This article was written by guest author, Jillian Montalbetti. She is a fourth-year political science student at the University of Calgary. You can follow her on twitter @Jillian1800.
Like many Bachelor of Arts students, especially those studying in political science, I am constantly hearing the dreaded question, “So what are you going to do with your degree, anyway?” With the hope of learning how to answer this question, I applied to the Conservative Party of Canada’s Internship Program. I have always had an interest in politics, however I was not sure if this was a potential career interest or just a side hobby. I hoped the internship would help clarify this for me.
The first morning of the internship I entered a large, formal boardroom and scanned the crowd to find someone to sit next to, knowing that I needed a potential friend for the four months I would be in Ottawa. I quickly noticed the room was filled mostly with men, and I was one of only fourteen women in the room.
Though I knew the internship did not endorse a quota-based selection process, I was surprised to see that women formed only roughly twenty-five percent of the group. Regardless, my experience during the internship was still excellent. It is my hope that in sharing this experience with you, that more women will apply to the program and bring this number up in the future.
During the four months of my internship I learned a great deal about so many different aspects of Canadian politics. I was assigned to be an intern in the office of the Honorable Michelle Rempel where I worked alongside three very intelligent and passionate women in her office, all of whom represented different aspects of the Conservative Party.
I’m going to make a special point to ask all the young women in my feed to ask me how they can get involved to apply. https://t.co/CdQRajcCsk
— Michelle Rempel (@MichelleRempel) January 2, 2018
All of the women on Team Rempel promoted and discussed important and influential policy decisions. I entered the CPC internship like many young female Conservatives; I was the only female in my friend group who identified as a Conservative and most of the other women I knew within the party were significantly older than myself.
Throughout most of my political involvement, I’ve been the youngest female, which gave me the natural inclination to take an observational standpoint in discussion, rather than voicing my own opinion. In MP Rempel’s office, this changed. I was surrounded by many young conservatives and was constantly debating policy, and discussing current issues. My voice was not only heard but was also encouraged in these debates, and my knowledge on issues and confidence in myself grew as a result.
Throughout the internship, I learned that politics is more than just sitting around a board table at a local riding association meeting. In most situations, I found myself being the youngest individual by about 30 years and one of few women in the room. My outlook on my own involvement in politics grew as I encountered numerous females filling various roles in Ottawa. During the internship I began to understand the importance of my having my own opinion and gained confidence in those opinions.
The growth I have seen in myself and the confidence I have gained in my voice is why I hope to encourage more young women to apply to the program. In the four short months that I worked for MP Rempel I learned a tremendous amount about her portfolio Citizenship and Immigration, volunteered on political campaigns in a different province, made a best friend from across the country, and most importantly, became more confident in my ability to use my voice.
This confidence was furthered through the internship’s mentorship program, which is offered by the Party. Interns can apply to have a mentor while in Ottawa, all of whom are Conservatives involved in politics. Interns and mentors are matched based on interests and potential career options. My mentor in Ottawa previously worked in the Prime Minister’s Office, and is currently an Account Director at a global consulting company. It was very powerful for me to hear the voice of a woman with senior political experience, both from partisan and nonpartisan points of view.
The final, and one of the most positive aspects of the internship, is the experience itself and relationship you form with the intern group. During your four months in Ottawa, you will work alongside other young Conservatives from across the country where your ideas and opinions can reach beyond the walls of your university campus. Our intern group worked together, volunteered together, debated policy, challenged each others’ opinions, and developed friendships to last a lifetime.
Just as the Conservative Party has its own ideological tenants, the individuals participating in the internship did as well. From the social to fiscal conservatives, and a few libertarians, the program created a healthy space for us to debate our views while sharing the same overall party views. Working with fifty-five other interns was, for me, one of the first opportunities I’ve had to discuss current events and policy with people my own age, without feeling like a political nerd.
The “left” constantly tries to take aim at the Conservative Party and paint it as anti-feminist and, in some cases, even anti-women. This stereotype is perpetuated on social media, in post-secondary classrooms, and in traditional media sources. Though many know this simply isn’t true, change must come from within. If we as Conservatives wish to shatter these stereotypes once and for all, we need to do so from inside the party. There are already strong female voices in the Party, including those of MPs, Senators, and those behind the scenes holding senior positions in the Party Headquarters, and the internship was able to highlight the strengths of some of the most influential Conservative women in our country.
But we can, and must, do more.
Although I had an amazing experience during the summer as a CPC intern, my intern cohort was made up primarily of men. I truly believe the internship should be reflective of the Conservative Party itself. That includes both men, women and ideologies spanning the entire “big blue tent.”
The only way this will change is if more young women apply for this opportunity. The internship program is entirely merit-based and all applicants are assessed using the same standards. All interested young women should be encouraged to apply.
In all facets of government we need equality of opportunity. We need to empower women to feel confident that they can engage in policy development. We need to do a better job within the party of encouraging more women to get involved at every level.
We are reaching a time where Conservative women are beginning to speak up and empower other women to do the same. The CPC internship is another means of achieving this. In a political world where Conservatives are perpetuated as anti-women, while the left claims the right to all women’s voices, the internship is an influential experience where your voice can be heard in policy. You can work alongside like-minded young Conservatives and prove that women deserve a seat at the table.
Today is @Jillian1800‘s last day in my office as a @CPC_HQ intern. Thanks for your hard work, Jill! pic.twitter.com/XduKS5adnd
— Michelle Rempel (@MichelleRempel) August 18, 2017
All you need to do is apply. Applications are due January 26 at 11:59 EST. You must be a CPC member to apply.
I hope this has encouraged you to pursue this incredible opportunity. Women, especially conservative women, are a force to be reckoned with. If we want our party, our country, and our futures to better represent women, then we need to be the ones to make that happen.
Disclaimer: Story of a Tory is in no way affiliated with the Conservative Party of Canada or any other political party, be it federal or provincial. The views of each author are independent of all other authors.
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