By: Bibi Hakim
By now, you may have seen various opinions about the Prime Minister's announcement. Let me offer mine. Years ago, if you asked me what career I wanted, I would have said, "I don’t know." At the time I was really conflicted on what I wanted to do. I had my own ideas and the pressures of what my family wanted. Like any typical immigrant parent, the choices were to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer. They would, however, accept nursing, but anything in the arts was a hard no.
If anyone knows anything about me it's that I love the arts. I danced before I could walk and love to paint. But these weren’t considered to be practical career paths according to my parents.
Though I was politically active in my community, I didn’t know what that meant just as yet. I was elected into student cabinet year after year, volunteered for different charities and went door knocking for my local candidate. It wasn’t until I pursued the Duke of Edinburgh's award and participated in the Forum for Young Canadians, traveling all the way up to Ottawa that I met the person who introduced me to my career today.
I spent a week in the frigid cold walking up to parliament every morning for a different meeting, a different simulation and a different event. I remember waking up at 5 a.m. and going to bed at 11 p.m. Little did I know there would be a vast temperature difference between Toronto and Ottawa. Walking in 5inch stilettos is not advisable in the dead of winter.
On the last day of the Forum, we were visited by the Prime Minister who was also the Minister of Youth. I was asked about university plans and encouraged to pursue public policy. “It doesn’t hurt to apply—try it for a year, and if you don’t like it, you can transfer out. You are smart and talented, and I know you’ll go far.” Before he left, I asked, “What made you want to run for office?” He answered, “I wanted to serve my community and make it better. My parents taught me the importance of giving back.” His parting words were, “I hope to see you again.” Our meeting ended and I was left in shock. My MP who was also in the room smiled, winked and said “see you at home sweetie” before she made her exit. To say I was left stunned was an understatement.
I took his advice, applied, and was accepted to the University of Ottawa, now having graduated from the Joint Honours Political Science and Public Administration Program. It was clear, from my involvement on and off campus, I had a very fruitful experience.
While studying, I interned on Parliament Hill (later hired) running into the PM in the halls, at events, and being invited to roundtables and Zoom meetings. Whenever we met, he made space for me to share my ideas, particularly on redefining the Health Act to include mental health services. There was not a conversation we had where I didn’t mention health and where I wasn’t asked about my family. I was especially surprised when he checked in on me, especially when my grandfather passed.
The PM not only encouraged me to pursue my passion but to stay in the field, saying, “Parliament is the people's place, and we need voices like yours here. Your voice matters.” He took my ideas on mental health seriously and turned them into reality.
Ten years ago, I was just a volunteer, knocking on doors and engaging with my community. Today, I can say that I had advise MPs on several House of Commons Standing Committees. The most memorable being on International Trade regarding NAFTA, CUSMA, ASEAN, and CPTPP—trade agreements shaping our economy. My policy proposal on mental health is now a reality with a $198.6 billion investment. Working for global affairs in the ministers office as the only Guyanese ministerial staffer, haven given advice for CARICOM preparations and travelled for diplomatic engagements. To advise and prepare the Minister of Transport on several items presented before committee and on the PMO issues call in the morning has been a very surreal experience.
To go from leading student cabinet to working within the federal government is a full circle moment that I don’t take for granted. To be in spaces and in meetings where decisions re being made has truly been an eye opening experience. When I look at areas in which policy needs to change, and change for the better I would implore you to look at our health care system across Canada and most certainly our education system.
Civics class is a half a credit course taught across the country and in every school across Canada. Yet, there is no standardization. No one truly understands the functions of each level of government and the machine behind the curtains. What I’ve learned in high school and through my university education is different than what I’ve done in my day to day job.
The life of political government and as a political staffer (otherwise known as an assistant) is not a 9-5. Depending on your role (parliamentary affairs, operations, policy or communications) we are up as early as 4/5am tracking the news, speaking with journalists, in briefings, and are up until sometimes past 11pm writing briefing notes, summaries, coming back from receptions and other functions. If you happen to be travelling with the MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Minister or even Prime Minister - I’m sorry to say this but you’re not realistically getting any sleep.
No one talks about the briefing before the actually briefing, no one talks about how folks are chosen to attend a state dinner or presidential address, or other fancy things we see in the news or across social media. But simply put, no one understands how a bill gets passed and how laws come to be. The debates in the chamber are one thing, but sitting through committee on the bench behind Members of parliament guiding through questions and speaking points with witness at the table is a whole other conversation.
All in all to say, the conversation that influenced me in regards of what to study has resulted in an extended learning journey and opportunity for me to advocate for a cause I care deeply about. I sat at tables advising ministers, wrote briefings notes and gave strategic direction to pass legislation out of committee stage. I regularly had access to Members of Parliament, Ministers, even diplomats and Senators.
I’ve always believed that I wanted to serve my country in the best way I knew how. Diversity matters at every level, elected and unelected. Think of it like baking a cake. If you are trying to bake a cake you need certain ingredients, otherwise you’ll end up with something else. While there are the traditional ingredients, you can have other ingredients like margarine instead of butter or almond milk instead of milk. At the end you will still have a cake, the only difference is the ingredients and the flavour profile. There’s nothing wrong with adding a few other ingredients or swapping out a few.
Parliament needs a certain number of elected officials in its chambers, but no where does it say you need to have all old white men to make laws. But you do need a range of diverse and evidence based facts to make good laws. If we didn’t have diversity within government I suspect that we would have programs that focused on the environment, or children eating healthy meals in schools or expansion to our healthcare service. For all of these programs or program ideals to be where they are now is because of the diverse voices around the table.
As I reflect back, I write this with mixed emotions. If the Prime Minister could read one last letter or note before he left office, I would have him read this: I don’t know what you saw in a little brown girl from Rexdale, but you gave me hope as a first generation Canadian to immigrant parents. I wouldn’t be here today without our first conversation.
As we often know learning doesn’t stop once you’re outside the classroom. I’m grateful for the opportunities to become a better advocate, a better assistant and a better member of our society.
Thank you, Prime Minister, for believing in me, supporting my ideas, celebrating my accomplishments, and being there in tough times. Thank you for making space for me at the table. I know that I am not the only voice you’ve added to the table. You have often said in your speeches diversity is our strength and inclusion is a choice. Thank you for including my voice at the tables and rooms I’ve never imagined that I would be able to sit at let alone walk into. Thank you for championing diversity and inclusion, Canada is such much better because of it.
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