Politics coming alive for Trent grad

Trent graduate Rachel Sheer will be rubbing elbows with Ontario's top politicians this fall when she begins a 10-month assignment under the Ontario Legislature Internship Program.

The program, established in 1975 by the Canadian Political Science Association and The Legislative Assembly of Ontario, selects eight of the province's best scholars each year to work with backbench members of the Legislature.

Sheer will defer for a year doing her Master's at Carleton to participate in the program. Interns work five months with a Government mpp and five months with an Opposition Member. Duties include writing speeches, preparing mpps for question period and committee work, researching policy issues, assisting with constituency work and attending meetings with or on her behalf of the mpp. Members are encouraged to take their interns with them to their constituencies at least once during their time together.

Sheer, whose home is in Toronto, came to Trent for the comparative development program, but enjoyed Politics 100 so much that after first year she changed her major to politics with a minor in English. An honours student, her interest in politics has widely fluctuated.

"I went from being really into international issues, to deciding to concentrate on theoretical issues in a Canadian context. This past year I have become fascinated with issues of representation and citizen involvement in Canadian democracy. It was this interest which prompted me to initially apply for the internship. I wanted to study and evaluate the system in grad school, but first I wanted to really see it in action."

She is looking forward to seeing not only how different parties operate, but also the difference between how things work in government and in opposition. "There will also be the opportunity to travel all over the country to visit other legislatures and see their politics first hand. I'm sure the internship will be an invaluable experience for me - it will be politics in practice, not just on the page."

After the internship and her studies at Carleton, "who knows? I still don't know which direction I want to pursue in terms of a career, and I'm hoping the internship will help me decide."

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