1st MPP Placements: Nika & MPP Matthew Rae

For my government placement I had the pleasure of working with MPP Matthew Rae, representative for Perth Wellington and Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Over my four months in the office, I witnessed first-hand MPP Rae’s tireless dedication to serving the people of Perth Wellington.

As part of my daily work supporting the office, I gained experience crafting press releases, constructing local media scans and supporting MPP Rae’s work on various standing committees. Assisting MPP Rae, I frequently met with local stakeholders and developed my understanding of regional policy issues from the role of nurse practitioners to innovative housing policies to South-Western Ontario’s agricultural sector.

A highlight of my time in MPP Rae’s office was the opportunity to support the passing of MPP Rae’s Private Member’s Bill, Bill 186, the Growing Agritourism Act. Bill 186 alleviates one of the barriers to operating an agritourism business by ensuring visitors to local ventures, such as an apple picking orchard, are aware of the inherent risks associated with visiting a working farm. The chance to play a part in the passing of Bill 186 stands out as one of the most exciting experiences of my time in OLIP thus far.

When the house rose in January, I had the chance to dig in further to MPP Rae’s Municipal Affairs and Housing file through my participation in the annual Rural Association of Municipalities of Ontario (ROMA) conference. In his capacity as Parliamentary Assistant, MPP Rae and I met with delegates from over 20 rural Ontario municipalities during a jam-packed two days. We heard and responded to testimony on a variety of municipal issues including infrastructure funding, governance challenges and strategic tourism development.

My sincerest thanks to MPP Rae, and the entirety of MPP Rae’s team, for providing me with such a varied and memorable experience. I’d like to specifically thank all those who welcomed me during my constituency visit to Stratford, including Mayor Ritsma who was kind enough to give me a tour of City Hall.

The experiences I accrued over the course of these four months have fortified my practical understanding of the functioning of government. I look forward to leveraging the knowledge and skills I’ve accrued under MPP Rae’s mentorship in my future endeavors!