Hi! I’m Jenn. I am placed in the Procedural Services Branch.
Although the Procedural Services Branch is located across from the OLIP office, I have only begun to understand the critical role they play in the functioning of the Legislative Assembly. Split between Committees and House Documents, the members of this branch hold both an immense breadth and depth of information on the nitty-gritty workings of the Legislative Assembly.
Taking minutes at our weekly OLIP meetings cannot even compare to the work of the House Documents section. They oversee the publication of the Orders and Notices paper and the Votes and Proceedings, which form the official records of the activities of the Legislature. Along with extensive publications, the branch has extensive procedural knowledge, exemplified through Committee Clerks. Committee Clerks are tasked with providing procedural and administrative support to standing and select committees, as well as lending non-partisan advice in the drafting of motions relating to committee work.
My first day of placement involved meeting with various Clerks who have offered me valuable insight into their role, their previous experiences, and the information they are required to know. I carefully began to collect a number of resources such as Standing Orders, resource binders, and texts on Parliamentary procedures and processes. By the end of the day, I had a stack of books towering over my desk.
Since then, I have juggled my time between trying to soak in the information from the books, as well as conducting research for the Table Research office. These tasks are complementary, which allows for a productive work flow. My job is fun and challenging as it requires that I put on an investigative hat of sorts, be resourceful, and keep up on the knowledge I acquire along the way.
I am fortunate to be working within a placement that offers challenging, engaging and thoughtful work, while also having wonderful, friendly and intelligent individuals around me. Thank you to both the Procedural Services Department and TRO Branches for having me!