One Red Deer Public graduate will get an opportunity not many have had, which is to live and breathe the history and action of one of Canada’s oldest political institutions.
Elena Bakker, who graduated from Lindsay Thurber in June, is one of 40 students from across Canada who will be off to Ottawa later this summer to participate in the House of Commons Page Program.
“I heard about the program through my Principal Mr. Good and it sounded like something that would be up my alley,” she said. “It’s for students who are politically inclined and anybody who wants to know more about the parliamentary system. It was appealing to me and I was really interested in trying it out.”
Duties of a Page include performing tasks directly related to the sittings of the House; working with Members of Parliament in a non-partisan role; experiencing debates live in the Chamber; meeting with student groups in the Chamber; and participating in the Speaker’s parade, among other duties.
The process to apply was lengthy - Elena first applied in October and found out she was accepted in April. As part of the application process, she had to send in a cover letter and resume, and her second language ability was tested to ensure she could communicate confidently in both English and French.
“I’m really excited for the opportunity. You are guaranteed a year of work, and it opens the door for a lot of opportunities going forward,” said Elena. “There are many Pages who have gone back to work on Parliament Hill for various people in various different sectors. It connects you with a lot of people.”
While fulfilling work as a Page, Elena will also be entering her first year at the University of Ottawa as she works towards her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. “I am not 100% sure where my degree will take me, but I am using this first year to explore all opportunities and that is really exciting,” she said.
As for her upcoming role as a Page, Elena said there is much to look forward to.
“I am most looking forward to meeting the other Pages,” said Elena. “They are from all across Canada, come from different backgrounds and have different perspectives. It will be really cool to meet all of these people who are there for the same reason.”