Meet the 2022-23 Parliamentary Interns

• BA (Government and International Relations), George Mason University
• JD (Specialization in Aboriginal Law), Allard Law School at University of British Columbia
• Masters of Law, Osgoode Hall at York University

Melanie is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States where she grew up in Texas, Montana, Guam, Virginia/Washington D.C., and Oklahoma. She received her B.A. from George Mason University and majored in Government & International Relations with a minor in Native American & Indigenous Studies. During her undergraduate, she interned at the Office of Civil Rights in the Foreign Agricultural Service in Washington D.C. where she created their first Native American Outreach Program. She moved to Vancouver to pursue her J.D. at the University of British Columbia. In her last term, she was accepted into Osgoode Hall’s Indigenous Intensive Program. The program afforded her the opportunity to intern with former Senator Murray Sinclair where she conducted research regarding reconciliation. Her thesis for her L.L.M. examines the intersection of reconciliation, transitional justice, and peacebuilding from an Anishinaabe legal perspective. She is a proud member of Hiawatha First Nation.

• BA (International Relations and Economics), University of British Columbia

Benoit was born and grew up in the town of Amos, located in the region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue in northern Québec. He recently completed a Bachelor of Arts with High Distinction in International Relations and Economics from the University of British Columbia (UBC). During his studies, he went on exchange to King’s College London and completed the UBC Arts Co-op Program, where he worked for Policy Reporter, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and Global Affairs Canada. In his spare time, he also wrote for the Ubyssey student newspaper as a News Writer, worked with the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies as a Research Analyst and volunteered with Spheres of Influence as a Staff Writer. Before his undergrad, Benoit received a scholarship to attend the Lester B. Pearson United World College (UWC) of the Pacific on Vancouver Island. Interested in the relationship between international law and politics, he will be pursuing a legal education at McGill University after completing the Parliamentary Internship Program. In his free time, Benoit is an avid fan of all things outdoors, Latin dancing and Ultimate frisbee.

• BA (International Relations and International Law), Université du Québec à Montréal
• Masters of Sustainable Territorial Development, Université Paris 1 : Panthéon-Sorbonne

Philippe holds a B.A. in International Relations and International Law from the University of Quebec in Montreal, as well as a joint international M.Sc. in Sustainable Territorial Development from the Università degli Studi di Padova (Italy), the KU Leuven (Belgium), and the University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (France).

Prior to his work on the Hill, Philippe worked in international human rights and environmental justice in Guatemala (2019), in public policy for the ecological transition in France (2021), as well as in international cooperation for nature conservation with the United Nations Development Programme (2022). He wishes to take advantage of the unequaled opportunity offered by the Parliamentary Internship Programme to deepen his understanding of the underlying mechanisms of democracy and the role of parliamentarism in addressing the major challenges of the 21^st century. Philippe is passionate about the protection of nature and indigenous affairs. When not working, he likes to try new things and discover new cultures through slow travel.

• BSS (Conflict Studies and Human Rights), University of Ottawa
• Masters of International Studies, Université de Montréal

Madeleine has a Bachelor’s in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from the University of Ottawa and a Master’s in International Studies from the University of Montreal. She is passionate about social justice issues in Canada and abroad. During her time at Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre and at the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, she was able to see how Canada positions itself on human rights and social justice issues at home and internationally.

Madeleine is inquisitive by nature and loves to travel. She took an intensive Spanish course at the University of Malaga in 2018 and was selected for a field research course in Mexico City in 2020, which explored the social marginalization of disadvantaged women and children. Since then, she has taken numerous Spanish courses and is driven by the incredible cultural openness that this experience has offered her.

The PIP is an exceptional opportunity for her to better understand what is going on behind the scenes and what Canada is doing to create public policy that addresses social issues.

• BA (Philosophy), McGill University

From Nova Scotia, Nathan graduated with a BA (First Class Honours) in Philosophy from McGill University. He was awarded the Research Group on Constitutional Studies Prize in May 2022 for his undergraduate thesis “The Ethics of Remembering Through Tainted Statues.” Nathan has a long-standing interest in health and social policy and interned in 2018 at a women’s health organisation in Myanmar. He pursued this in university as a McGill Global Health Scholar at Results Canada, where he researched the effects of COVID-19 on the global tuberculosis epidemic.Nathan has spent the last six years as a competitive swimming coach in Nova Scotia and Quebec, working with swimmers of all ages. As Head Coach, he has led summer clubs of between 60-100 swimmers, coaching swimmers to achieve provincial records. As a Parliamentary Intern, Nathan is looking forward to deepening and broadening his policy skills and learning about the inner workings of Parliament.

• BA (Political Science), Western University
• MA (Political Studies), Queen’s University

Nikhil holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science from Western University, and recently graduated from Queen’s University with a Master of Arts in Political Studies. Nikhil is broadly interested in studying whether Canadian political institutions respond effectively to the diverse society they govern. His coursework focused on the politics of identity and inequality, federalism, and Canada’s Constitution. Beyond the classroom, Nikhil served as a Peer Advisor at Western’s Writing Support Centre and as a member of the Equity Issues Committee at Queen’s. As a Student Director at the Western University Leadership and Democracy Lab, Nikhil oversaw collaborative research that explored how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the operations of Canada’s Parliament. His most recent research project investigates the conditions under which political actors respond to policy demands advanced by minority groups. In his free time, Nikhil enjoys listening to new music and spending time with friends and family.

• BA (Global Japanese Studies and International Relations), Meiji University

Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sarah graduated from Meiji University in Tokyo with a degree in Global Japanese Studies with a specialization in International Relations.

During the pandemic, Sarah took on leadership roles in Pivot 2020, a national research project, and as the first camp manager for the youth empowerment charity One Voice One Team in its inaugural summer in Manitoba. She then volunteered with Katimavik, working with L’arche Étoile at its Québec day centre and developing HR policy for Ups and Downs, the Calgary Down Syndrome Association. Most recently, Sarah completed Fellowships with HerStart, where she was the gender equality and entrepreneurship fellow for Tanzania, and with the Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity, where she wrote an advocacy report on Youth Anxiety in the Manitoba workforce.

Sarah, a lover of history, researches and creates historical dress in her spare time. She is very excited to have a front row seat to see democracy in action in Canada. She hopes to use the experience and understanding gained in the PIP to further her education and career in the public service and NGOs.

• BA (Political Studies), Queen’s University

Having been born in Colombia and raised in Ottawa, Alyth recently completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies at Queen’s University as a recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholarship. Throughout her time in university, Alyth developed a passion for advocacy. As an active member of student government, she was elected the President of the Arts and Science Undergraduate Society from 2021-2022. During her presidency, Alyth tackled the return to campus following COVID-19, improving Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) goals, academic advocacy and Sexual Violence Prevention and Response on campus. Her research focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on the academic experience and mental health of students. Beyond advocacy, she was also an active member of the Queen’s International Affairs Association and was recently awarded the Tricolour Award. Applying her passion for global affairs, Alyth is a Youth Ambassadors Program alumna and a former intern for the Public Affairs Sector at the US Embassy in Ottawa. In her spare time, Alyth enjoys traveling, trying new coffee shops with friends and family or getting outside for a run.

• BA (History), McMaster University
• MA (History), McMaster University

Nina is originally from Mississauga, Ontario, and obtained both her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts in History from McMaster University. She is passionate about democratic participation and civic inclusion, having worked as a researcher for Participedia, a global crowdsourcing platform for participatory innovations. In her SSHRC-funded Master’s research, Nina investigated the intellectual origins of Canadian Confederation, and she has also conducted research into the Canadian federal system and national disarmament movements in the 1960s. During her time at McMaster, Nina wrote for the campus newspaper and participated in several Model United Nations conferences. She has also worked as a researcher in the Political Science department looking at gendered political participation in Southeast Asia. Passionate about the application of research to community projects, she co-authored a recommendation report for Grandmothers to Grandmothers, a transnational organization assisting communities in Africa afflicted by HIV/AIDS. Nina is an avid figure skater and coach, competing through her university career for the McMaster varsity figure skating team. She is thrilled at the opportunity to learn more about Canadian parliament with the PIP.

• BA (Anthropology), Mount Royal University

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Sonja has a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Royal University, majoring in anthropology and minoring in political science. She received a Canadian Anthropology Society Outstanding Graduating Anthropology Student Award in 2022. Her interdisciplinary studies fostered an interest in political phenomena from an anthropological perspective, incorporating ideas of cultural relativism and grassroots participant observation in studies of macro-level politics. During her studies, Sonja established the MRU French Club Français, serving as Président for two years and promoting a partnership with the Alliance Française of Calgary. Having worked for both Parks Canada and Alberta Parks, she has developed an appreciation and understanding of the protected lands of Canada, and strives to work for their long-term integrity. In Sonja’s spare time, she can be found hiking, practicing her cello, or baking copious batches of cookies!