Working in a constituency office for a Member of Parliament was certainly not on my radar. Life takes some interesting twists and turns along the way. I retired from a teaching career in 2012, after 34 years. While my new job as a constituency assistant is a little different than a teaching position I have always enjoyed helping people and this job allows me to assist many people in our community. Constituents call our office, or drop by, wanting assistance with a variety of concerns. Many of the cases involve immigration, permanent residency, citizenship, visitor’s visas, work permits, study permits, and passports. People often call, wanting an update on their application. I also assist constituents who have questions about CRA, CPP, OAS, and EI.
I am fortunate to work with many hardworking individuals from other constituent offices as well as Kevin’s staff in Saskatoon and in Ottawa. I am fortunate to work with Linda and Laurie in the Saskatoon office (and a supportive) They are very supportive and always willing to lend a helping hand. The rest of the team in Ottawa, with great ideas and expertise that makes my job easier.
In addition to helping constituents, I do whatever I can to support Kevin. We go to a lot of community events. We have enjoyed visiting seniors, celebrating Canada Day, experiencing cultural events, citizenship ceremonies, honouring veterans, acknowledging anniversaries, birthdays, and thanking community members for a job well done. We have met many, wonderful people.
When Kevin is in Ottawa, I attend events on Kevin’s behalf and I really look forward to those opportunities.
Last week, our staff attended a conference in Ottawa. It was an excellent experience. We gained valuable knowledge and learned strategies that we can utilize to support our constituents and Kevin.  I want you to know that we are here to help and we look forward to assisting you.
Drop by for a coffee and a visit. I look forward to meeting you.