Mr. Tilson and Constance Naud-Arcand of the Parliamentary Internship Programme

Mr. Tilson and Constance Naud-Arcand of the Parliamentary Internship Programme

PARLIAMENT HILL – David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon has been hosting a participant in the Parliamentary Internship Programme for the last 4 weeks.

The Parliamentary Internship Programme is a 45-year-old, non-partisan initiative of the Canadian Political Science Association that gives ten early-career professionals each year the opportunity to work and study on Parliament Hill. As part of their internship, interns spend half the year with a Member of Parliament on the government side and the other half with a Member of Parliament on the opposition side. As part of the programme, interns assist Members of Parliament with committee and constituency work while undertaking academic research, weekly seminars and comparative study tours to legislatures across Canada and abroad.

On October 1st, Mr. Tilson welcomed Constance Naud-Arcand, from Deschambault, Quebec, to his Ottawa office. Ms. Naud-Arcand graduated from the Université de Montréal with a Bachelor of Science in International Studies in 2011 and was awarded a Master of Arts in Political Science by McGill University in 2014. She will be working in the office for the next two months.

“It is the second time I have participated in this particular internship program,” Mr. Tilson said. “These young men and women are amongst the best and brightest from across the country. It is a tremendous opportunity for them.”

Since Ms. Naud-Arcand has joined Mr. Tilson’s office, she has gained first-hand exposure to the inner processes of the Canadian parliamentary system. Assisting Mr. Tilson and his staff with the preparation of constituency mailings, research and various other communication materials has allowed her to learn a lot about Dufferin-Caledon. In addition to these responsibilities, she has also had the chance to attend a number of events with Mr. Tilson and interact with other diplomats and parliamentarians.

“So far this internship opportunity has proved fascinating,” Ms. Naud-Arcand said. “Mr. Tilson and his staff have not only made me feel welcome, but have taught me so much. I really appreciate them taking the time to share their insights and knowledge with me.”