Program Activities

In 2023, Women in the House took part of two major activities.

Queen’s Park:

On February 27th, 29 students who identify as women from across the Faculty of Arts visited Queen’s Park. During their visit they attended Question Period and held meetings with the Speaker of the House Ted Arnott where they learned about parliamentary procedure and practice. They also met with women MPPs from each of the main party caucuses, where they learned about the experiences of women in the provincial legislature. Meetings were held with women from the following caucuses: 

Progressive Conservative: Minister Jill Dunlop and MPPs Jess Dixon, Robin Martin, Laura Smith and Natalia Kusendova.

NDP: Leader of the Official Opposition Marit Stiles, Deputy Speaker Bhutila Karpoche, and MPPs Dr. Jill Andrew and Jessica Bell

Liberal: MPP Mitzie Hunter, Stephanie Bowman and Mary Margaret McMahon. 

Parliament Hill:

On March 6th to 8th, Women in the House students travelled to Ottawa for their visit to Parliament Hill. On March 6th, they attended a networking dinner with Charelle Evelyn, managing editor from the Hill Times, Erica Ifil, columnist at the Hill Times and co-host of Bad + Bitchy podcast, Jennifer Ditchburn, President and CEO of Institute for Research on Public Policy and Niki Lundquist, Senior Director of Equity and Education at Unifor and Whitby Centre Ward Councilor.  At this event they were able to discuss informally with women leaders, journalists and research analysts their roles covering, and being in, politics. 

On March 7th, students spent their day on the Hill shadowing women Ministers and MPs. Women politicians who were shadowed by Arts students included: the Honourable Carla Qualtrough (Minister of Employment, Workplace Development and Disability Inclusion), the Honourable Kamal Khera (Minister for Seniors), MP Elizabeth May (Green Party), MP Bardish Chagger (Liberal), MP Rachel Blaney (NDP), MP Laurel Collins (NDP), Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes (NDP), MP Bonita Zarrillo (NDP), MP Heather MacPherson (NDP), MP Salma Zahid (Liberal), and MP Sonia Sidhu, among others. 

Students will now work with their “matched” MP and their staff to prepare a policy brief to help the MP in their parliamentary and constituency work. 

On March 7th, the students were invited to attend a reception hosted by Equal Voice and Executive Director Chi Nguyen to celebrate International Women’s Day on the Hill. At the event, Politics and Governance student Kristina Kisin (external link)  delivered a rousing speech where she shared her experiences of shadowing an MP for the day and her vision for a more inclusive, equitable and collaborative political process. At the event, students were able to meet with MPs, Cabinet Minister Anita Anand (Minister of National Defence) and other esteemed invited guests.  

On March 7th, the students were invited by the Prime Minister’s Office to attend the President of the European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen’s historic address to Canada’s Parliament. Later that evening, they attended the Prime Minister’s reception in honour of Her Excellency von der Leyen’s first visit to Canada. At this event, students were able to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen. Several cabinet ministers were also in attendance and chatted with the students, including the Honourable Marci Ien (Women and Gender Equality and Youth), the Honourable Mélanie Joly (Minister of Foreign Affairs), and the Honourable Patty Hadju (Minister of Indigenous Services). Students also had a chance to meet former Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson. 

To close out the trip, on March 8th, International Women’s Day, the students visited the Senate, where they met with Senators Patti Laboucane-Benson and Yonah Martin. Senators Laboucane-Benson and Martin shared with the students their personal journeys into politics and how women are making an impact in Canada’s Senate. 

The Women in the House program wishes to thank our external donor, Unifor, as well as the Faculty of Arts, the Politics and Public Administration Department, and the MA in Public Policy and Administration program, for their support. We would also like to give a special thank you to our program assistant, fifth-year International Economics Finance student Zaima Aurony, for her fantastic work supporting the program in 2023.