For my co-op semester, I worked with Transport Canada on the Oceans Protection Plan: a program that exists as the largest investment the Government of Canada has ever made to protect the country’s coasts and waterways. I was part of the engagement support team, responsible for conducting outreach and maintaining communications with numerous indigenous and stakeholder groups in order to coordinate and collaborate on various initiatives.
One of the major projects I completed over the term was an extensive stakeholder mapping exercise that required me to research and identify key actors in the field of marine transportation in order to form a planning committee for a series of transboundary conferences in the Salish Sea region. I was also involved in consulting indigenous nations in identifying places of refuge for marine vessels in distress and drafting internal documents to communicate key projects to other government departments.
The overall experience was very enlightening, allowing me to use the skills I gained in the MPP program in a practical policy context as well as teaching me a variety of new skills that I will be sure to use in my career moving forward.
- Adam Bowbrick