Experiential Education at its Best: The Case of the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme

Increasingly universities are embracing the use of experiential education as a way to improve employability skills, to better prepare participants for their transition to work and to give them “real world” experience. Many programs adopt such approaches and work to embed new pedagogy and learning into their curriculum. While most programs are moving quickly to experiential education models, we are only starting to consider how to measure the success of these efforts; more work needs to be done to evaluate such programs. In this article, the author reflects on 25 years of offering internships, practicums and experiential education. He uses the Ontario Legislature Internship Program (OLIP) as an example of a best practice and to inspire additional thinking about the improvement and sustainability of such programs.

Introduction

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Spotlight on 42: Changes, Challenges and Concussions

Article 6 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

Spotlight on 42: Changes, Challenges and Concussions

In the year leading up to an anticipated federal general election in 2019, the Canadian Study of Parliament Group gathered together parliamentary officials, interested observers and parliamentarians to examine what has transpired in the current parliament and what may lie ahead. This well-attended conference included four panels which explored “the changes and challenges facing each Chamber in light of recent procedural and structural innovations.” In this article, the author provides summaries of each of these panels and some of the discussion that followed the presentations.

The Changing Bicameral Relationship

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CPA Activities: The Canadian Scene

Article 5 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

CPA Activities: The Canadian Scene

New Speaker of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly

On October 23, during the first session of the 59th legislative assembly of New Brunswick, Restigouche-Chaleur MLA Daniel Guitard was elected Speaker. He will preside over the province’s first minority government in a century.

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Parliamentary Bookshelf: Reviews

Article 4 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

Parliamentary Bookshelf: Reviews

The Canadian Kingdom: 150 Years of Constitutional Monarchy, D. Michael Jackson, ed., Dundurn Press, Toronto, 2018, 248 pp

As a monarchist, The Canadian Kingdom had already been on my radar before I was asked to write this review. When provided this opportunity, I knew that I would have to consciously acknowledge this bias in order to provide an effective review. Coincidentally, the day after I was asked to write the review, I received an invitation to attend a book launch hosted by Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, Elizabeth Dowdeswell. I suppose my monarchical tendencies are more broadly known than I realized.

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New and Notable Titles

Article 3 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

New and Notable Titles

A selection of recent publications relating to parliamentary studies prepared with the assistance of the Library of Parliament (July 2018-November 2018)

Beamish, David. “Court injunctions and parliamentary privilege: is there a case for new restrictions?” Hansard Society blog November 2, 2018: 2p.

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Legislative Reports

Article 2 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

Legislative Reports

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Purrliament Hill: The Capital Cat Colony

Article 1 / 15 , Vol 41 No. 4 (Winter)

Purrliament Hill: The Capital Cat Colony

There are certain “must see” attractions on Parliament Hill: the Peace Tower, the Parliamentary Library, statues of prime ministers and other famous people in Canadian History… and the cats. For decades the Parliament Hill Cat Colony drew hundreds of curious onlookers and devoted fans of felines every day. Initially brought to the Hill for pest control, the cats eventually enjoyed a life of relative leisure. These well-fed and well-cared kitties spent their time sunning themselves and capturing the hearts of parliamentarians, staff, and visitors and tourists. In this article, we celebrate the Cat Colony (and Sanctuary) of Parliament Hill. Although no longer in existence, memories of these friendly, furry felines will not soon fade away..

During a vigorous debate on the floor of the House of Commons or Senate, parliamentarians might verbally fight like cats and dogs. But for almost a hundred years (or more), actual cats enjoyed a peaceful existence just a short distance away from these chambers.

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Know Your Mace – Senate (The Black Rod)

Article 9 / 9 , Vol 41 No. 3 (Autumn)

Know Your Mace – Senate (The Black Rod)

The Black Rod that is currently in use in the Senate of Canada is not the original Black Rod that was used at the time of Confederation. The first Black Rod of the Senate of Canada was lost in the fire that destroyed the original Parliament building in 1916. The new Black Rod was designed by Garrard & Co. Ltd and presented to Canada in 1918 on the occasion of a meeting in London of the Empire Parliamentary Association in the House of Lords Library.

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Police Intervention Involving Members of the National Assembly: The Importance of Respecting Parliamentary Privilege

Article 8 / 9 , Vol 41 No. 3 (Autumn)

Police Intervention Involving Members of the National Assembly: The Importance of Respecting Parliamentary Privilege

On October 25, 2017, a Member of the National Assembly was arrested by Québec’s anti-corruption unit (UPAC), whose police officers used a ruse to lure the Member away from the parliamentary precincts in order to arrest him. In the days following the arrest, the President of the National Assembly made a statement in the House on the matter and the Member (who had not been charged on any count whatsoever) dressed his colleagues using the “Personal Explanations” procedure. The Official Opposition House Leader then submitted several requests to the President for directives on parliamentarians’ rights and privileges in the context of police work. In this article, the President recounts the facts surrounding this uncommon event and summarizes the main principles and conclusions of the directive he issued in this matter. The article is based on a speech he gave at the 35^th Canadian Presiding Officers’ Conference in Québec City in January 2018.

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“Legal Aid for Stuff You Can’t Get Legal Aid For”: Constituency Role Orientations among MLAs in Nova Scotia

Article 7 / 9 , Vol 41 No. 3 (Autumn)

“Legal Aid for Stuff You Can’t Get Legal Aid For”: Constituency Role Orientations among MLAs in Nova Scotia

The role of elected members who serve in Westminster Parliaments is contested. While there is an assumption among some academics that the role of elected members is to hold government accountable,¹ elected members do not necessarily share this view or act in ways that conform to this role orientation. This article enters the discussion of parliamentary role orientations by addressing the prominence of constituency service work among the attitudes and behavior of Members of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly. The author draws on a series of interviews with former MLAs in Nova Scotia where constituency service work emerged as a major theme in the careers of elected members.

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