Category: Feature

Canadian Network Created to Promote High Standards of Trust and Political Leadership

Article 6 / 11 , Vol 46 No. 4 (Winter)

Canadian Network Created to Promote High Standards of Trust and Political Leadership

A unique partnership among five universities, funded in part by Montreal philanthropist Stephen Jarislowsky, has created what’s believed to be a first-of-its-kind network in Canada to promote ethics and high standards of ethics, trust, and political leadership. In this article, the authors describe the program’s aims and outline past and planned events and activities. The authors conclude with a call to parliamentarians, political staff, and non-partisan parliamentary employees to share ideas with and make requests to the program’s chairs.

Continue reading “Canadian Network Created to Promote High Standards of Trust and Political Leadership”

The State of Civic Education: A Roundtable

Article 7 / 11 , Vol 46 No. 4 (Winter)

The State of Civic Education: A Roundtable

If the children are our future, will a healthy participatory democracy be a part of that future? How are schools and non-governmental organizations doing in terms of teaching young people (and, for that matter, all people) to understand their society and the various ways we seek to answer the fundamental civic question: how we live together as a public? In this roundtable, the Canadian Parliamentary Review asked five individuals involved in various aspects of civic education to offer their thoughts on where we’ve come from, where we are, and, ideally, where we want to go when it comes to teaching and engaging the public.

*This is an edited and revised transcript compiled from three discussions with participants.

Continue reading “The State of Civic Education: A Roundtable”

Working life on the Hill

Article 2 / 12 , Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

Working life on the Hill

Members of Parliament (MPs) are the institution’s most public face. Supporting them are the skilled and dedicated employees of the House of Commons Administration (House Administration), who anticipate MPs’ needs and deliver personalized, streamlined, quality services.

As one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, the House Administration is committed to helping its employees realize their full potential. It offers them many opportunities for career development and advancement, and even opportunities for a career change if they would like to try something new in a different field. As the House of Commons supports a hybrid and flexible workforce, its employees have been able to work in a hybrid format since 2020. The hybrid work environment is a combination of remote and on-site work, meaning that some employees may work on-site on a full-time basis, while others may alternate between working on-site and from home.

Continue reading “Working life on the Hill”

Building Connections and Sharing Best Practices: Parliamentary Service Organizations

Article 3 / 12 , Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

Building Connections and Sharing Best Practices: Parliamentary Service Organizations

Parliaments do not operate as silos. Parliamentarians are keenly aware of debates occurring among their colleagues across the country and internationally. Legislation adopted in one jurisdiction is often studied and consulted when another parliament is considering a similar issue. And, every year, parliamentarians attend meetings and conferences, such as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s gatherings, to meet their counterparts, discuss their roles and systems of governance, and forge important networks to exchange information. Many parliamentary service staff have developed their own organizations for similar reasons. In this roundtable, the Canadian Parliamentary Review invited representatives of some of these groups to discuss the work their membership does and how their membership benefits from participating in groups that facilitate networking and information sharing.

Participants: Gerry Burla, Andrew Henry, Deanna Wilson, and Bruce C. Young

Continue reading “Building Connections and Sharing Best Practices: Parliamentary Service Organizations”

The “Administrator of Everything”: Parliamentary Support Staff in Smaller Jurisdictions – An Interview with Helen Fitzsimmons

Article 4 / 12 , Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

The “Administrator of Everything”: Parliamentary Support Staff in Smaller Jurisdictions – An Interview with Helen Fitzsimmons

With a career spanning 46 years as an employee of the Government of Yukon, including the past 21 years serving the Yukon Legislative Assembly, Helen Fitzsimmons was feted by MLAs, colleagues and peers on April 27, the last sitting day of the 2023 Spring Sitting. With unanimous consent, the Assembly delivered tributes to Helen at the end of the sitting day. Extraordinarily, also with unanimous consent, Helen then addressed the Assembly. (The last time that the rare honour of addressing the Assembly had been conferred by the Yukon Legislative Assembly upon someone had been in 2011 when the House recessed to receive an address by Governor General David Johnston). Although normally only the first hour of the sitting day is videotaped, the tributes and address were recorded and posted on the Assembly’s Facebook page. The gallery, which had been empty minutes earlier, filled to capacity for this tribute. Visitors present included Yukon’s current senator, Yukon’s former senator, a former Yukon Premier, a former Commissioner, a former Speaker, former Ministers and MLAs, former party leaders, former Chiefs of Staff and Principal Secretaries, former Clerks, current and past Legislative Assembly Office staff and caucus staff, as well as some of Helen’s friends and family. Everyone present showed great admiration and love for Helen and was eager to hear her say a few words about what her career and time at the Assembly meant to her. In this interview conducted before her summer retirement, Helen shares more insight into her life as a long-serving parliamentary support staff employee in a smaller jurisdiction.

Continue reading “The “Administrator of Everything”: Parliamentary Support Staff in Smaller Jurisdictions – An Interview with Helen Fitzsimmons”

“Beyond a Frequent Flyer”: How an Ontario MPP Uses Parliamentary Support Services – An Interview With Peter Tabuns

Article 5 / 12 , Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

“Beyond a Frequent Flyer”: How an Ontario MPP Uses Parliamentary Support Services – An Interview With Peter Tabuns

First elected in 2006, Ontario MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto—Danforth) knows his way around Queen’s Park and has become well acquainted with the staff who keep it running. In this interview, he explains how he relies on Assembly employees as he fulfills his duties as a representative and why he admires their professionalism.

Continue reading ““Beyond a Frequent Flyer”: How an Ontario MPP Uses Parliamentary Support Services – An Interview With Peter Tabuns”

Behind the Scenes: The Assemblée nationale’s Team of Translation Professionals

Article 7 / 12 , Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

Behind the Scenes: The Assemblée nationale’s Team of Translation Professionals

Quebec’s history of legislative translation dates back to the beginning of the British regime. In this article, the author examines how this service has evolved and explains the process for ensuring legislative texts are translated, revised and proofed to a standard that befits a province whose language and unique Civil Code are fundamental components of its identity.

Elizabeth Reeve

Continue reading “Behind the Scenes: The Assemblée nationale’s Team of Translation Professionals”

“Other Duties as Required”: Conference Planning and Hosting in a Small Jurisdiction

Article 8 / 12 , Vol 46 No. 3 (Autumn)

“Other Duties as Required”: Conference Planning and Hosting in a Small Jurisdiction

Parliamentary service offers support and guidance to elected and appointed officials in their workplaces so they can fulfill their role in our parliamentary democracies. In small legislatures, this mandate is often executed with a fraction of the staff found in larger jurisdictions. Yet, parliamentarians in small jurisdictions have the same duties and responsibilities as their counterparts in larger jurisdictions and these officials deserve the same support and guidance. In this article, the author provides the Prince Edward Island perspective on parliamentary service, with a focus on conference planning and hosting operations. Specifically, she explains how the jurisdiction facilitated the 58th Annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Conference from July 16 – 22, 2022 – one of the first in-person parliamentary conferences hosted in Canada following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emily Doiron

Continue reading ““Other Duties as Required”: Conference Planning and Hosting in a Small Jurisdiction”

Elected with Experience: From Local Councils to the Provincial Legislature

Article 2 / 11 , Vol 46 No. 2 (Summer)

Elected with Experience: From Local Councils to the Provincial Legislature

The frequency with which municipal politicians seek elected office at the provincial level is notable. Although each prospective candidate will have their own reasons for wanting to run, their experience on local councils or school boards are often mentioned as prompting them to run for higher office. In this article, the author uses interviews with MPPs who previously held municipal office to explore why these representatives made the switch to provincial politics, how their time on local council helped them to prepare for their new roles, and what differences they’ve identified between serving as elected representatives in these two levels of government. *This article is a revised version of a 2017 Ontario Legislative Internship Programme (OLIP) research paper.

Rachel Nauta

Continue reading “Elected with Experience: From Local Councils to the Provincial Legislature”

Top