Co-op student Caleb Smolenaars reflects on ‘incredibly rewarding’ work placement with NDP MPPs
This summer, students in the inaugural Social Sciences co-op work term took part in work experience across the province. In this piece, Work & Labour Studies Co-op Student Caleb Smolenaars reflects on their co-op term working for MPPs in Queens Park and in the community.
Over the summer, I undertook a 12-week co-op as an MPP Intern in the offices of Official Opposition NDP MPPs Kristyn Wong-Tam and Sol Mamakwa.
The first half of my work term was spent with Sol Mamakwa, MPP for Kiiwetinoong, working out of his Legislative Office at Queen’s Park. As the house was still sitting at this time, I got to be a first-hand witness to the fast-paced and sometimes chaotic atmosphere of the front lines of Ontario politics.
My specific roles varied day to day, but generally involved photography and videography services for the two offices; staffing the members at events, conferences, and receptions; liaising with and coordinating guests and stakeholders, proofreading; note taking; and even drafting notes for house business.
One moment I’ll always remember from my co-op was when I got to be a part of history at Queen’s Park as my member, MPP Sol Mamakwa, was finally granted the opportunity to speak his own First Nations language, Anishininiimowin (also known as Oji-Cree), with translation and transcription in the chamber. This was a historic day that I had the rare opportunity to document (photography is usually banned within the chamber, but I received special permission from the Legislative Services Division) as MPP Mamakwa reclaimed the language that the government once tried to take from him during his youth at residential school. It was a truly incredible experience to witness and I was honoured to be a part of some of the many weeks of preparation that went into it. It should go without saying, however, that this was a moment that should have come much sooner. It was due to systemic colonial rules that it took so long to accomplish, requiring unanimous support from all parties.
Another highlight of my time in MPP Mamakwa’s office was having the opportunity to work with some of the educators of Northern Ontario to do research for and write a question about the education funding deficit and rise of violence in schools in Northern Ontario. The question was then asked by MPP Mamakwa to the Premier and Minister of Education during Question Period. It was fascinating to work through this in-depth writing and research process and see some of my work become a part of the Hansard records while holding the government to account.
Despite the sometimes intense exchanges you see on television, I was surprised to see that there was an unusual sense of peaceful calm in some areas outside the chamber. The legislative dining room, for example, was a place of truce where all members, staff, and guests, regardless of party lines, showed manners and enjoyed meals, sometimes even at the same tables. That being said, this peace was at one point impacted by the decision of the Speaker to ban the keffiyeh, increasing tension at Queens Park. It took persistent advocacy from staff and the greater community to see the ban overturned for staff and guests. Despite this work, the restriction does remain in place within the chamber, despite the defiance of it by some MPPs, including those that I worked closely with during this protest.
Overall, my experience working within the offices of Queen’s Park was incredibly insightful and eye-opening. It was fascinating to see the top political news of the week as it broke, sometimes even from deep within the media scrums (one of my favourite places to be as Question Period ended each day).The second half of my co-op term was spent in MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam’s Constituency Office in the riding of Toronto Centre. As the house had risen early at this point for an extended summer break, as voted by the government side majority, this was a great opportunity to participate in the community-centred activities of an MPP and their constituency office. Lots of my time in MPP Wong-Tam’s office was spent doing photography, videography, and media editing; documenting their advocacy for saving the Ontario Science Centre and Ontario Place; supporting OPSEU-member LCBO workers on strike; and addressing the court backlog and dysfunctional justice system in Ontario. I also drafted speeches and wrote a petition that has now been signed by hundreds of Toronto Centre constituents and will be presented in the chamber when the house returns this October.
In June, I also worked as a member of the NDP Pride Planning Committee, where we planned both the Ontario and federal NDP’s participation in Toronto Pride. I was the party’s lead photographer for the main parade and marched alongside members of caucus, candidates, volunteers, and the two respective party leaders: Leader of Ontario’s Official Opposition MPP Marit Stiles and MP Jagmeet Singh. It was an incredibly fun experience representing the party in this capacity and advocating for the rights of my fellow queer community, on the front lines in politics. This year’s parade was an especially important reminder that pride is a protest and discrimination can be intersectional.
Overall, co-op was incredibly rewarding. It’s hard to choose which moments to highlight, as it felt like every day there was something new and exciting to experience.
The connections I was able to make at Queen’s Park, among stakeholders in various organizations across the province, and even among MPPs across party lines, are invaluable. It was also especially rewarding to play a part in the important advocacy and work that MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam and MPP Sol Mamakwa do for their respective communities. Having my work become a permanent part of the Hansard transcripts, have my photography used by media organizations around the world, and most importantly be part of the progressive change that these two MPPs fight for, are experiences I will hold onto for a long time.
My co-op experience also gave me another level of appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes in (at least) the offices of the MPPs I worked for. Dedicated teams of staff spend tireless hours doing such a wide variety of tasks at all hours of the day and night to ensure the needs of the community are met. I am beyond grateful for the staff of MPP Wong-Tam and MPP Mamakwa for letting me join in on the action this summer and providing such supportive, accessible, and enjoyable workplaces. I hope to be back soon.
I went into the work term unsure of what I wanted to do after university, but I leave my co-op eager to be back at Queen’s Park as soon as possible. Staffing an MPP is a whirlwind of an experience, but despite the stress, I had a great time and hope to be back soon in an even greater capacity, perhaps as a Legislative Assistant or Constituency Assistant. Maybe I’ll even run for office one day. We definitely need more diverse, progressive representation in politics.
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