Every year since 1970, the Parliamentary Internship Programme (PIP) has brought a group of recent university graduates to Ottawa to work and study on Parliament Hill from September through June. The non-partisan interns are selected through a national competition and each completes work placements with two Members of Parliament – one from the government and one from the opposition. During the Programme, Parliamentary interns meet with senior policymakers, diplomats, journalists, scholars, politicians, and leaders in civil society. They take part in academic seminars, write innovative academic research papers, and undertake legislative study tours within Canada (Nunavut, Ontario, Québec) and abroad (Brussels, the United Kingdom, and the United States).

Beginning with the 2025-26 cohort, the Parliamentary Interns will be enrolled as graduate students at the University of Ottawa and will receive a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration upon completion of the Programme. The Interns receive a scholarship of $35,000 to support their studies and have access to the full range of student services at University of Ottawa.

Please visit the “What is PIP?” page to learn more about the Programme.

Director’s Message

It is my pleasure to welcome the 56th Parliamentary Internship Programme cohort to Ottawa! You can see the Interns’ biographies on the website and follow their experiences through the PIP’s Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts.

The more than 550 PIP alumni, who include four Order of Canada recipients and three sitting MPs, demonstrate both the fantastic learning experience offered by the PIP and its role as a foundation for careers in academia, the private sector, and the public service. Nevertheless, the 2025-2026 PIP year promises to be its best yet, with the Programme now situated in its new administrative home within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottawa.

While the core components of the PIP will not change, this move means that Interns will now receive a graduate certificate upon completing the Programme and will have access to the full range of student supports offered by the University. Together these changes further strengthen the Programme’s position as Canada’s leading legislative internship initiative and the premier training program for future leaders in Canada’s public life.

The PIP could not operate without the dedication of its core partners, the House of Commons and the University of Ottawa, the mentorship offered by host MPs from all parties, and the financial and in-kind support as Programme sponsors. Thank you for your commitment to developing leaders who understand the operation and importance of Canada’s democratic institutions.

Thank you for visiting our website!

Dr. Paul Thomas, Director
September 2025