1st MPP Placements: Caitlin & MPP Adil Shamji

For my opposition placement, I had the privilege of serving as a legislative intern for MPP Adil Shamji, Member for Don Valley East. During the 43rd Parliament, he served as the Liberal Critic for Health, Housing, and Northern Affairs. Before entering politics, MPP Shamji practiced family and emergency medicine in rural and remote communities across Northern Ontario, the Northwest Territories, the Canadian Arctic, and the GTA.  

I worked closely with the Director of Legislative Affairs, Lorne Levy, to write member statements, prepare questions for Question Period, draft speeches for press conferences, write newsletters, and conduct data analysis. My time at the constituency office allowed me to explore what serving constituents directly looks like. This included responding to inquires, liaising with various ministries, writing form letters, and supporting event planning. Every day of my placement was truly an opportunity to delve into a political staffer’s breadth of work.  

I was particularly drawn to this office for the opportunity to explore public health, health policy, and the social determinants of health. As MPP Shamji often says, “everything relates to health”; a sentiment that deeply resonated with me as I reflected on MPP Shamji’s role as Health Critic. Ontario's primary care landscape is incredibly vast and intricate, shaped by lobbying groups, Ontario’s ministries, legislation, and the work of MPPs. One of the most eye-opening parts of my placement was seeing MPP Shamji navigate the intersections of public health, primary care, and his own medical practice when shaping legislation to access a family physician.  

One of my biggest takeaways is the significant role of media outlets at Queen’s Park. Attending scrums became a highlight of my day, not only for the opportunity to observe the media in action but also for the hands-on experience of filming content for social media, conducting media monitoring, and analyzing how legislative stories are framed. A special thanks to the reporters for the scrum pointers; raise those elbows and squish in where you can!  

I am incredibly grateful to MPP Shamji, Lorne, Palwashah, and all the staff at the Don Valley East Constituency Office, Erin, Soobin, and Hamish, for their mentorship, guidance, and the many learning opportunities they allowed me to participate in. I’m still in awe from the breadth of work I’ve been able to contribute, this placement has prepared me well to pursue a confident career in health policy!