(Photo supplied)

By rdnewsNOW staff

headed to parliament hill

Thurber grad selected to participate in Canada’s historic Page Program

Jul 16, 2020 | 7:30 PM

One Red Deer Public graduate will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to live and breathe the history and action of one of Canada’s oldest political institutions.

Abbie Good, who graduated from Lindsay Thurber in June, is one of 40 students from across Canada who will be off to Ottawa later this summer to participate in the Page Program.

“It’s a really great opportunity for first year university students where you get to work at Parliament and the House of Commons,” she said. “I’ve always been interested in politics and economics. I went and talked to Mrs. Visser, our Career Centre Counsellor at Lindsay Thurber, and she introduced me to this program. Huge thanks to her for introducing me to this, otherwise I would have never found it!”

While studying at the University of Ottawa where she is enrolled in the Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization, Good will work part-time as a Page in the House of Commons.

Duties of a Page include performing tasks directly related to the sittings of the House; working with Members of Parliament in a non-partisan role; experiencing debates live in the Chamber; meeting with student groups in the Chamber; and participating in the Speaker’s parade, among other duties.

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“I really think it will be an eye-opening experience and an inside look into the Canadian Parliamentary system,” said Good. “I’m really excited to see, up close and personal, how our government runs and how they make decisions on a daily basis. I’m really grateful to have this opportunity for learning, and I can’t wait!”

Good added the application process for the Page Program was extremely rigorous, but she always believed in herself and had a strong support system around her to cheer her on.

“I had to hand in a written application, which took me a very long time to perfect. I also had to take a Second Language Competency test because if you are a Page you have to be able to speak both French and English. Following that I had another interview,” she said. “I was really nervous for every step, but I was also confident in myself that I would be able to achieve this. When I heard that I was accepted, I was ecstatic – there is no other way to describe it!”

As for her Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization program at the University of Ottawa, Good said she is looking forward to diving in.

“This program is really specific to different countries and how they interact with each other politically, economically and socially. That is what really drew me to the program,” she said. “After I finish this degree, I would really like to go to law school and specialize in international law, which would include helping out in humanitarian crises and working with the U.N.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Good will be taking her first semester of classes at the University of Ottawa online, but the Page Program will go ahead as planned.

“We are extremely proud of Abbie and can’t wait to see what she can accomplish,” said Deanne Good, Abbie’s mother. “She is an extremely driven and dedicated student who works very hard to accomplish her goals. We are so thankful to all the teachers and staff who have supported Abbie from K-12 and would like to acknowledge the French Immersion Program that Red Deer Public has.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Good will be taking her first semester of classes at the University of Ottawa online, but the Page Program will go ahead as planned.

(Red Deer Public Schools – Erin Black)