Don’t Miss the 2009-2010 HOUSE OF COMMONS PAGE PROGRAM

November 04, 2008

Application Deadline - December 1, 2008

A camera captures the Speaker of the House of Commons as he calls the House to order. A Member rises to ask a question, Hansard in hand. The Clerk of the House makes notes on the daily scroll. A House of Commons Page delivers an urgent message to the Prime Minister. These are the sounds, sights and pace of a day in the House of Commons. In the Chamber and around Parliament Hill, Pages live and breathe the history and action of one of Canada’s oldest political institutions.

Each year, approximately 40 students are selected from high schools and CEGEPS across Canada to come and work as Pages in the House of Commons. Pages begin a year-long contract in late-August. They work a minimum of 15 hours a week and their work schedule is coordinated with their university schedule. They are paid approximately $11,461 over the course of their employment. In addition, a sum of $1,200 is paid at the end of the employment period.

If you are interested in becoming a Page, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident;
• be graduating from a high school or a CEGEP (with no academic interruptions) and be commencing full-time university studies at one of the universities in the National Capital Region in September 2009;
• have an overall academic average of at least 80%; and
• speak both official languages at a superior level.

In mid-October, applications for the Page Program are sent to high schools and CEGEPS across Canada. If you are currently in your last year of high school or CEGEP, please contact your guidance counsellor for an application booklet. Applications are also available on the Internet. They may be submitted online at:   http://www.parl.gc.ca/hocpage.  Applications for the 2009-2010 House of Commons Page Program must be postmarked or received no later than Monday, December 1, 2008.

For more information on how to become a Page, contact:

House of Commons Page Programme (Recruitment)
Human Resources and Corporate Planning Services
131 Queen Street, Room 11-10
House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OA6
Tel.:  613-996-0897                        
Fax :  613-995-1470