UCC Launches Internship Program on Parliament Hill

On May 3, 2007, three Ukrainian Canadian students began their summer internships on Parliament Hill in the nation’s Capitol, Ottawa.  The Ukrainian Canadian Congress Parliamentary Internship Program was revived this year after a more than a 10-year hiatus.  The Program sees youth from across Canada work in the Ottawa offices of Members of Parliament for three months.  The aim of the Program is to allow young Ukrainian Canadians to become more informed about the workings of the federal political system.  An intern will become an important part of each participating Member’s team and will perform a wide range of activities in support of the MP’s work.

The UCC Youth Committee conducted a wide-ranging recruitment campaign to inform students of the Program.  Over twenty applicants were reviewed in the open competition.  The three who were selected are:

•     Roman Dzioba (Ottawa), a Graduate Student at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University.  Roman is working in the Office of Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park);

•     Oriana Masiuk (Edmonton), a Graduate Student at Carleton University’s Institute of European and Russian Studies.  Oriana will be assisting in the Office of Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre); and

•     Oksana Zhovtulya (Montral), a law student at the Universit de Montral.  Oksana is working at the offices of MPs Peter Goldring (Edmonton East) and Leon Benoit (Vegreville-Wainwright).

The UCC is very pleased to acknowledge the substantial gift of Dr. Anne Smigel of Winnipeg to the Program.  Her financial support at a critical time allowed the UCC to place three interns in Ottawa when only one position was planned for the initial year of the Program.  UCC is grateful to the Members of Parliament and their staff who enthusiastically assisted us in opening up their offices to the young UCC interns.

Preparations are already being made for the Program in 2008.  Anyone who wishes to financially support this Program should contact the Ukrainian Canadian Congress at (204) 942-4627.