OTTAWA (Ontario), June 4, 2024 – The House of Commons has announced a new host organization for the Parliamentary Internship Programme (PIP).
Established in 1970 following a House of Commons motion adopted with all-party support, the PIP is Canada’s leading legislative work-study initiative. Each year, it offers 12 recent university graduates the chance to spend 10 months at Parliament, where they each complete placements with both a government and an opposition MP while also attending academic seminars, conducting study tours to other legislatures, and preparing an original research paper. The PIP is strictly non-partisan and requires participants to have capacity in both English and French.
Following a selection process, the House of Commons has chosen the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) as the new host for the PIP as of July 1, 2025. The PIP will be housed in the rich bilingual academic environment of uOttawa’s School of Political Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences.
This new academic and administrative structure will build on the foundation established by the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA), which has administered the PIP since its creation, to ensure that the Interns have the supports they need to make the most of their experience. The CPSA will continue to offer its support to the PIP in an advisory capacity.
The PIP offers university graduates an opportunity to gain practical experience in federal politics while also contributing to research on Parliament and providing Members of Parliament with skilled political staff. These non-partisan interns play an active role in the parliamentary process, contributing to the strength of Canadian democracy.
Backgrounder: Selection of a new PIP host organization
For more information:
Paul EJ Thomas, PhD
Director, Parliamentary Internship Programme
paul.thomas@pip-psp.org
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