Each year, students from the Max Bell School of Public Policy travel to Ottawa to experience Canada鈥檚 policy ecosystem firsthand. The annual trip offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how ideas move through the machinery of government, from political offices to central agencies and the courts.聽
The week began with a welcome from Rachel Wernick, Program Director at the Public Policy Forum, whose talk set the tone for the days ahead. She spoke about the evolving landscape of policymaking, how leaders must adapt to complex global challenges and bridge divides between politics, research, and the public. For students about to dive into Canada鈥檚 central institutions, it was a fitting introduction to the art and craft of policy leadership.聽
Soon after, they crossed Wellington Street to meet senior officials from the Privy Council Office, the Department of Finance, and the Treasury Board Secretariat. Jeannine Ritchot, Omar Rajabali, and Laura Gorrie each offered a glimpse into how government departments work together behind the scenes to support Cabinet and translate political priorities into policy.聽
One of the trip鈥檚 most memorable sessions came with Bill Matthews, Secretary of the Treasury Board, who spoke candidly about decision-making at the highest levels of government. His reflections on leadership and accountability left students with a deeper sense of how integrity and judgment underpin good governance.聽
Inside the West Block chamber, students met Sergeant-at-Arms Patrick McDonell, learned about the traditions that protect parliamentary order, and then sat down with Speaker Scarpaleggia himself for a discussion on leadership, civility, and the state of political discourse in Canada. Later, they met Her Excellency Genevi猫ve Tuts, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada, who spoke about diplomacy and Canada鈥檚 role on the world stage.聽
鈥淰isiting Ottawa for the first time was a really special experience for me,鈥� said Max Bell student, Mohamed Diop. 鈥淎s an international student, I鈥檒l admit I was a bit hesitant at first. Many of the institutions we visited, like Parliament and the central agencies, felt somewhat distant from my own reality. But I couldn鈥檛 have been more wrong. The trip turned out to be one of the most insightful experiences I鈥檝e had at Max Bell yet. It gave me a much clearer understanding of how Canada鈥檚 political system works and how decisions are made at the national level. I kept finding myself comparing and googling what I saw to the systems I know back home and in other countries, which made everything even more interesting.鈥澛�
The next day鈥檚 speed-mentoring session brought together voices from across the public service, industry, and advocacy. Max Bell alumni like Sokhema Sreang (MPP鈥�23) and Benjamin Hooker (MPP鈥�23) joined professionals from organizations such as the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Conversations moved quickly鈥攖en minutes per mentor鈥攂ut the insights lingered far longer.聽
鈥淥ne of the women we met had worked with the Senate on youth engagement,鈥� said student Victoria Gibbs. 鈥淢y background is in youth policy, and I have long been passionate about better informing our youngest Canadians on our political processes. I realized there are more and unique career avenues I can seek out and explore that I may not have ever considered or even know existed.鈥澛�
That sense of inspiration carried into the next day, when students met Members of Parliament from across party lines, Iqra Khalid, Jasraj Singh Hallan, Gord Johns, Andr茅anne Larouche, and Elizabeth May, O.C., for a lively conversation about collaboration, conviction, and compromise in Canadian politics. Later, sessions with The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Andrew Scheer, and Carlos Leitao showed that while political perspectives differ, a shared commitment to democratic process runs deep.聽
Members of Parliament engage in a discussion with Max Bell students.
A behind-the-scenes panel with Rheal Lewis, Chief of Staff to the Liberal House Leader, and Maire Whitley, Special Assistant to Mr. Scarpaleggia, rounded out the day. Their discussion revealed how much politics depends on the quiet, meticulous work of staff who bridge the worlds of policy and politics.聽
The final morning brought students to the Supreme Court of Canada, where Justice Mahmud Jamal welcomed them for an intimate discussion about the role of the judiciary in shaping policy and interpreting constitutional principles. His reflections on fairness and institutional trust left a strong impression.聽
From there, the focus shifted outward, from institutions of government to the broader ecosystem that holds them accountable. In a pair of panels, leaders Taryn Russell, Paul Davidson, and Kate Higgins spoke about how NGOs influence public debate and drive social change, while journalists Robert Fife and Dan Bilefsky offered a candid look at the media鈥檚 role in scrutinizing those in power. Together, these sessions reminded students that public policy lives not only in government offices, but in conversations, investigations, and advocacy that shape it from beyond.聽
The group came back to Montreal tired but exhilarated; their notebooks filled with notes and ideas from an intense week in Ottawa. The Ottawa trip, once described as a 鈥渃rash course in how Canada actually runs,鈥� had delivered exactly that, and more.聽
As Victoria Gibbs put it, 鈥淣othing as of yet has been able to compete with the massive opportunity for personal growth and development the Ottawa trip offers. It is a key component of this program and an invaluable one at that.鈥�
