Summer Institute - Stimulation in Victoria

Weekend Overview

“Public service will not be easy to take at times but it will be good for you in the end” - Minister Jim Flaherty

On our first day we arrived in Victoria and had a guided tour of the Parliament Building. That evening we met in our caucus groups to prepare for the next two days which we would spend debating in the Legislative Assembly. Over the weekend we discussed two bills on important topics: Enhanced Aboriginal Consultation & Democratic Reform. Each day we prepared speaking lists and decided who in our party would raise what issues and who would hold the government accountable in 

Question Period.

Overall I was amazed by how much I enjoyed this experience. When I applied to the SIFL I thought it would be an interesting program through which I would learn more about politics and meet likeminded individuals.  Before this program I had never seriously considered running for public office, however, after completing this program I can confidently say that this is a career path I can see myself pursuing in the future. Each and every speaker that we had warned us that going into politics is very tough, however, in their own way they all also said that public service was the best thing they had ever done.

Key Takeaways

-Big differences between the role of the government and opposition parties. It is much easier to oppose legislation than to propose

-How hard and frustrating it can be to suggest beneficial and thoughtful amendments that can easily be rejected by the government, especially if they have a majority

-Thinking about how to reform Question Period so that it is more productive

-Many different ways to get involved in politics: municipal, provincial, federal, school boards, etc.

-Join the party that you truly believe in and that shares your values

Highlights

-Our stimulation took place in the real Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

-I had the amazing opportunity to be elected as Deputy Speaker by my colleagues. The Speaker is nonpartisan and is responsible for ruling over the House of Commons and ensuring that decorum and parliamentary procedures are followed

-Speaking in Parliament and participating in Question Period 

Summer Institute for Future Legislators 2015

Program Overview

"There is no greater privilege than to be chosen by your fellow citizens to be their representative in a democratic society"

This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Summer Institute for Future Legislators (SIFL). This program is organized through UBC’s Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions and its goal is to provide hands-on mentoring and training for individuals who aspire to make a difference at the municipal, provincial, and/or federal level. SIFL covers a variety of topics including: Legislative Training, Parliamentary Relationships, Ethics, Working in the House, Constituency Work, Parliamentary Reform, Representation, and Communications. For more information please visit: UBC SIFL

When we first began the course each participant was assigned to one of three parties: the government, official opposition or third party. Before traveling to Victoria we spent two weekends at UBC listening to guest speakers, drafting and amending legislation in caucus, meeting in committees, and practicing interviews with the media. One of the reasons I really enjoyed the program was because the content was delivered in so many different and captivating ways.

Speakers

We heard from a wide variety of accomplished politicians and public servants including Margaret MacDiarmid, Preston Manning, George Abbott, Bob de Faye, Mike McDonald, Joy MacPhail, Mike Harcourt, Chuck Strahl, Alison Broddle, Kathryn Gretsinger, Richard Zussman, and Anne McLellan.

Key Takeaways

-Running for public office is one of the hardest yet most rewarding ways to make a difference

-Essential skills: strong communication, teamwork, organization, flexibility, willingness to learn, resiliency, and passion for policy

-Very important to establish and maintain strong cross-partisan relationships

-Most successful politicians do not go into politics for money or recognition

-Listen to what your opponents/critics are asking you but ignore their tone if it is negative

-Ask yourself what kind of politician you want to be BEFORE you get into politics. Decide what you will do when your personal views, party’s views and constituents views are all different.

-Remember that you represent ALL constituents in your area, not just the ones who voted for you

-What you achieve as a politician will be defined by whether you're able to create powerful, respectful, and collaborative relationships with your teams. Bad attitudes, bullying, egos etc will not get you far

Highlights

-Meeting and networking with likeminded individuals who are interested in domestic policy and potentially running for office

-Hearing real stories and learning about what it’s really like to be in politics from experienced practitioners 
-Learning more about the role of the Deputy Minister and the field of Public Administration