1st MPP Placements: Ayesha & MPP Deepak Anand

For my first placement, I was fortunate enough to be placed with MPP Deepak Anand who represents the riding of Mississauga-Malton and was the Parliamentary Assistant to the Associate Minister of Small Business at the time. A long-time supporter of the program, Mr. Anand has been passionate about creating great learning opportunities for any interns who are placed with him – for which I was no exception! 

During my time under his wing, I was fortunate enough to work directly with Mr. Anand whether in the legislature or in his riding. At Queen’s Park, I sat in on stakeholder meetings, supported his guests visiting the House (including assisting with preparation for this past session’s Diwali celebration event at the legislature), and created revised speeches and remarks. Outside of the legislature, I conducted research on Mr. Anand’s Private Member’s Bill for the session, about the riding’s business sector, and on key provincial issues which I used to then compose important briefings and longer length written materials.  

Most notably, I assisted in the preparation of Mr. Anand’s Private Member’s Bill which focuses on promoting awareness of children’s eye health. By doing so, I grew my understanding of the process for putting forth legislation in the House and felt empowered from contributing to potential policy which can create positive impact for Ontario’s youngest. 

Furthermore, I was able to study what serving the constituency looked like up close. Visiting Mississauga-Malton allowed me to appreciate the uniqueness of the riding which Mr. Anand works to represent, including its inclusion of the largest airport in the Greater Toronto Area, bustling manufacturing sector, and diverse communities. 

As a result, these experiences helped me to develop new skills, acquire deepened knowledge on different local and provincial matters in addition to member’s work and capabilities, and fortify my understanding of how provincial government functions. 

Thank you to MPP Deepak Anand and his entire team for being so welcoming and making this a great first placement!