Research Corner
As part of the academic component of the Programme, interns complete an original research paper on an aspect of Parliament or Canadian politics.
Interns select a topic and conduct their research under the supervision of the Programme Director drawing on their unique access to people on Parliament Hill and the resources available through the Programme.
Each year, interns present “close-to-finished” draft versions of these research papers in June at a special public seminar. The Jean-Pierre Gaboury Symposium, named after the Programme’s longest-serving Director, is organized in cooperation with the Institute on Governance.
All ten of the interns’ final papers are eligible for the Alfred Hales Prize. The Prize is awarded each year by the Institute on Governance for the best paper written by a Parliamentary intern. The prize-winning paper is selected by representatives of the Canadian Political Science Association, the House of Commons and the Institute on Governance.
Prize Winners

Étienne Grand-Maison Awarded the 2015-16 Alfred Hales Prize
Congratulations to Étienne Grand-Maison! Étienne was awarded the 2015-16 Alfred Hales Prize by David Cargnello and Michael O’Neill of the Institute on Governance. Étienne received the award at a luncheon in June 2017 hosted by the Honourable Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons, and Mr. Gary Simonsen, CEO of the Canadian Real Estate Association. His paper, and those of past winners, may be downloaded here:
- 2015-16 Étienne Grand-Maison, Les cheminements de carrières politiques et à l’importance de la politique municipale dans la formation des politiciens fédéraux
- 2014-15: Natalie Brunet, The Emergence of Partisan Think Tanks: A Case Study of the Manning Centre and Broadbent Institute
- 2013-14: Christine Guyot, Gendered Partisanship: An Exploratory Study of Party Loyalty and its Impacts in Parliament
- 2012-13: Vincent Hardy, From the Knowledge Economy to the Knowledge of Government: Members of Parliament and Policy Networks in Canada
- 2011-12: François Plante, La limitation des débats à la Chambre des communes : Une perspective historique de son utilisation
- 2010-11: Fraser Harland, Codifying Constitutional Convention: The Case for a Canadian Cabinet Manual
- 2009-10: Vanessa Cotric, Constituency Town Halls in Canada and the Role of the MP as Representative
- 2008-09: Alexander Sculthorpe, Canada’s Coalition Conundrum: An Analysis of Debate on Democratic Legitimacy
- 2007-08: Ceri Au
- 2006-07: Lindsay Aagaard
- 2005-06: Paul Thomas
- 2004-05: Jeffrey Bell
- 2003-04: Cloë Rowbotham
- 2002-03: Jane Swann
- 2001-02: Alex Mazer
- 2000-01: Jacquie Steele
- 1999-00: Yves Yvon Pelletier
- 1998-99: David Hutchinson
Prize-winning papers are also available in the “Publications” folder on the Institute on Governance Web site.