Au Pairing in France

After completing my undergrad and before continuing my education in September, I really wanted to explore Europe for a few months. I decided that the best option for me was to move to France as an au pair. Being an au pair essentially means that you live with a local family and participate in their daily life. You help them with childcare for a few hours per day, and in return they provide accommodation, meals, pocket money, and free weekends to travel. Being an au pair provided me with a good balance of independence and support for my European adventure. I chose France because I wanted lots of time to visit Paris, practice my French, and I also liked how well connected it was to other European cities.  

Chateau in Les Mesnuls

From April until July I am living just outside of Paris with a bilingual family. I live in a little village called Les Mesnuls (800 people), and the closest town is Monfort L'Amaury. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Versailles and 40 minutes to get into central Paris. I chose this area because I thought it would be a unique cultural experience to live in a little French village, and it would be easy to explore Paris too.

I have just started sightseeing in Paris and my first adventure was figuring out the Metro system and making my way to the Eiffel Tower. I also joined two walking tours with local guides in Montmartre and the Latin Quarter. During the Montmartre tour we saw the original location of the Moulin Rouge, lots of nice restaurants and cafes, and Sacre Coeur. During the tour of the Latin Quarter we visited the Notre Dame, Shakespeare & Co, the Pantheon, and the Sorbonne University.

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

My Degree in International Relations

I am currently completing the last term of my Undergraduate Degree in International Relations (IR) at UBC and wanted to share what I have been learning over the last four years.

What is IR?
IR is the study of the global interactions between sovereign states, inter-governmental organizations (IGO), multinational corporations (MNC), and non-governmental organizations (NGO). At UBC, IR is an interdisciplinary program that combines four different fields: Economics, History, Languages and Political Science.

Why did I choose to study IR?
I have always been fascinated by the work of the United Nations, interested in global history and loved learning languages. I wanted to choose a program that would challenge me and would enable me to take a variety of courses. I believed it would equip me with a solid and well rounded foundation because I would learn how to interpret detailed economic models, why lessons from history are relevant today, how to communicate in two additional languages, and how to understand different systems of governance. 

IR students are required to take the following courses:
1. Economics
-Microeconomics 
-Macroeconomics 
-International Finance 

2. History
-World History from 1500 to the 20th Century
-World History from 1900
-International Relations of the Great Powers in the 20th Century

3. Languages (2 years in addition to what is already required by the Faculty of Arts)
-I am bilingual (French & English) so I decided to study Spanish to fulfill this requirement

4. Political Science
-Introduction to Global Politics 
-Security Studies 

5. IR Seminar 
-Comparative Law and Politics 

My specializations are:
-International Diplomacy, Security, and Peace Studies
-International Economy and Development 

Being in IR has allowed me to take courses from many different faculties at UBC. My favourite electives have been: 
-International Nutrition                       (FNH 355)
-Canadian Government                        (POLI 101)
-Applied International Nutrition        (FNH 455)
-International Peacekeeping               (POLI 374)
-Psychology                                             (PSYC 100)
-Business and Entrepreneurship        (COMM 240)

I have had some outstanding professors at UBC, my favourite include:
Patricia Cochran- PhD Law
Gerald McIntyre- PhD International Finance
Judy McLean- PhD Human Nutrition 
Elizabeth Newton- PhD Social Psychology 
Allen Sens- PhD Political Science 

Summer Highlights

I had an amazing four months in Ottawa and wanted to share some of the best moments!

1. Working with 39 other amazing Parliamentary Guides in English and French. I made some incredible new friends through this experience 

2. Being hosted at Rideau Hall by His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston

3. Going up to the dome of the Library of Parliament and then around the entire structure on the outside

4. Attending a reception at Kingsmere and meeting the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Andrew Scheer

5. Meeting the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Noel Kinsella

6. Visiting the National Gallery of Art and the Museum of History

7. Celebrating Canada Day on Parliament Hill

8. Giving tours of our nation's Centre Block in English and French to groups of 50 people. I was also able to give tours to my family which was very special.

9. Guide BBQs in Wakefield, Quebec 

10. Hiking in Gatineau Park, Quebec

11. Pizza - luck dinners with other Guides

12. Exploring great stores and restaurants in the Byward Market

13. Going to Montreal

14. Attending a lecture by Mellissa Fung at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat

15. The Guide Ball we had at the end of the season to celebrate our accomplishments this summer 

16. Watching Question Period in the House of Commons and in the Senate Chambers

17. Meeting my MP, Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair

18. Enjoying the view of Parliament from Major's Hill Park

19. Practicing my French with my colleagues and visitors 


20. Working in one of the most important buildings in the country 

Interesting Facts about Canadian Parliament

Here are some interesting details I learned as a Parliamentary Guide!

1. People

-Agnes Macphail was the first woman to be elected to Canada's House of Commons (1921)

-Cairine Wilson was the first woman to be appointed to Canada's Senate (1930). The Persons' Case of 1929 is one of the major achievements by Canadians for Canadians. The Famous 5 succeeded in having women defined as "persons" and thereby eligible for appointment to the Senate. This victory symbolized the right of women to participate in all facets of life

-William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada's longest serving Prime Minister- 21 years 

-Sir Wilfrid Laurier was Canada's first Francophone Prime Minister 

-The first Canadian Governor General was Vincent Massey in 1952. Since his appointment, the Governor General has always been a Canadian citizen and we traditionally alternate appointments between Anglophones and Francophones.

-Jeanne Sauve was the first female Cabinet Minister from Quebec, first woman elected as speaker of the House of Commons, and was the first female Governor General. 

2. Place
-Construction of the Parliament buildings began in the 1860s. There was a fire in 1916 which destroyed all of the Centre Block except for the Library of Parliament. The library is extremely different from the rest of the Centre Block and it was completed in 1876.

-There is a Long-Term Vision Plan underway which is updating and restoring the historic parliamentary buildings: the triad of the West Block, Centre Block and East Block, followed by the rehabilitation of the other buildings within the Precinct.

-All 13 provinces and territories are represented in two specific areas of the building: the official entrance to Parliament (the Rotunda), and on the oak doors of the Senate chamber.

3. Process

-Our form of government is called a constitutional monarchy. This means that we have a Head of State and a Head of Government; the roles are separate and distinct. Our Head of State is Queen Elizabeth the 2nd of Canada, her powers are limited and defined by the Constitution and she is represented in Canada by the Governor General. Our Head of Government is our Prime Minister.

-Representation in the House of Commons is by population, each MP represents 110,000 Canadians. Representation in the Senate is by region to ensure that each province and territory is well represented. 

-In 2015 we are adding 30 more seats to our House of Commons- we will then have 338 seats.

-The biggest difference between a province and a territory is that provinces receive their power from the Constitution Act of 1867 and territories have powers delegated to them by the federal government. A change in the division of powers between the federal government and the provinces requires a constitutional amendment whereas a similar change impacting the territories can be performed by Parliament. 

4. Past 

-Canada became a country on July 1, 1867. We had four provinces at that time: Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

-The rest of the provinces and territories joined later: Manitoba and the North West Territories (1870), British Columbia (1871), Prince Edward Island (1873), Yukon (1898), Alberta and Saskatchewan (1905), Newfoundland (1949), and Nunavut (1999). 

-The Official Languages Act was created in 1969 by Prime Minister Trudeau. It gives English and French equal status in the government of Canada. This Act provides that Canadians have the right to receive services from federal departments and Crown Corporations in both languages, will be heard before the federal courts in the official language of their choice, and that Parliament will publish regulations in both languages.

5. Miscellaneous 

-Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada in 1857
-The most expensive book in the Library of Parliament's collection is called "The Birds of America" by John Audubon. It is worth $10-13 million.

The Guiding Experience

Over the summer our tours get evaluated by our supervisors and they use a specific point system to ensure we are conveying accurate information that is properly linked together by our overarching theme. My theme is the legislative process- I discuss how a bill becomes a law and what needs to happen in Parliament for that to happen. The first time they evaluate our tours they follow us in our first language, our second evaluation is in our second language. At each of our stops on tour they make sure we have the following:

1. Content 

-People: Prime Ministers, Fathers of Confederations, Parliamentarians, Architects, etc.

-Place: Architecture, Art, Materials, Style, Form and Function

-Process: Legislation, Caucus Meetings, How a Bill becomes a Law

-Past: Confederation, Creation of the Parliament Buildings, Evolution of our Parliament

2. Learning Styles

-Emotive: Stories

-Sensory: Involve the senses through guided imagery 

-Cognitive: Facts, dates, concrete information 

3. Tour Cohesion

-Links between rooms on tour: Makes sure the tour flows well

-Theme of tour: Has to be evident at every single stop. Explain how each room on the tour is important to the legislative process.

4. Interaction

-Maintaining visitor attention: Make this fun for adults, kids, Canadians, international visitors

-Adapts content to meet visitors' needs: Need to consistently gauge the group to make sure they understand what you are saying 

-Encourages participation: Get everyone involved! 

5. Logistics 

-Follows time restrictions 

-Assertive communication

-Enforces rules appropriately 

6. Communication

-Voice projection, clarity and pace

-Body language 

7. Professionalism 

-Remains objective, neutral and nonpartisan 

-Respects visitors and all staff

-Understands operations and logistics of the building 

At first it was extremely overwhelming to try and cover all of the above at every stop on the tour because we only have 3 minutes in every room, including questions. My first evaluation in English was in July and it went well. I had my second one in French today and it was even better because I included mostly all of my supervisor's suggestions. I was nervous to be evaluated in my second language, however, I was pleasantly surprised and my French has definitely improved since April!