Hi there,
Elizabeth here. As avid readers of Martha’s Facebook posts and Tweets might know I have been working in Martha’s Ottawa office for the past two years helping out with her online initiatives. Sadly my time working on Parliament Hill is coming to an end as I will be traveling this summer and then heading down to Washington, DC for a semester at American University.
Working as part of Martha’s team has truly been a fantastic experience and although I am sad to say goodbye I know Chris will do a great job. Chris is an intern this summer through the Young Liberals of Canada and he will be taking over the online files helping Martha out with the website, blog and other social media.
Best of luck to Chris, Martha and the whole team!
Elizabeth
Showing posts with label Parliament Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parliament Hill. Show all posts
29.6.10
18.3.10
Two years as MP for Willowdale
Two years!!
It figures that I was so busy with work, yesterday, on the actual 2nd anniversary of getting elected, that I didn't have time to write a note about it here. I will confess, however, to ending the day with (what better?) some Guiness at the residence of the Irish Ambassador to Canada. If I remember correctly, green beer was flowing in celebration 2 years ago. St. Patrick's Day will always hold an even more special place in my heart than it used to.
Thank you to all those who have sent such great messages of good wishes.
After two years (it feels like yesterday), I want to say something about how wonderful it is to have been elected.
As corny as it may sound, it is an extraordinary honour and privilege to be an elected Member of Parliament, in this great country of ours. Every day that I walk into these beautiful buildings, I pause, I look around, and I say to myself, "Wow---I get to work here."
I have learned so much. I have learned about how MPs lead 2 lives--one in the constituency, doing what we can to help our consituents with their relationships with the federal government (and all sorts of other things :-)); and a second, very different life, that we lead as legislators in Ottawa, working to keep the government to account, making suggestions for improvement, working on our committees, researching and analyzing proposed legislation (with the great help of our teams) and then voting accordingly; engaging in debates in the House--the list goes on. I have also learned a great deal about the many, many issues that affect Canadians; about the challenges of trying to work cooperatively in a very partisan enviroment; about what extraordinary potential that Canada and Canadians possess for doing so much more, even, both domestically and internationally, than we do now.
I love all aspects of what I do, very much. I am indeed very fortunate.
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the people of Willowdale for electing me--now twice!--and for showing their confidence in me. Thank you, too, to all of those volunteers who worked on those two successful campaigns, and to all those who have contributed financially. I want to thank the wonderful people with whom I work, and without whom we simply couldn't do the work we do for the people of Willowdale and for the country: In Willowdale, Michele, Carol and Lily, and all the Willowdale volunteers; in Ottawa, Anne-Sophie, Puneet and Elizabeth, and all the Ottawa volunteers; and to all of the fabulous people who make up the Willowdale Federal Liberal Association. Doing good things takes a real team effort, and I'm incredibly lucky to be able to count myself a part of this great group of people.
Thank you all, so much, and I look forward to many more years of being able to serve as the MP for Willowdale.
All best,
Martha
It figures that I was so busy with work, yesterday, on the actual 2nd anniversary of getting elected, that I didn't have time to write a note about it here. I will confess, however, to ending the day with (what better?) some Guiness at the residence of the Irish Ambassador to Canada. If I remember correctly, green beer was flowing in celebration 2 years ago. St. Patrick's Day will always hold an even more special place in my heart than it used to.
Thank you to all those who have sent such great messages of good wishes.
After two years (it feels like yesterday), I want to say something about how wonderful it is to have been elected.
As corny as it may sound, it is an extraordinary honour and privilege to be an elected Member of Parliament, in this great country of ours. Every day that I walk into these beautiful buildings, I pause, I look around, and I say to myself, "Wow---I get to work here."
I have learned so much. I have learned about how MPs lead 2 lives--one in the constituency, doing what we can to help our consituents with their relationships with the federal government (and all sorts of other things :-)); and a second, very different life, that we lead as legislators in Ottawa, working to keep the government to account, making suggestions for improvement, working on our committees, researching and analyzing proposed legislation (with the great help of our teams) and then voting accordingly; engaging in debates in the House--the list goes on. I have also learned a great deal about the many, many issues that affect Canadians; about the challenges of trying to work cooperatively in a very partisan enviroment; about what extraordinary potential that Canada and Canadians possess for doing so much more, even, both domestically and internationally, than we do now.
I love all aspects of what I do, very much. I am indeed very fortunate.
I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to the people of Willowdale for electing me--now twice!--and for showing their confidence in me. Thank you, too, to all of those volunteers who worked on those two successful campaigns, and to all those who have contributed financially. I want to thank the wonderful people with whom I work, and without whom we simply couldn't do the work we do for the people of Willowdale and for the country: In Willowdale, Michele, Carol and Lily, and all the Willowdale volunteers; in Ottawa, Anne-Sophie, Puneet and Elizabeth, and all the Ottawa volunteers; and to all of the fabulous people who make up the Willowdale Federal Liberal Association. Doing good things takes a real team effort, and I'm incredibly lucky to be able to count myself a part of this great group of people.
Thank you all, so much, and I look forward to many more years of being able to serve as the MP for Willowdale.
All best,
Martha
6.1.10
Prorogation
I am an elected Member of Parliament, but Stephen Harper is trying to prevent me from doing my job. It should NOT be his choice.
The people of Willowdale did not elect me as their Member of Parliament so that I could stay home.
My message to Stephen Harper: I'm going to do MY job, despite his best efforts to prevent me from doing it. LIBERALS ARE WORKING.
This is not Stephen Harper's government. It is OUR government, government for ALL Canadians, as represented by their Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. Canada is NOT Stephen Harper's personal fiefdom to control as he wishes--no matter how much he would like that control.
And let's be clear---this has nothing to do with the Olympics, or "working on the budget". Pure and simple, Stephen Harper is running away. He's running from some very tough questions. Questions that we were asking about:
The people of Willowdale did not elect me as their Member of Parliament so that I could stay home.
My message to Stephen Harper: I'm going to do MY job, despite his best efforts to prevent me from doing it. LIBERALS ARE WORKING.
This is not Stephen Harper's government. It is OUR government, government for ALL Canadians, as represented by their Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. Canada is NOT Stephen Harper's personal fiefdom to control as he wishes--no matter how much he would like that control.
And let's be clear---this has nothing to do with the Olympics, or "working on the budget". Pure and simple, Stephen Harper is running away. He's running from some very tough questions. Questions that we were asking about:
- real job numbers, not just what Stephen Harper "promised"; details on results of the "stimulus" plan that Stephen Harper was refusing to provide;
- why Stephen Harper has repeatedly fired some civil servants for disagreeing with him and eliminated funding to others who have been critical of his government (including, incidentally, the elimination of funding to those whose offices were actually created by Stephen Harper); and
- Stephen Harpers' refusal to disclose information about the Afghan detainees and torture.
Stephen Harper has been refusing to answer any of these questions. He is abusing parliamentary procedure by proroguing to ‘cut and run’.
My question to Stephen Harper, and the question all Canadians should be asking him, is WHAT IS HE TRYING TO HIDE?
For the second time in only a year, Stephen Harper has prorogued Parliament. For the second time in only a year, his only reason for doing so has been to run away from controversy---and Stephen Harper is hoping that Canadians won't notice. We can't let that happen: I call on all Willowdaleans--indeed all Canadians--to say "No".
The first time Harper prorogued Parliament, only a year ago, was to avoid a vote of non-confidence. A majority of MPs in the House of Commons had made this loss of confidence in him known; we were about to vote (that IS our responsibility). But Stephen Harper prorogued Parliament, preventing our vote and effectively running away to save his own skin.
This time, Stephen Harper is running away from the questions and inquiries about torture in Afghanistan. Why? Because the more we questioned, the more evidence there was that the Harper government has been covering up the truth, and the more the government blocked access to information. What were they hiding? To get at the truth, a majority of the House of Commons passed a motion demanding the production of documents, which the government kept denying access to, relating to the alleged torture of Afghan detainees (a very serious issue, a breach of international law). Harper's reaction? To openly flaunt the will of Parliament---"If you really want the documents, then sue us" was the reaction.
Parliament spoke, with the voice of a majority of MPs, representing a majority of Canadians. We should NOT have to sue the government to compel it to comply with the will of Parliament. And Stephen Harper should not be allowed to close down Parliament when it suits his purposes. It is not HIS government---it is the government of Canadians.
MY JOB AS THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR WILLOWDALE:
The people of Willowdale elected me as their MP to represent them, and their interests, in the House of Commons---in the debates over pending legislation, in the votes, and in the committee work that we do (in my case, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates and the Standing Committee on Finance).
My job in Opposition is NOT just to "oppose"--my job is to help ensure that this country is governed according to the democratic principles that are fundamental to our society. Principles that Stephen Harper is pulling apart, to suit his own purposes.
I want to stress that I represent ALL of the people in Willowdale, regardless of whether they actually voted for me or for someone else. THAT's democracy. But we ARE in a minority government, and Mr. Harper keeps forgetting that. A large majority of people in Willowdale did NOT vote Conservative; a majority of Canadians across the country did NOT vote Conservative. By doing so, Canadians were asking us, as Opposition MPs, to help keep this government to account---to ensure honesty, transparency, accountability and fair play.
Stephen Harper campaigned on these principles, but he is now doing everything he can to take them away. He is preventing us from fulfilling our responsibilities to Canadians.
28.10.09
Page Program/Programme des pages
2010-2011 HOUSE OF COMMONS PAGE PROGRAM
Application Deadline - December 7, 2009
A camera captures the Speaker of the House of Commons as he calls the House to order. A Member rises to ask a question, Hansard in hand. The Clerk of the House makes notes on the daily scroll. A House of Commons Page delivers an urgent message to the Prime Minister. These are the sounds, sights and pace of a day in the House of Commons. In the Chamber and around Parliament Hill, Pages live and breathe the history and action of one of Canada’s oldest political institutions.
Each year, approximately 40 students are selected from high schools and CEGEPS across Canada to come and work as Pages in the House of Commons. Pages begin a year-long contract in late-August. They work a minimum of 15 hours a week and their work schedule is coordinated with their university schedule. They are paid approximately $11,461 over the course of their employment. In addition, a sum of $1,200 is paid at the end of the employment period.
If you are interested in becoming a Page, you must:
· be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident;
· be graduating from a high school or a CEGEP (with no academic interruptions) and be commencing full-time university studies at one of the universities in the National Capital Region in September 2010;
· have an overall academic average of at least 80%; and
· speak both official languages at a superior level.
In mid-October, applications for the Page Program are sent to high schools and CEGEPS across Canada. If you are currently in your last year of high school or CEGEP, please contact your guidance counsellor for an application booklet, print a copy from the Web site or apply online at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/hocpage. Applications for the 2010-2011 House of Commons Page Program must be postmarked or received no later than Monday, December 7, 2009.
For more information on how to become a Page, contact:
House of Commons Page Programme (Recruitment)
Human Resources, Corporate Planning and Communications Services
131 Queen Street, Room 11-10
House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OA6
Tel.: 613-996-0897 Fax : 613-995-1470
Application Deadline - December 7, 2009
A camera captures the Speaker of the House of Commons as he calls the House to order. A Member rises to ask a question, Hansard in hand. The Clerk of the House makes notes on the daily scroll. A House of Commons Page delivers an urgent message to the Prime Minister. These are the sounds, sights and pace of a day in the House of Commons. In the Chamber and around Parliament Hill, Pages live and breathe the history and action of one of Canada’s oldest political institutions.
Each year, approximately 40 students are selected from high schools and CEGEPS across Canada to come and work as Pages in the House of Commons. Pages begin a year-long contract in late-August. They work a minimum of 15 hours a week and their work schedule is coordinated with their university schedule. They are paid approximately $11,461 over the course of their employment. In addition, a sum of $1,200 is paid at the end of the employment period.
If you are interested in becoming a Page, you must:
· be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident;
· be graduating from a high school or a CEGEP (with no academic interruptions) and be commencing full-time university studies at one of the universities in the National Capital Region in September 2010;
· have an overall academic average of at least 80%; and
· speak both official languages at a superior level.
In mid-October, applications for the Page Program are sent to high schools and CEGEPS across Canada. If you are currently in your last year of high school or CEGEP, please contact your guidance counsellor for an application booklet, print a copy from the Web site or apply online at: http://www.parl.gc.ca/hocpage. Applications for the 2010-2011 House of Commons Page Program must be postmarked or received no later than Monday, December 7, 2009.
For more information on how to become a Page, contact:
House of Commons Page Programme (Recruitment)
Human Resources, Corporate Planning and Communications Services
131 Queen Street, Room 11-10
House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OA6
Tel.: 613-996-0897 Fax : 613-995-1470
PROGRAMME DES PAGES DE LA
CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES 2010-2011
- le 7 décembre 2009
La caméra s’arrête sur le Président de la Chambre des communes au moment où il rappelle la Chambre à l’ordre. Un député se lève pour poser une question, le Hansard à la main. La greffière de la Chambre prend des notes pour le plumitif. Un page remet un message urgent au premier ministre. Voilà un aperçu du déroulement d’une journée à la Chambre des communes. Dans l’enceinte de la Chambre et sur la colline du Parlement, les pages évoluent au coeur de l’histoire de l’une des plus anciennes institutions politiques du Canada et font l’apprentissage direct de ses rouages.
Chaque année, environ 40 étudiant(e)s des écoles secondaires et des cégeps de tout le pays sont choisi(e)s pour travailler comme pages à la Chambre des communes. Le contrat des pages dure un an et débute à la fin août. Ils travaillent un minimum de 15 heures par semaine et leur horaire de travail est établi en tenant compte de leur horaire de cours universitaires. Ils reçoivent une rémunération d’environ 11 461 $ au cours de l’année. De plus, une somme de 1 200 $ leur est versée à la fin du contrat.
Si vous voulez devenir page, vous devez :
· être citoyen(ne) canadien(ne) ou résident(e) permanent(e);
· avoir réussi vos études secondaires ou cégeps (sans interruption) et débuter des études à temps complet à une université de la région de la Capitale nationale à compter de septembre 2010;
· avoir obtenu une moyenne générale d’au moins 80 p. cent;
· posséder une connaissance supérieure des deux langues officielles.
À la mi-octobre, les formulaires de demande d’emploi sont envoyés aux écoles secondaires et aux cégeps partout au pays. Si vous êtes présentement inscrit(e) en dernière année à l’école secondaire ou au cégep, veuillez communiquer avec votre conseiller(ère) académique pour obtenir les formulaires de demande d’emploi, imprimer une copie à partir du site Web ou remplir le formulaire en ligne à l’adresse suivante : http://www.parl.gc.ca/cdcpage. Les demandes pour l’année 2010-2011 doivent être envoyées ou reçues avant le lundi 7 décembre 2009, le cachet de la poste faisant foi.
Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec :
Programme des pages de la Chambre des communes (Recrutement)
Services en ressources humaines, planification corporative et communications
Pièce 11-10, 131, rue Queen
Chambre des communes, Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0A6
Tél.: 613-996-0897 Télécopieur : 613-995-1470
CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES 2010-2011
- le 7 décembre 2009
La caméra s’arrête sur le Président de la Chambre des communes au moment où il rappelle la Chambre à l’ordre. Un député se lève pour poser une question, le Hansard à la main. La greffière de la Chambre prend des notes pour le plumitif. Un page remet un message urgent au premier ministre. Voilà un aperçu du déroulement d’une journée à la Chambre des communes. Dans l’enceinte de la Chambre et sur la colline du Parlement, les pages évoluent au coeur de l’histoire de l’une des plus anciennes institutions politiques du Canada et font l’apprentissage direct de ses rouages.
Chaque année, environ 40 étudiant(e)s des écoles secondaires et des cégeps de tout le pays sont choisi(e)s pour travailler comme pages à la Chambre des communes. Le contrat des pages dure un an et débute à la fin août. Ils travaillent un minimum de 15 heures par semaine et leur horaire de travail est établi en tenant compte de leur horaire de cours universitaires. Ils reçoivent une rémunération d’environ 11 461 $ au cours de l’année. De plus, une somme de 1 200 $ leur est versée à la fin du contrat.
Si vous voulez devenir page, vous devez :
· être citoyen(ne) canadien(ne) ou résident(e) permanent(e);
· avoir réussi vos études secondaires ou cégeps (sans interruption) et débuter des études à temps complet à une université de la région de la Capitale nationale à compter de septembre 2010;
· avoir obtenu une moyenne générale d’au moins 80 p. cent;
· posséder une connaissance supérieure des deux langues officielles.
À la mi-octobre, les formulaires de demande d’emploi sont envoyés aux écoles secondaires et aux cégeps partout au pays. Si vous êtes présentement inscrit(e) en dernière année à l’école secondaire ou au cégep, veuillez communiquer avec votre conseiller(ère) académique pour obtenir les formulaires de demande d’emploi, imprimer une copie à partir du site Web ou remplir le formulaire en ligne à l’adresse suivante : http://www.parl.gc.ca/cdcpage. Les demandes pour l’année 2010-2011 doivent être envoyées ou reçues avant le lundi 7 décembre 2009, le cachet de la poste faisant foi.
Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec :
Programme des pages de la Chambre des communes (Recrutement)
Services en ressources humaines, planification corporative et communications
Pièce 11-10, 131, rue Queen
Chambre des communes, Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 0A6
Tél.: 613-996-0897 Télécopieur : 613-995-1470
27.8.09
Back in Ottawa.
Hello all,
Well Martha is in Willowdale but Anne-Sophie and I are busy here in Ottawa! After a few weeks away it is great to be back on the Hill. The new session buzz has started, we are all gearing up for what promises to be an exciting fall. But we can’t forget there is a little summer left to enjoy.
I was lucky enough to have to opportunity to spend some of my summer in England volunteering for the Bromley by Bow Centre, a community centre in East London. I worked with a fellow named Chris on the “Signs of Life” project painting murals and doing mosaics. “Signs of Life” is a social enterprise that helps to fund the centre. Youth from the community are invited to free art lessons, in exchange they help to paint murals, make mosaics and create other art projects that can be sold to the community. For example, a school might commission Signs of Life to paint a mural on a playground wall. The team will come into the class rooms and work through the process of designing, drawing and painting the mural with the students. Students learn how to paint, they have the chance to contribute to their school and exert their creativity. The centre receives funding that can help to fund future programs and the school is left with a beautiful painting that will last years.
Here is a photo of the mural I helped with. I worked on the stars, believe it or not the few dozen stars took an entire day!
The Bromley by Bow Centre truly is incredible, everything is so interconnected. The medical clinic works with Signs of Life to do art therapy, the learning centre works with the nursery to teach English as a second language and computer skills. The word to describe it is resourceful. I am so happy I had the chance to work with the Bromley by Bow team, as an added bonus I got to see so much more of London than the average tourist!
After the UK I headed back to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for a quick visit with my family. After a few unusually hot days by the ocean, the first big hurricane of the season and a six am flight I am back in Ottawa.
- Liz
Well Martha is in Willowdale but Anne-Sophie and I are busy here in Ottawa! After a few weeks away it is great to be back on the Hill. The new session buzz has started, we are all gearing up for what promises to be an exciting fall. But we can’t forget there is a little summer left to enjoy.
I was lucky enough to have to opportunity to spend some of my summer in England volunteering for the Bromley by Bow Centre, a community centre in East London. I worked with a fellow named Chris on the “Signs of Life” project painting murals and doing mosaics. “Signs of Life” is a social enterprise that helps to fund the centre. Youth from the community are invited to free art lessons, in exchange they help to paint murals, make mosaics and create other art projects that can be sold to the community. For example, a school might commission Signs of Life to paint a mural on a playground wall. The team will come into the class rooms and work through the process of designing, drawing and painting the mural with the students. Students learn how to paint, they have the chance to contribute to their school and exert their creativity. The centre receives funding that can help to fund future programs and the school is left with a beautiful painting that will last years.
Here is a photo of the mural I helped with. I worked on the stars, believe it or not the few dozen stars took an entire day!
The Bromley by Bow Centre truly is incredible, everything is so interconnected. The medical clinic works with Signs of Life to do art therapy, the learning centre works with the nursery to teach English as a second language and computer skills. The word to describe it is resourceful. I am so happy I had the chance to work with the Bromley by Bow team, as an added bonus I got to see so much more of London than the average tourist!
After the UK I headed back to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia for a quick visit with my family. After a few unusually hot days by the ocean, the first big hurricane of the season and a six am flight I am back in Ottawa.
- Liz
16.7.09
A different kind of wildlife.
I'm back in Ottawa today for a news release (see Issues at the Moment), Ottawa has different wildlife in the summer....
-M
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