Interim Placements: Maddy & The Office Of Parliamentary Counsel

During the writ period and the weeks following the election, I had the good fortune of returning to the Office of Parliamentary Counsel (OPC), to support their work in providing legal services to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Since I had my first Assembly placement with OPC back in October, it was great to return to work with familiar faces, including William Wong, Gabriella Dedelli, and Melissa Maslej. I also had the pleasure of meeting Elisa Mangione, the newest member of the OPC team. 

As part of my second placement with OPC, I participated in a variety of tasks within the office. Throughout my 4 weeks there, I assisted OPC with policy review for upcoming Assembly programming, proofed and compiled procedural documents for Assembly staff and incoming MPPs, and was welcomed into weekly meetings and discussions about relevant issues on the Canadian legal scene. Throughout our conversations, of particular interest were ongoing legal debates and matters of parliamentary privilege in Ontario and Canada.  

A unique aspect of my second placement with OPC was the proximity to the election. As the Assembly was preparing to open a new Parliament, this presented a special opportunity to look in depth at the Legislative Assembly Act (1990). I enjoyed the chance to have a first-hand and comprehensive look into the statutes that govern the practices of Ontario’s democratic institutions, while supporting my office in work that makes the implications of these statutes more accessible to those at Queen’s Park. 

This placement was an informative and rewarding experience. I look forward to applying the insights from my time in OPC when I begin law school in the fall, and hope to stay in touch with the team! I want to thank the whole office for being so welcoming once again, and for being generous in their willingness to share insights into their experiences in the legal profession.