She supported creating better youth futures by helping youth who face barriers find meaningful jobs. Habon is honoured to be a part of OLIP and is excited to learn more about health policy while expanding her understanding of provincial politics. HAli ola. Raised in Hamilton, Melody Greaves has lived in Waterloo for the past six years. Her research focused on environmental policy and policy analysis. This role has helped Melody understand the impact of legislation on and the vital role of organizations within communities.
MGreaves ola. Alex Horbal is from Toronto. He recently graduated from McGill University with a Joint Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History, a program that allowed him to pursue various independent research projects.
Alex is honoured to be a part of OLIP and is excited to learn about how provincial politics functions on a day-to-day basis. Alex Horbal est originaire de Toronto. AHorbal ola. Today, Paul Davidson is the President of Universities Canada, a federal organization representing the interests of 96 participating institutions from across the country. His post-OLIP career has been wide-ranging, and includes working for the Ministry of Finance, leading a stakeholder relations firm, and serving as the executive director of both the Association of Canadian Publishers and the World University Service of Canada.
In his current role, Davidson is responsible for advocating on behalf of three major policy areas. First, Universities Canada is a perennial advocate on behalf of investment in research and innovation. Second, there is a need — given the economic realities of globalization — for Canada to seize its international moment. For degree-granting institutions, this includes welcoming international students, recruiting faculty with international experience, and encouraging Canadian students to take advantage of opportunities to study abroad.
Recent global events are changing the demographics of international students attending Canadian universities: Brexit in the United Kingdom and hardline immigration rhetoric in the United States have, respectively, contributed to increased application numbers from India and Mexico.
Lastly, Universities Canada is dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. Davidson observed that excellence is not possible without diversity, and that sexism is real and persistent in Canada, post-secondary education sector included. Yet, even that number is a testament to progress, as it is also the highest-ever proportion of female presidents. These issues coexist in a context of ongoing change for universities in Canada.
Funding levels remain an ongoing issue of concern; according to Davidson, per capita funding in Ontario today is less than it was 20 years ago. Davidson observed that the liberal arts teach valuable critical thinking and communication skills, and that programs teaching those disciplines will need to work hard to share their virtues with prospective students. We want to thank Davidson for giving us a window into the issues facing universities in Canada, and for encouraging us to challenge ourselves and pursue adventurous careers.
Deputy Minister Hartley worked in the U. In California, Deputy Minister Hartley was the executive director and co-founder of 18F, a government agency that builds digital services focused on the interactions of individuals and businesses with government. Hartley told our group that she co-founded 18F with colleagues she met during her year as a Presidential Innovation Fellow. The US Presidential Innovation Fellow program brings tech innovation talent to government agencies to create transformation change.
The ODS is the government department tasked with improving that. Think of the new and easy to use OSAP calculator. With only a few clicks, you can get a rough estimate of how much you qualify for. The calculator is so accessible that it has led to a rise in the number of students who apply for provincial aid and as a result, overcome the sticker shock of post-secondary education costs. By design, government bureaucracy is a complex world, preoccupied with rules and mostly averse to risk.
Beyond user experience, the Standard speaks to creating common platforms, being mindful of accessibility, privacy, and security, and ensuring user success at every stage of the design. While the Standard focuses on good design, the key priorities of the ODS extend beyond the user experience. We spoke about government procurement methods and how to attract tech talent in the public sector.
Deputy Minister Hartley and Tanya also shared with us their vision of the future of digital government in Ontario. Thank you to both DM Hartley and Tanya for taking the time to meet with us! Like this: Like Loading We were excited to meet with him and hear about his vast experience in politics, public service, and in the higher education sector. Lindsay shared anecdotes about his time in politics and in the public service.
It was this work that sparked his interest in transition of power from one political party to another following elections.
Lindsay outlined all the actors and stakeholders involved in a government transition, and some of the downfalls of how they are often carried out. During that same government, David Lindsay became the founding President of the Ontario SuperBuild Corporation, which was responsible for infrastructure planning in the province. Lindsay then became the CEO of Colleges Ontario, and later returned to public service, where he held the role of Deputy Minister in several ministries during the McGuinty government.
With Ms. Orendorff and Mr. Lindsay, we discussed the past and future of higher education, and spoke about how current economic and social trends will affect the evolution of colleges and universities.
We also discussed other pressing issues, including tuition costs and financial aid, and the increasing demand for STEM graduates, among other topics. For Mr. McGuinty, it was his first speech since being elected for a third term. For many interns including myself , it was the first time we had seen our Premier speak in person.
Not ones to blithely accept a free lunch, we made sure to work for the privilege. Several interns manned the registration desk, while others worked the doors, taking tickets. At such a busy event, there was much work to be had. It brings the public into environmental policy-making in a meaningful way, and the Environmental Commissioner is its steward. In short, the ECO is an exciting and rewarding place to be.
Environmental policy and the scope of environmental issues for that matter is pretty wide-reaching. When someone plans to remove over 50, litres of groundwater or surface water per day for any period of time, they need to apply for a permit with the Ministry of the Environment.
The Ministry of the Environment ascribes to a Statement of Environmental Values, which dictates, among other things, that permits will take an ecosystem approach, taking into account cumulative effects of multiple water takings, the strain a given watershed is already under, and adaptability of water takings in the face of changing environmental conditions particularly low water conditions. My project for the week required me to select PTTWs posted on the Environmental Registry at random for evidence that the MOE was respecting its Statement of Environmental Values; that it was taking a farsighted, holistic approach to granting permits.
If an Ontario Ministry makes a decision that impacts the environment including Permit to Take Water proposals , a notice is placed on the Registry, which is open to public comment for thirty days. Afterwards, the Ministry will report on how they are taking the comments into account.
The Registry can be found at www. Check it out! You might be surprised by who is using your water, and how much they are taking. The Law Society, founded in , is older than the province it serves, and Ms. Weir is responsible for relations with the Ontario government. In doing so, she represents a membership of over 40, The governance structure consists of 50 Benchers 42 of which are lawyers, and 2 of which are paralegals , elected by their peers every four years, and eight non-lawyer members of the public appointed by the Ontario government.
Current priorities for the Law Society, Ms. Weir explained, include access to justice, and the promotion of equity and diversity in the legal profession. As Ms. Weir informed us, the Law Society is not always popular among the legal community, but its function is virtuous. It was a great privilege to meet with Ms. Weir and learn about this long-standing and prestigious institution, and we are very grateful to have them as a sponsor. At the risk of over-committing to the metaphor, our meeting with Lynn Morrison last Monday opened our eyes to the forces that keep that heart beating.
As Integrity Commissioner, Ms. Morrison was appointed by the legislature for a five year term in , but has worked with the Office since its creation in That last component of the mandate is one that took many of us by surprise, and, Ms. Morrison explained, it takes many newly elected members by surprise as well.
Disclosure of personal finances is a lot to ask of our provincial public leaders, but complying with this demand bolsters the ethics and integrity of our system, and thus the confidence we have in it.
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