I am placed with MPP Chris Glover, the Member for Spadina – Fort York. With a background as a School Board Trustee, Member of the Toronto Board of Health, and Adjunct Professor at York University, MPP Glover is passionate about issues such as gun violence, homelessness, and accessible post-secondary education. MPP Glover is also the Opposition Critic for Technology, Development, and Innovation.
Spadina – Fort York includes the incredibly diverse downtown core of Toronto, one of the most densely populated ridings in Canada. MPP Glover represents the financial district, the Toronto Islands, the entertainment district, and many residential neighbourhoods. Working in the office has exposed me to many perspectives on a variety of policy issues. For example, there are many small businesses and restaurants still recovering from the pandemic, a large homeless population, renters and condo owners worried about affordability, and concerns about conservation on the Toronto Islands.
The first week of my placement was extremely busy. I joined the office the same week that MPP Glover introduced his motion to protect migratory birds by mandating the bird-friendly design standard for all new buildings in the province. I was quickly involved in contacting stakeholders, writing a Member’s Statement, and organizing a press conference. This was a valuable learning opportunity for me and quickly acquainted me with the work done behind the scenes to put together legislation.
I recently helped with the background research for MPP Glover’s Private Member’s Bill on transparency in the condominium industry. It was very interesting to be a part of this project from the beginning, to hear perspectives from stakeholders and from constituents, to see how these become consolidated into legislation, and to hear the debate on the motion.
The office team has been so gracious in helping me adjust to life at Queen’s Park. I wish to thank Pranav, Nancy, and Benna for their warm welcome to the office and their willingness to answer all my questions. I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time in MPP Glover’s office brings!