What is the Parliamentary Internship Programme?

The PIP offers participants an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the operation of Canada’s democracy and gain practical research, writing, and communication skills by working directly for MPs. Each Intern completes two separate placements: one with an MP from the governing party and one with an MP from an opposition party.

During these placements the Interns perform a wide range of tasks to advance their MPs’ work as elected representatives, including writing speeches, researching and prepare briefing notes, drafting questions for Question Period, and supporting their MPs’ work in committees. They also typically visit their MPs’ ridings to see representation at the local level.

The PIP is the only federal legislative internship that requires each participant to work with MPs from both sides of the House, and Interns must be willing to potentially work with MPs from any party. Interns select their placements through a collective process after they interview all of the MPs who have applied to host (typically 60-70).

The Programme is also the only internship that is written into the House of Commons Members Bylaw, giving Interns most of the same privileges as MPs’ staff during their placements. The exact timing of the placement periods varies with the parliamentary calendar, but they typically run from the beginning of October to mid February, and mid-February to mid-June.

To ensure that they are prepared for their placements, Interns spend the first three weeks of the PIP in an intensive orientation program featuring sessions on Parliamentary procedure, training on applied tasks like speech writing, and meetings with senior House of Commons officials, Senators, and representatives from each political party. They also have briefings with the previous Intern cohort and experienced political staff to learn about the diverse range of tasks they will perform in their placements.

The PIP Caucus, which runs every Wednesday morning from 9:00 to 12:00, has three main components. The meetings begin with a period for the Interns to share reflections on their placements, study tours, and other aspects of the PIP, and to seek support for any challenges they may be facing. The Interns then discuss Programme logistics to ensure the many tasks and projects, such as the planning for study tours or preparation of the annual Bulletin magazine, are on track.

After a coffee break, the second half of the caucus is devoted to an academic seminar delivered either by the Programme Director or a guest speaker. The seminars cover a range of topics on Canada’s politics and political institutions, such as the Crown, the role of Parliament, the influence of backbench MPs, Indigenous peoples, race and politics, and the operation of political parties. Seminars on the politics of the different study tour destinations also prepare the Interns to make the most of each trip.

The legislative study tours enable the Interns to better understand the strengths and weakness of Canada’s democratic institutions by learning about the operation of democracy and the policy choices in other jurisdictions. This comparative perspective is a vital component of the Interns’ learning in the PIP, and the Interns themselves help to plan the trips to ensure they address the issues of concern to the group.

Each year the Interns conduct three study tours within Canada, visiting Nunavut, Ontario, Québec, and three study tours abroad:

• Brussels – European Parliament, Belgian Parliament, and NATO Headquarters
• United Kingdom – British Parliament in London and one of the three devolved legislatures (Northern Ireland Assembly, Scottish Parliament, or Welsh Parliament)
• Washington, D.C. – U.S. Congress

The Interns also typically undertake an overnight trip to Montréal to visit Programme partners, such as Bombardier, BDC, Desjardins, and VIA Rail. The Programme pays the costs of the trips, including transportation, accommodations, and per diems for meals.

The research papers are the Interns’ primary academic output during the Programme, and can touch on any subject related to Parliament, federalism, or Canadian politics. The Interns’ unique vantage point on Canada’s political system often leads them to focus their research on understudied or emerging issues that have yet to grad the attention of political scientists. The papers can be based on existing sources, but Interns are also encouraged to take advantage of their location within Parliament to undertake original research through interviews, surveys, or content analysis. The Interns present their finding each June at the Programme’s Jean-Pierre Gaboury Research Symposium. Interns are also encouraged to publish their papers after the Programme if they wish.

Interns participate in a range of other activities throughout the year, including:

• A “Brown Bag Lunch” series with eminent Canadians
• Policy briefings and site visits with Programme sponsors
• Organizing and hosting visits by counterpart internship programs from four provincial legislatures (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec) and the U.S. Congress
• Managing the Programme’s communications, including social media and newsletters.

The Interns also help to organize the interviews with MPs and the study tours.