News and Information from Peter Kent

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 some of 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 $12,571 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 2012;

·         have an overall academic average of at least 80%; and

·         speak both official languages at a superior level.

If you are currently in your last year of high school or CEGEP, please visit the House of Commons Page Program Web site at  http://www.parl.gc.ca/hocpageto apply online. Applications for the 2012-2013 House of Commons Page Program must be postmarked or received no later than Thursday, December 22, 2011.

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

House of Commons Page Program (Recruitment)

Human Resources, Corporate Planning and Communications Services

131 Queen Street, Room 11-10, Floor 11

House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A OA6

Tel.:  613-996-0897                  Fax :  613-995-1470