For the second half of OLIP, I have been placed in the office of MPP Natalia Kusendova, the Progressive Conservative representative for the riding of Mississauga–Centre. As the riding is home to a diverse population, MPP Kusendova makes it a priority to do interviews with a variety of foreign language media outlets. I have been given the task of scheduling many of these interviews and preparing speaking notes or scripts for MPP Kusendova to use.
MPP Kusendova also has a passion for health care and is even still a practicing nurse, taking regular shifts to keep her skills and qualifications up-to-date. Having regular nursing shifts gives MPP Kusendova the opportunity to connect on a personal level with the Ontarians that she serves, giving her insight into the issues and challenges that they face.
As the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Francophone Affairs, MPP Kusendova is also very committed to supporting the francophone community across the province. This has given me the opportunity to do a lot of work in French, including doing translations, writing bilingual speeches and social media posts, and sitting in on consultations with francophone stakeholders. Many of these francophone stakeholders have also been health care providers, as MPP Kusendova combines her passion for health care with her advocacy for the Franco-Ontarian community.
After working with an Independent member from the Liberal caucus in my first placement, I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to see Queen’s Park from the other side of the aisle over the past few weeks. It has given me much to think about and I am looking forward to working with MPP Kusendova and all of her staff over the next few months! I want to thank everyone in the office for welcoming me and for making me feel like part of the team!