Name: Emma Sanchez-Swaren Program: International Relations and African Studies Year: Third Parliamentary Host: MP Irene Mathyssen

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Gabriella Stokes
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1 1 Name: Emma Sanchez-Swaren Program: International Relations and African Studies Year: Third Parliamentary Host: MP Irene Mathyssen This week I had the fantastic opportunity to travel to Ottawa as part of U of T s Women in House program and learn about female representation in Canadian politics. I had the privilege to shadow NDP Member of Parliament for London-Fanshawe Irene Mathyssen. Our day began with a Parliamentary Committee meeting on Citizenship and Immigration. Following the committee, it was interesting to see the frankness with which my host and her staff spoke about the frustrations of reaching meaningful policy responses, reflective of the findings presented in these committees, when a majority Conservative government is in power. While MP Mathyssen s busy schedule did not allow for much interaction, I came away inspired by our meeting. Much of what I learned about her I gleaned by sitting in on an interview between her and a local PHD student studying political science. As she spoke to him about the synergies between provincial and federal government, I was able to get a sense of her tireless passion, commitment, determination and sharp intellect. MP Mathyssen has had a very impressive career in politics, becoming the first NDP and the first woman to be elected first in her provincial and later in her federal riding. With wit and insight she shared anecdotes of her time in politics demonstrating her fierce devotion to her beliefs and her constituents. We finished our day by attending Question Period in the House of Commons. While I have attended these sessions before, I am always struck by the fiery and at time juvenile antics. Witnessing the exchanges this Tuesday really brought home for me the importance of programs like Women in House. Looking around the House, not only was the unequal ratio of female to male MPs strikingly clear, but also the arguments taking place reminded me of how far government still is from true respect for women and, more generally, tolerance for all people. I was shocked as Prime Minister Harper equated the wearing of niqabs with participating in a culture that is anti-women. He claimed that wearing a niqab while swearing the citizenship oath is unacceptable to Canadians and unacceptable to Canadian women. I was disgusted by this show of intolerance and ignorance. What place does Harper have in telling any woman what she should wear? Clearly there is still much work to be done in Canadian politics in terms of acceptance of all religions and support for women. As such, programs like this that encourage women to get involved in politics and make their voices heard are so important. While Question Period may have left me dismayed, listening to inspiring speeches by MPs Peggy Nash and Elizabeth May, by Deputy Speaker of the House Barry Devolin, and by Senator Yonah Martin reassured me of the power of convicted women in parliament and the importance of striving towards more equitable gender representation in government. I am very grateful to have participated in this rewarding experience.

2 Name: Daryna Kutsyna Program: International Relations Year: 2nd Name of your parliamentary host: Minister Lisa Raitt, Minister for Transport As a woman aspiring to enter politics and one who fights

2 2 Name: Daryna Kutsyna Program: International Relations Year: 2nd Name of your parliamentary host: Minister Lisa Raitt, Minister for Transport As a woman aspiring to enter politics and one who fights to get more women elected in all levels of Canadian politics through Equal Voice, getting to spend a day with Minister Raitt, a strong advocate for women in politics and a champion of the Equal Voice organization, was one of the most positive and motivating experiences of my undergraduate career. Although I have met Minister Raitt several times before at various events, our interactions were very brief. During my program, I was given a chance to see the Minister attend an Auto Caucus breakfast, give an interview to MacLean's magazine, lead a ministerial briefing, and answer several questions in Question Period from the Members' Galley. Further, I had the opportunity to have lunch with Minister Raitt, and chat to her about all the things I found out we had in common - her legal background, her tireless work in supporting women in politics, and her passion for the field she was currently in. This experience has allowed me to not only spend time with a woman I truly see as a role model for myself, but to meet her staff and explore the inner workings of a Ministerial Office. I was given the chance to see a briefing that is conducted between political staff and policy advisors, as well as further learn about the crucial roles that each person plays to support the Minister and make sure that the Ministry as a whole functions smoothly. Further, I had the opportunity to learn more about the changes that happen in the political environment before an upcoming election. Being able to attend the Women in House program was an invaluable experience to me and one that will definitely benefit me in my future endeavours. I am incredibly thankful to Minister Raitt for the wonderful experience that she has provided.

3 Name: Natasha Rodrigues Program: International Relations & European Studies Year: Third Parliamentary Host: Hon. Judy Sgro On Tuesday March 10 th, 2015, I had the privilege of shadowing the Hon.

3 3 Name: Natasha Rodrigues Program: International Relations & European Studies Year: Third Parliamentary Host: Hon. Judy Sgro On Tuesday March 10 th, 2015, I had the privilege of shadowing the Hon. Judy Sgro, Liberal Member of Parliament for a day that was definitely an eyeopening and memorable experience. Having started her political career in North York in the late 1980s and in Ottawa in the late 1990s, Ms. Sgro s experience and ease on the Hill was a pleasure to observe and her advice, invaluable. My day of shadowing began at around 9 a.m. when I met with some of Ms. Sgro s incredibly helpful staff, Julie and Ibrahim, who provided me with pertinent briefing materials for the day. I then had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Sgro before our busy day began. We discussed the barriers that women face when entering politics including the challenge of living between two cities with a family and how cutting the Parliamentary week short by one day could make an important difference. The first meeting of the day was with representatives from the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada who discussed the issue of copyright material in the classroom. Shortly after the meeting ended, we were off for the day, forced to leave the following meetings a few minutes early to make it to the next. While I anticipated a relatively action-packed day, I was most surprised by just how busy it was and by how effortlessly Ms. Sgro made it from one meeting to another, always on time and thoroughly prepared. Next we attended the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology where we heard the testimonies of experts on the proposed Bill S-4 on digital privacy. Ms. Sgro and other MPs had the opportunity to ask important questions regarding the Bill and I soon realized just how well informed MPs must be on an incredibly broad range of topics. After the meeting we also attended a Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development where MPs heard from various Burmese interest groups on the current status of women and minorities. As a student interested in foreign affairs and development, I found this meeting particularly interesting but one of the highlights of the day was what followed- observing Question Period in the House of Commons. Here I witnessed all of our nation s leaders in action in what made for an incredibly lively debate. Although I was sad to have left Ottawa so soon, I know that I have gained valuable experience and insight into the powerful lives of our nation s female leaders. Despite facing adversity and the challenges of living between two cities with a family, I was incredibly inspired by Ms. Sgro s tenacity, hard work and passion for politics. Many

4 thanks to Tina Park, the coordinator and creator of Women in House, for facilitating this one of a kind opportunity and to Ms. Sgro for providing her valuable time and advice. 4

5 Name: Eliza Coogan Program: International Relations Year: Second Parliamentary Host: MP Hélène LeBlanc, NDP I feel very fortunate to have participated in the Women in House program this year.

5 5 Name: Eliza Coogan Program: International Relations Year: Second Parliamentary Host: MP Hélène LeBlanc, NDP I feel very fortunate to have participated in the Women in House program this year. I was paired with Hélène LeBlanc, NDP opposition critic for cooperatives and chair of the committee on the status of women. Right off the bat, Ms. Leblanc set the tone for the day with her infectious enthusiasm and positivity. Throughout the day, Ms. LeBlanc was really hands-on and generous with her time. She gave us personal tours of both the interior and exterior of the Parliament buildings, something I didn t expect but really enjoyed. She also took us to lunch at the Parliamentary Restaurant, allowing a lot of time to speak with her. She made a point to ask our opinions on issues and the current state of the Canadian government, making each conversation a genuine exchange of ideas. I found Ms. LeBlanc inspiring, especially considering the usual vilification of politicians. This negative perception is something she actually addressed, with respect to the theatrics and aggression in Question Period. Ms. LeBlanc said she struggled with it, since to her it doesn t represent the intelligent and cooperative discussion she s experienced when the cameras are off. I actually got to attend Question Period myself later in the day and it was definitely memorable. I d seen it on TV before but in person the energy was much more intense as was the heckling. In addition to Question Period, I was also able to attend an industry committee meeting about the Conservative s Bill S4, concerning the privacy/use of personal data. Even though I knew almost nothing about the issue, or the structure of committee meetings in general, I was fascinated by the partisan politics at play. Recently, the Conservative government has been accused of stalling committee meetings and pushing bills through without proper consideration. This meeting was a prime example: instead of constructive dialogue, a lot of time was spent trying to undermine the critics of S4 in ways that were clearly, even to me, irrelevant or incorrect. In fact, every MP I spoke to on this trip including Ms. LeBlanc, Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett and Leader of the Green Party Elizabeth May spoke liberally about exactly this kind of uncooperative and petty conduct. It was surreal to see it happening firsthand. My day on Parliament Hill was most definitely a whirlwind and I m extremely grateful for the experience. Despite the unexpected insight into some of Canada s current political discord, I was inspired by the positivity and dedication I sensed from Ms. Leblanc and the other women I spoke to. I left feeling energetic and hopeful and I hope to return to the Hill someday soon.

6 Name: Mary-Anne Meerasabeer Program: International Relations and Political Science Year: Third Parliamentary Host: MP Djaouida Sellah (NDP) As a student-athlete who spends most of her time in

6 6 Name: Mary-Anne Meerasabeer Program: International Relations and Political Science Year: Third Parliamentary Host: MP Djaouida Sellah (NDP) As a student-athlete who spends most of her time in lecture halls and on the lacrosse field, the experience of spending a whole day in Parliament as part of the Women in House program was an extraordinary eye opener. I have aspired to work in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade since I began my undergraduate studies, specifically to better Canada s policies in international development and human rights. On that day I found myself at a DFAIT committee meeting discussing cooperation with the Global Fund to address Tuberculosis and AIDS medication in Africa and promotion of democratic elections in Hong Kong! A career in the Canadian government no longer felt like just a dream, especially because there were such proactive and vocal female MPs and IR experts contributing to the discussions taking place. The committee meeting was by far the highlight of my day. It was at that point in the day, at about 11AM, that I truly felt that my dreams of working in DFAIT were truly possible. Shadowing MP Djaouida Sellah of the New Democratic Party was equally as enlightening. While doing some background information about her, I developed great admiration for her as a former doctor for the Red Crescent during the Gulf War in Baghdad, and now a promoter of immigrants right to practice their qualified profession in Canada. As a child of two immigrant parents that issue in particular hit close to home. During the initial conversation I had with her, Ms. Sellah had told me one thing that will stick with me for the rest of my life. She said that a good politician is someone who is truly passionate about a certain issue they encounter in their life. There is always one experience in a politician s life that compelled them to fight for what they believe in. From that point, I understood that a career in politics is not just a career you choose to do out of the blue- it is a career meant for those who hold true and sincere passion for it. As I continue my academic career, I now know that I should embrace my trials and tribulations as things that will potentially drive me to the career I was meant to have. I am extremely thankful for the Women in House Program for allowing me to experience what I learn about in class everyday. It was an invaluable experience to me and one that will contribute to my pursuit of becoming a government worker in DFAIT. I am incredibly thankful to MP Djaouida Sellah for the amazing experience she provided to me.

7 7 Name: Crystal Gao Program: International Relations Year: Second Parliamentary Host: Eve Adams The Women in House program was an invaluable experience. On the first day, Tina planned for us a dynamic tour of the Supreme Court and a reception with the female parliamentarians at Metropolitain Brasserie. What an exciting start! My eye-opening conversations with Carolyn Bennett and Elizabeth May signalled at the amazing day ahead of me. One the second day, I met with my MP, Even Adams, bright and early at 7:45am in the Parliament Building. She was so welcoming and eager to fill my day with new sights and experiences. I had the opportunity to sit in on a call with her constituency office, a committee meeting and the ever-exciting Question Period. I also got to see the daily operations of her MP office in Confederation Building, which boasts stunning views of the Ottawa River. As a plus, I learned about the career paths and political aspirations of her staffers too! Not a single moment of the day was gone to waste. By far, the most memorable experience was my one-on-one lunch with Eve Adams in the parliamentary office. First of all, it was an honour to dine in this private parliamentary gem where so many of our nation's leaders have dined before. Our conversations spanned from our experiences as daughter of immigrants to her recent transition in the Liberal Party. She shared her fondness for her days as a city councillor and the closeness of municipal politics. The gift that Eve gave to me was a confidence in my unique experience as a woman and an immigrant. Her story showed me that, the Canadian politics of today are no longer an Old Boys' Club where difference is a hindrance but rather, it is made increasingly accessible by woman like her who demonstrate that our distinct histories and perspectives are an asset in serving a country built on diversity. What I gained from the Women in House program will surely have a long-lasting impact on my academic and professional career. Special thanks to Eve Adams, Tina Park and all of the organizers and politicians involved. Throughout this experience, the female parliamentarians have reminded me that there exists a brand of politics that is compassionate, listening, brave and diverse. I come back to the University of Toronto with a renewed faith in Canadian politics and my own potential in one day, serving our country.

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