Meet the Interns
Since its creation in 1969, the Parliamentary Internship Programme has offered more than 560 young Canadians the learning experience of a lifetime. The significant contributions of former interns to Canada and the international community through academia, public service, and industry are a lasting testament to important role the PIP plays in developing the potential of promising young Canadians.
2026 - 2027
Mira Buckle – Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
- BSocSc (Political Science), University of Ottawa
- MA (Political Science), University of Ottawa
Born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador, Mira holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science from the University of Ottawa . During her undergraduate, she served as the Senior Year Representative for the International Political and Policy Studies Students’ Association, coordinating an internship program connecting students with opportunities on Parliament Hill and Ottawa City Hall. In her Masters, Mira worked as a Research Assistant with the Konrad Adenauer Research Chair in Empirical Democracy Studies, studying youth representation in Parliament and youth trust in government. A passionate advocate for youth representation, she initiated the creation of a youth council in her home municipality and has served on both Newfoundland and Labrador’s Premier’s Youth Council and the Prime Minister’s Youth Council. Mira is committed to strengthening youth engagement in democratic institutions, advancing efforts to combat misinformation and mitigate online harms, and promoting public trust in government. Mira enjoys trying new recipes, volunteering at the Ottawa Little Theatre and exploring Ottawa’s scenic trails.
Darcy Eygun – Bedford, Nova Scotia
- BA (Political Science), Saint Mary's University
Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Darcy holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Saint Mary’s University. His research focuses on the intersection of human rights and security. This has led him to work with organizations such as Amnesty International, the United Nations, and NATO, where he has conducted fieldwork and applied research in a range of international contexts, including in Colombia, The Gambia, Lithuania, and Malawi. A proud member of Nova Scotia’s francophone community, Darcy spent three years teaching in the province’s Acadian school system, creating and delivering teaching programs for over 600 students across Halifax. For this work, he was named a 3M National Student Fellow, Canada’s highest honour for leadership and innovation in education. Outside of his professional life, Darcy enjoys long-distance running, a steaming cup of maté, and reading philosophy. He is thrilled to be joining the PIP to gain a deeper understanding of Canadian politics and the representation of Canada’s diverse population.
Kassandra Gervasi – Dorval, Quebec
- BSc (Political Science), Université de Montréal
- MA (Political Science), McGill University
Raised in Montréal in an Italian family, Kassandra is a first-generation university student who holds an Honours Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Université de Montréal and is currently completing her Master’s at McGill University. Her interests lie at the intersection of Canadian politics, security, and environmental policy, with a particular focus on climate security, environmental governance and law, and how public institutions respond to emerging challenges. She has pursued these interests through her work with the NATO CCASCOE and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), as well as through research presented at the Canadian Political Science Association, the Midwest Political Science Association, and the Climate Security Conference. In 2025, she received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Medal of Québec for her academic and community achievements. She is also actively involved with Girl Guides of Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society. In her spare time, she enjoys detective novels and team sports.
Vinayak Kalra – Mississauga, Ontario
- BIE (International Economics), University of British Columbia
- MA (International Relations), Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Vinayak holds a Bachelor of International Economics from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he studied technology and innovation policy as a recipient of the Public Service Fellowship. His work focuses on the governance of artificial intelligence at the intersection of global affairs and economic policy. Vinayak researched digital trade policy at the Information Technology Industry Council, AI safety at Explore Policy, and supported a Government of Canada consulting project on the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act. He also served as a Managing Editor at UBC’s IONA Journal of Economics and a podcast host for the SAIS Review of International Affairs. Through the PIP, Vinayak looks forward to learning about technology policy and especially Canada’s approach to governing emerging technologies. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar and piano, and is an avid tennis player.
Luke Joonhwa Lee – Bedford, Nova Scotia
- BCom (Management and Public Policy), University of Toronto
Born in Ottawa and raised in Québec and Nova Scotia, Luke holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Management and Public Policy, with a minor in Environmental Economics, from the University of Toronto. During his studies, he worked in residence life, conducted local and international field research, and led the organization of multi-university policy case competitions. Luke’s research experience includes climate resilience, the relationship between law and development, and women’s access to justice. He has also contributed to policy analysis, program delivery, and human resources through roles in the federal public service at Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and the Public Service Commission. Across these experiences, Luke has developed a strong interest in sustainable development and community-engaged policymaking, and is eager to contribute to Canada’s democratic institutions as a non-partisan intern.
Joy Liu – Ottawa, Ontario
- BA (Ethnicity, Race and Migration), Yale University
Joy graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnicity, Race and Migration. She is excited to return home to Ottawa after five years of living abroad. In 2023, following her second year of university, she moved to London, England. There, she worked as a paralegal on sexual assault cases at a plaintiffs’ law firm. She also worked for an immigration charity as a legal caseworker. As a student, she conducted research for the Yale Institution for Social and Policy Studies. She won fellowships for her research on Asian American political actors and on UK prisons housing migrants. Most recently, she investigated jail starvation deaths with a journalism lab at Yale. As a PIP Intern, she will explore how policymaking can operate in conjunction with her other tools—research, reporting, the law—to promote structural reform.
Sydney Mardon – Vancouver, British Columbia
- BA (Political Humanities), Sciences Po
- BA (Political Science), University of British Columbia
Sydney holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Humanities from Sciences Po and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with International Relations from UBC. She wrote her UBC thesis on the impact of social media and AI on mobilizing empathy and humanitarian engagement, while her Sciences Po dissertation examined policy solutions for refugee family reunification in the European Union. While at UBC, Sydney traveled to Washington, D.C., for nonpartisan meetings with congressional and Senate legislative staff as an advocate with Scholars at Risk. After graduation, Sydney spent a year in London UK working as a Sustainable Procurement and Human Rights Consultant for Verisk Maplecroft, where she advised companies on mitigating environmental and human rights risks across their global supply chains, contributed to publications on emerging technologies such as AI for a UN website, and participated in the 2025 UN Business and Human Rights Forum in Geneva. Sydney is excited to learn about and contribute to Canadian democracy and policymaking as a parliamentary intern.
Andréane Milord – Blainville, Quebec
- BA (Relations internationales et droit international), Université du Québec à Montréal
- MA (Public and International Affairs), Université de Montréal
Andréane holds a master’s degree in public and international affairs with a specialization in diplomacy from Université de Montréal. She completed an internship at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, where she deepened her interest in economic issues, multilateralism, and Canadian politics. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and international law from Université du Québec à Montréal, supplemented by a study abroad program in Berlin as part of her concentration in German language and culture. Over the past few years, Andréane has participated in several political simulations and has been actively involved in her student community. Her interest in gender studies and social justice has also shaped her academic and extracurricular path, notably through the creation and hosting of a radio show dedicated to analyzing current events from a feminist and intersectional perspective. Multilingual and versatile, Andréane hopes to deepen her understanding of democratic institutions through the PIP.
Damai Siallagan – Lethbridge, Alberta
- BA (Global Development Studies and History), Queen's University
Damai holds a BA Honours in Global Development Studies and History from Queen’s University with Certificates in Law, Business, and Indigenous Languages and Cultures. Damai is the Founder of the SADA SOLU Development Foundation, an NGO that has impacted thousands of youth in rural Indonesia through education programs and outreach. Damai’s research on rural development and Indigenous land rights has appeared in the Canadian Law Review and the Duke Historical Review, and his work on Canadian media bias in foreign political conflict was awarded the Thomas Clarkson Gold Medal in Politics and International Relations at the 2024 Global Undergraduate Awards. He was a 2024–2025 Pathy Fellow, co-leader Canadian youth delegation to the World Bank and IMF, and served as Editor-in-Chief of Canadian Law Review Quarterly. Through the PIP, Damai looks forward to nuancing his understanding of legislative decision-making. Damai belongs to the Siallagan clan of the Batak nation of Indonesia. He speaks five languages.
Solène Simard – Gatineau, Quebec
- BSocSc (Political Science), University of Ottawa
- MPhil (Modern Chinese Studies), University of Oxford
Solène Simard recently completed an MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford, supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec and Mackenzie King Scholarships. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in Political Science with a minor in Asian Studies from the University of Ottawa and studied Mandarin Chinese at Peking University. Her research examines how geoeconomic competition is reshaping industrial policy and global production networks. Previously, Solène worked as a non-partisan employee at the House of Commons of Canada and held research assistant positions with the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy and the University of Ottawa, contributing to research on Indo-Pacific affairs and Canadian foreign policy. She was a 2025-26 Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Young Professional Fellow and a 2024 Mosaic Taiwan Fellow. Through the PIP, she hopes to deepen her understanding of how Parliament shapes Canada’s response to a changing global landscape.
Saskia Tholen – Toronto, Ontario
- B Arts Sc (Arts & Science and Political Science), McMaster University
- MA (Political Science), University of British Columbia
Raised in Toronto, Saskia completed her undergraduate studies in McMaster University’s interdisciplinary Arts & Science Program, concentrating in political science in her upper years. She received her Master’s degree from the University of British Columbia, where her focus area was democratic theory. Her Master’s thesis explores the future of democratic representation within and beyond parliamentary institutions in the context of climate change. In parallel to her studies, Saskia worked as a teaching assistant, contributed to research in South and East Asian political thought, and organized with her union local. Outside academia, Saskia is grateful to have wide-ranging experience across the public and nonprofit sectors. She has held policy analyst roles at Public Safety Canada, conducted community-engaged research with Vancouver's Local Immigration Partnership, and reported on international issues for a peace advocacy organization. Through the PIP, Saskia looks forward to deepening her understanding of Canadian democracy in a practically grounded way. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cycling, and creative writing.
Sydney Xiong – Richmond, British Columbia
- BA (Faculty Program in Environment), McGill University
Sydney holds an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Environment and Economics from McGill University. Her academic research has examined environmental governance across scales, from assessing localized urban heat island effects in Montreal, to analyzing the interpretive politics of climate disclosure regulation in Canada. Sydney has also worked with Canada’s Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy, and most recently as a Student Environmental Coordinator with Environment and Climate Change Canada where she supported Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions reporting to the UNFCCC under the Paris Agreement. These experiences have shaped her interest in how democratic institutions can respond to environmental and economic challenges. Sydney hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of environmental regulation and law, contributing to the design of policy frameworks that strengthen accountability and integrity across Canada. Outside of work you can find her enjoying the simple moments. She is delighted to be joining the 2026-27 PIP cohort!