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Online Tools and KnowledgePARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT
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Roles of the MP
As a newly elected Member of Parliament you will be immersed in two quite different worlds–the world of Ottawa and the world of your constituency. You will travel back and forth between these two worlds frequently, experiencing what one former MP called his weekly culture shock. In the House of Commons, you will confront the challenge of playing multiple roles–in caucus, in the chamber and in committee. Given the overwhelming demands on your time, you may be tempted to become a specialist in either the Ottawa or the constituency parts of the job. Most successful MPs recommend however that you become good at both because serving your constituents requires that you know how to get results in Ottawa. This means, in turn, that you must become highly effective at setting priorities and managing your time. This essay also discusses building relations with the news media and the challenges facing an MP’s family.
On the Front Lines: The New MP and Constituency Work
For some MPs, serving constituents is the most satisfying part of the job, although it can also be the most exhausting. Constituency work is multi-faceted, involving the MP in roles as lobbyist and ombudsperson, party activist, ribbon cutter and VIP. Experienced MPs recommend that new Members learn to be selective, distilling what you must and should do for constituents from what they may demand of you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The New MP and Committee Work
Of the different roles played by MPs in the House, many find committee work the most professionally rewarding. It is where backbench MPs enjoy the greatest latitude to make an independent contribution, whether it is in overseeing government expenditures or developing public policy. Committee work may also create opportunities to advance policy objectives that directly benefit constituents. Those MPs who are successful in committee prepare themselves carefully for the work and learn to focus their attention in a few areas where they can make a difference. They also learn skills of negotiation and compromise in dealing with colleagues in their own party as well as in the opposition.
Managing Offices and Staff For Better Results and Fewer Headaches
One of the surest truisms in politics is that you are only as good as your staff. As an MP, you will head a small team that is divided between your Ottawa and constituency offices. Good staff will be indispensable to you in carrying out all aspects of the job, whether it is casework for constituents or policy analysis for your work on committees. Take special care to recruit good people and thereafter pay attention to ensure they are motivated and effective.”
Stress, Family and the MP
The job of MP knows no limits: there is always another phone call to make, another meeting to attend. If you make all those calls and attend all those meetings, something may give–your health or your family. The final essay in this collection describes the ever-present danger of stress, and discusses the art of living wisely as an MP.
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Contributors |
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Robert Miller - Executive Director Peter Dobell - Founding Director Martin Ulrich - Senior Associate Jacques
Sabourin - Senior Associate |
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