For my Legislative Assembly placement, I had the opportunity to work in the office of Parliamentary Counsel. This office includes Gabriela, as Parliamentary Counsel, Melissa, as Paralegal, and Will, as Senior Parliamentary Counsel and Table Officer. During my time in this office, the team gave me an inside-look at the world of constitutional law, parliamentary privilege, and applications of the law for preserving our democratic institutions. My primary project involved a jurisdictional scan of various policies from a Canada’s provincial legislatures and public service institutions. I also had the opportunity to analyze relevant case law, provide case briefs, and review documents related to ongoing files at the Assembly.
Parliamentary Counsel provides legal advice to ensure the Legislative Assembly functions efficiently. A crucial component of this practice involves the principle of parliamentary procedure, which upholds the constitutionally established division of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
Over four weeks, I was able to work on meaningful projects and converse with the office staff about their experiences acting as legal counsel for the Assembly. This experience provided first-hand insight into legal practice in government institutions. Thank you so much to Gabriela, Will, and Melissa for welcoming me so warmly and enthusiastically to the office. I’m so grateful for the chance I had to learn about this unique legal environment, and I look forward to applying those insights to my future work as an OLIP intern and beyond.
