an interest in PR, my knowledge on Canadian Politics was very limited however things have changed! I learnt about different cases and issues that i hadn’t heard of prior commencing the internship and I anticipate learning more.

I enjoy the fact that i am not confined to particular tasks within my day at the office. Everyday is different and this gives me the privilege to expand my knowledge and interest beyond my comfort zone.
I got the opportunity to write a newspaper article last week which i thoroughly enjoyed. I visited two restaurants that the MP personally enjoyed, met with the owners and chatted over the interior, history, hidden meaning, quality of food and more. The project i am currently working on is the monthly newsletter that goes out to all the supporters and members of the MP Craig Scott’s mailing list. In the newsletter i cover issues going on within the Toronto-Danforth area, local events, and more.

Overall, I can honestly say i look forward to going in to the office as there is always exciting things happening. Thank you to the NCCAR and CAI for giving me the chance to enrol in such a fantastic internship.

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As my parliamentary internship in the office of Peter Julian, MP for the Burnaby-Westminster area of BC ends, this is the ideal time to reflect back on my experiences, and journey through this great internship.

Looking back at my starting position in the internship, and contrasting it with how my final week wrapped up, the value of this internship for me personally is immeasurable. Over the course of my internship, spanning from May to July, I have grasped the essence of domestic Canadian politics. Furthermore, I have gained the information I need to start formulating a view on partisan policies, and politics, in Canada.

The overall experience that I shall take away from this internship has ultimately opened up many opportunities for me, a prospective student of international relations. The internship has also expanded the horizons of my political theories, knowledge, experience, and has increased my drive and passion for politics.

In closing to this recap, I feel that is necessary to credit particular people for the overall amazing experience that I have received during this amazing internship, which I cannot fully describe in text. Firstly, I would like to thank NCAAR for this unique opportunity which benefits not only youth, but also the overall citizenry of Canada as it help develop our political system by integrating the youth into the political system. Secondly, I would like to thank all of the sponsors, donors, and all other facilitators of this amazing internship, as they all have a role in further advancing the political interests of this great country. Finally, I would like to give a special thank to Mr. Peter Julian, and his assistant Ms. Mounia Lahbabi, for not only accepting me into their busy office as an intern. However, I would also like to thank them for providing me with the necessary tools to extract the most out of this internship, while mentoring me politically every step of the way.

I look forward to continuing my internship with NCAAR, and hopefully establishing long-term contact with them.

The post Khalid Shoukri – Parliamentary Internship Report 2015 appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

My name is Lyan Khazanchi. I am a student at York University, one semester away from graduating in Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, an interdisciplinary program that seeks to create professionals who can critically engage with the various dimensions of communication. I believe that communication is key, and my ability to communicate is based on my work experiences and studies. I am interested in pursuing a future in public relations and corporate communications.

Last summer, I interned as the Communications and Web intern at the Canadian Arab Institute, which was an incredible learning experience. Part of my tasks included managing the institute’s social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and creating monthly content management sheets with all the scheduled posts. In addition, I helped in organizing the Youth Professional Development Conference held at Ryerson University and the Sultans and Divas concert at Koerner Hall.

I also interned as Community Manager at a news curation company, Newsana. My tasks included blogging, content management, communicating with members, social media, and more.

At York University, I am the President of the Middle Eastern Students Association, an organization that brings together the student body with the greater community, and provides Middle Eastern students with a voice. I am motivated to creating a constructive change, believing that an optimistic attitude and a positive outlook can revolutionize one’s perspective on any situation.

I am a diligent, determined and enthusiastic individual whose constant organization skills have been consistent and without fail, always ready to work with a smile on my face.

I feel lucky to have been chosen for a parliamentary internship this summer. The internship was opened up thanks to a partnership between the Canadian Arab Institute (CAI) and the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR), which brought the internship to Toronto for the first time. I knew I was going to apply for the internship the minute I saw CAI’s posting. First because I thoroughly enjoyed my internship with the CAI last year, and second because I saw it as an opportunity to gain experience outside my typical field.

I hope to expand my knowledge and experience beyond my comfort zone and common work setting. I’m sure this internship will be nothing short of amazing and I’m excited to be working with a member of parliament. I expect to build knowledge about parliamentary procedures, gain valuable work experience and establish useful connections.

The post Why I Wanted to Become a Parliamentary Intern appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Brent Lamothe, Ottawa ON,
Carleton University

With my first week successfully completed, I believe I can say without any hesitation that work on the Hill is not only the ideal internship for me, but a career that is certainly worth pursuing.

Last week, I had my first interview with Isabelle and her Legislative Assistant Wassim. One of the benefits to working in a smaller office is that you are given direct access to the MP and her staff in a way that would prove difficult if not impossible in a larger office. I had been assured by Wassim that the work I will do during this internship will not be the standard “get coffee, fax this, copy that” which so many interns are tasked with doing.

Thus far, I have spent my time learning the ropes of life on the Hill.The slang, the daily routines, the contacts to make, and perhaps most importantly knowing whom to call when a given problem arises.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the week was taking part in a protest on Parliament Hill over the expansion of the Montreal Airport that served to destroy a valued golf course in Isabelle’s riding, and destroy green space in the area. Over 100 residents came to take part in the demonstration, followed by a statement in the House of Commons, and a question to the Minister (written by me!) to see what the government was doing to address the issue. Until now, I only had suspicions, but now I am certain that a career in politics is right for me!

Lyan Khazanchi, Toronto ON,
York University 

My first week in NCCAR’s and CAI’s Parliamentary internship has been a serious learning opportunity already. Coming from a background of little to no knowledge on Canadian Politics, I was introduced to the demographics of the area the MP I was working with covered. This is one of the main reasons I applied for this internship- to step out of my comfort zone and expand my knowledge.

The post Two of our interns in Parliament talk about their first week! appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Sam Hamza, Ottawa ON,
University of Ottawa

My first day on the Parliament Hill was an eye-opening and life-changing experience. Having grown up in New Brunswick, far away from Ottawa, Parliament seemed to me an awesome and distant place. Entering center block as an employee certainly gave me more than a bit of a buzz. I met my supervisor the day before starting work at my MP’s office and we connected immediately. On the first day at work, she had me attend a tour of Parliament, training at the Parliamentary library, and question period. The whole experience was like a leap into cold water, but I quickly warmed up to it.

The work I do primarily consists of sorting through data collected from MP’s constituents. This is an excellent way to learn about the issues that are important to people in the MP’s riding. In the office, we also follow the news very closely, and in particular question period, to keep up to date with the various issues that are important to Canadians and parliamentarians.

Overall, Parliament is an extremely exciting place to work. It is never a dull day. In particular, things are getting hot on the Hill with regard to Middle-Eastern and related politics. Never a day passes without hearing about some issue pertaining to the Middle-East or the threat of terror (this being one of the Conservative’s primary policy concerns). I am very grateful to NCCAR for providing this fantastic opportunity to work with such great people, not the least MP Peter Julian and his assistant Mounia Lahbabi.

Khalid Shoukri, Ottawa ON
Carleton University

As my third week in NCCAR’s parliamentary internship comes to a close, it is the ideal time to reflect back on what I have learned so far. My placement in the office of Mr. Peter Julian, Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, and MP for Burnaby-Westminster in BC, has given me an unmeasurable amount of experience, and a wealth of knowledge in Canadian politics. Both in domestic Canadian politics, and in the broader context of Canada on the international stage.

While my first week had been of basic political introduction, the following weeks had been more focused on practical aspects. So far, I have had the honour of taking part in research on particular issues, responding to constituent concerns, editing newsletters, and taking a more analytic approach to the policies being discussed in our House of Commons.

Dealing with the aforementioned, particularly responding to constituents has broken down many misconceptions and barriers of knowledge that I had, prior to the internship, regarding Canada’s political system.

Attending question periods and watching MP’s, Leader of the Opposition Thomas Mulcair, Leader of the Liberal Party Justin Trudeau, and Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, all critique each other’s policies and stances has also increased by analytical skill. This has also encouraged me to observe partisan policies, and politics, ever more closely in order to understand which policy path our nation might head down in the upcoming elections.

As always I would like to thank NCCAR for this invaluable experience. I would also like to thank NCCAR for taking an active role in breaking the barrier to entry of politically active youth in to government, as well as providing us with a treasure of knowledge and experience. I hope that NCCAR continues its work, via this internship, in continuing to get young Canadians ever more politically active, and politically knowledgeable regarding our country.

The post Read what two of our interns in Parliament have to say about their ongoing internship appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Khalid Shoukri, Ottawa ON
Carleton University

“My first week in NCCAR’s Parliamentary internship has been an exciting, and eventful, time indeed. Working in the office of such a hard working and caring politician such as Mr. Peter Julian has given me a fresh perspective on Canadian politics.

I have grasped the ropes of domestic politics in Canada, and am always learning new information on the functioning of Parliament, the Senate, and partisan politics. Ms. Mounia, Peter Julian’s assistant has given me all the necessary tools to make the most of my internship. I have attended a question period, a thrilling experience, toured Parliament, and was introduced to the Parliamentary library and research system.

Finally, working with letters from constituents of the Burnaby-Westminster, BC, has definitely helped increase my knowledge of the bureaucracy and inner workings of government on the MP level. For all the above, I would like to thank NCCAR for this ongoing great learning, and career, experience.”

Owen Maxwell, Ottawa ON
Carleton University

“My first day on Parliament Hill was an eye-opening experience. I met the amazing MP Peter Julian and his staff who are a wonderful and interesting group of people that prove there is a lot of character to those in politics.

Visiting Question Period was a unique perspective that the broadcasts just can’t capture and opened my eyes to the unique stresses of the job. I’ve been learning a lot about the issues facing Mr. Julian’s riding and the NDP as a whole.

Helping them sort and react to the feedback they’ve received has given me a lot of insight into the political process so far and really opened my eyes to people behind the platforms. My interest in politics is growing each day and I really look forward to the rest of my internship.”

The post Two of our interns in Parliament talk about their first week! appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

Internship Training and Coaching

After a thorough interview process, selected interns were provided with an insightful training session at our NCCAR office. As a result, they learned what to expect from the internship and how to present themselves on the Hill.

NCCAR thanks Essam Farag, a former NCCAR employee, who provided a very practical and complete presentation to the interns about the various branches and functions of the Canadian Parliament. The presentation was very well received by the interns who felt confident and well-prepared. NCCAR will continue to provide coaching and support to the interns while they are on Parliament Hill and during their internship time with NCCAR as well.  Learn more about our interns below!

 Who are the interns?

Abdulrahman al-Masri, Ottawa ON Carleton University

Abdulrahman is an independent journalist based in Ottawa, ON, Canada.  He covers news and politics in the Middle East region, and Syria in Particular.  Al-Masri’s work has appeared in local and international news outlets, such as USA Today, Middle East Monitor, Syria Direct, Huffington Post and Embassy News, among others.

In his home country of Syria, he studied banking and financial sciences at Damascus University.  Currently, he is studying political science at Carleton University in Ottawa.

As a new immigrant to Canada, al-Masri has a strong interest in Canadian politics and its political institutions, particularly in understanding its foreign policy.  He is planning on pursuing a career in international affairs and diplomacy.

Sam Hamza, Ottawa ON,
University of Ottawa

Sam is a second year law student at the University of Ottawa. Of Algerian heritage, he grew up in North America, and spent most of his life in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where he majored in philosophy, minored in biochemistry, and mastered in history of science at the University of New Brunswick.

After graduating with his first degree, Sam spent a year working on and studying translation at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. He is very interested in relations between Canada and the Arab world.

Lyan Khazanchi, Toronto ON,
York University 

Lyan is a student at York University, one semester away from graduating in Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. She believes that communication is key and her ability to communicate is based on her experiences and studies. She is interested in pursuing a future career in public relations and corporate communications.

She previously had two internships, one as a Communications and Web intern at the Canadian Arab Institute, and a Community Manager at a news curation company, Newsana. She is also the President of the Middle Eastern Students Association at York University, an organization that unites the student body and the greater community, and provides Middle Eastern students with a voice. She is motivated to create a positive change as President.

Brent Lamothe, Ottawa ON,
Carleton University

Brent is a 23-year-old political science student at Carleton University and an avid reader. After spending 2 years abroad in Belgium, he decided that he wanted to become more involved in Canadian politics and international relations. His experiences abroad and his multicultural family have resulted in a passion for dignity and equality of all persons and act as the backbone of his core principles.

Owen Maxwell, Ottawa ON,
Carleton University

Owen is a journalism student at Carleton University, and is about to enter his fourth and final year of studies. He is passionate about the arts and learning about the world around him. Owen hosts a weekly radio show on CKCU and plays several instruments ; music is one of his biggest passions in life. He also speaks five languages including French, Spanish, German and Italian, languages being another passion. Owen enjoys travelling as much as possible to understand the world around him better and enjoy different cultures.

“I think the internship will give me very interesting insight into how my own country operates and how the people behind it make it happen.”

Khalid Shoukri, Ottawa ON
Carleton University

Khalid is a 21-year-old  Canadian student of Egyptian origin at the Carleton University. He is currently a third year student, going on to his fourth, in Political Science : International Relations.
Khalid has a particular interest in politics, mainly the realm of foreign affairs in the context of the Middle East.

Ever since high school, he had always been constantly active in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. These ranged from educational support in high school, to holding the presidency of an NGO chapter on campus next year, WUSC Carleton.

“The invaluable opportunity that NCCAR has provided me over the summer has only driven my passion for politics even further. I look forward to completing this internship with the hope that even greater work opportunities, in the political context, shall open up for me in the future.”

The post Meet NCCAR’s 2015 Parliamentary Interns appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

In the thick of it all, I would not have expected the offices that I would be working with be that of someone I admired. I was placed in the offices of Elizabeth May and Bruce Hyer of the Green Party of Canada.

The first week or so of my internship was quite exciting. Mr. Hyer’s office was in the Confederation Building, a beautiful and inspirational workspace. My internship started towards the end of the parliamentary session, I didn’t get a glimpse of the hustle and bustle of preparation needed for the House of Commons. I was able to view a Question Period, which was truly amazing to watch the MPs live in action.

To end my week of parliamentary firsts, I was invited to Elizabeth May’s Birthday Lunch to meet all of the members of the Green Party. It was great to see people of all ages and backgrounds contributing to the Party. The highlight of the party was listening to Ms. May’s thank you speech to the Green Party team. It revealed so much about Ms. May and the Party’s political intention. I was exposed to different methods of analyzing certain political issues first hand.

The policy research I did was for Bruce Hyer’s constituency in Thunder Bay- Superior North. The Canadian population is aging; thus, making the needs for the average Canadian different from what it was 40 years ago. The majority of my research centered on making the healthcare system more efficient, and government subsidized long-term care facilities for the elderly. I was also able to analyze and summarize a report by the Environment Committee on the negative aspects of Nuclear Power Plants because of my scientific knowledge. I had other tasks as well, such as correspondence, which consisted of responding to emails, surveys and mail on issues within the constituency.

I was fortunate to spend the majority of my time in Mr. Hyer’s office. He was an ecologist, which led to many discussions about our common love for biology. I am grateful for all the advice and knowledge that Mr. Hyer has passed down to me. Patty and Holly were a joy to work with, as they always created a warm and welcoming environment. My last day at the office was bittersweet; Patty and Holly gave me a leather bound House of Commons notebook as a parting gift, but I know that we will stay in contact in the future.

When asked why I was interested in the Parliamentary internship, I answered “to acquire knowledge of the Canadian political process, (especially after the most recent elections in Quebec taught me why it is important to be politically aware)”. However, my experience on the hill gave me more than basic knowledge on the Canadian government. In addition to becoming more driven to find a career that benefits society and becoming a more sophisticated voter, my internship with the Green Party benefitted me on a personal level also.

I have to thank NCCAR for this gratifying experience. My time on the Hill enlightened me on the Canadian political process. It also gave me the opportunity to contribute work for a Member of Parliament at the Federal level. I was exposed to the various viewpoints of different political parties, and the issues that face Canadians. I’ve acquired quite a bit of knowledge during my internship, which helped me form my own opinions on issues that would affect my family and I. Lastly, my writing, editing, research and group work were strengthened through the various tasks I was assigned to. Thank you again, this opportunity was above and beyond my expectations! 

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