The House of Commons has decided to top up the pay of parliamentary interns to offset rising costs of living, but the move is raising questions about the long-running program’s heavy reliance on private sponsors, including large corporations and industry groups.
Each of the program’s 10 parliamentary interns receives a stipend of $29,000, funded by sponsors. MPs on the Board of Internal Economy, which oversees the finances and administration of the Commons, decided this month to boost that amount to $35,000, using public money to pay the difference. And the Commons is also planning to use government funding to create two additional intern positions.
Currently, around 40 private sponsors fund Parliament’s official internship program. In return, they are invited to “partner recognition” activities each year, including lunches and receptions with MPs, senators and the Commons Speaker.
Experts on Parliament and government ethics say the entire program should be funded by Parliament, to avoid the possibility of sponsorships being perceived as “cash for access” to MPs.
One of those questioning the private funding system is John Milloy, director of the Centre for Public Ethics at Martin Luther University College. “The fact that the sponsors are integrated in does create some relationships that maybe aren’t that healthy,” he said. “These sorts of things are always problematic.”
Duff Conacher, founder of the advocacy group Democracy Watch, also said the entire program should be funded by Parliament. Giving sponsors opportunities to meet MPs, he added, is “a cash-for-access system,” which he called unethical.
The internship program has four private sponsorship levels: Platinum, for those contributing $50,000 and up; Gold, for those paying at least $22,000; Silver, from $11,000; and Bronze, from $2,750.
Silver-level sponsors and above get invites to three annual lunches with MPs and senior parliamentary staff, hosted by the Commons Speaker or Deputy Speaker. All sponsors are invited to an annual reception held in September, and to an annual celebration for program alumni, who include MPs and people working for the government. It is billed as “a popular event” to which all MPs and senators are invited.
Sponsors can also attend what the program calls an “exclusive spring reception to which all MPs are invited.” A Gold-level sponsor can join interns for lunch during their annual trip to Washington.
The program’s materials tell sponsors they have “opportunities to participate in an extensive established network.” But they are warned not to “use the events for lobbying.”
Former House of Commons law clerk Rob Walsh said the internship program is a “worthy cause.” But he said sponsors should pay into an anonymous fund and have no further role in the program.
Mr. Walsh said for private sponsors to receive access to MPs – and for this to be offered as an enticement for them to fund the program – is questionable.
“If there was no entitlement to access and the identity of the donors was never known, that’s fine. The extent that the corporate contributions give entitlement to access – in my view it’s improper,” he said.
The parliamentary interns are college or university graduates, chosen through a national competition. Each 10-month paid internship includes stints working for two MPs, one from the government benches and one from the opposition. Interns also go on study tours to Washington, the U.K. parliament and provincial legislatures.
Christopher May, director of public affairs at the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, an industry regulator, said the program is worthwhile, and that the college sponsors it to support the interns. But he acknowledged that the system is set up “based on a certain level of access or benefit for the amount of money people provide.”
Mr. May, who is also on the program’s advisory board, said “in a perfect world” it would be funded fully by the House of Commons.
“I think the program would be well suited if it didn’t have to feel that it needs to cater to sponsors,” he said.
The program’s materials tell sponsors they can meet interns to “communicate with them about your organization and issues.”
Gold sponsors include plane manufacturer Bombardier, which said in a statement that its nearly 20 years of funding has been intended to support “our country’s public policies, democratic processes and institutions.”
CropLife Canada, an association that represents plant science companies, has been a Gold-level supporter of the program for several years. The organization’s president, Pierre Petelle, said “it’s critical that those who may be providing policy advice and making policy decisions impacting agriculture have an understanding of the industry and its complexities.”
Chicken Farmers of Canada, which has been a Silver sponsor since 2018, said the program is “a good opportunity to connect with young future leaders on Parliament Hill.”
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers has supported the internship program since 2017. Spokesman Jay Averill said the organization welcomes “opportunities to engage with parliamentarians and public policy practitioners as we seek to work collaboratively with governments and opposition of all political stripes.”
The program, which is administered by the Canadian Political Science Association, has a budget this year of $527,000, including the salary of Paul Thomas, its director.
Mr. Thomas said sponsors have insulated the program, which began in 1970, from public funding cuts. “The House of Commons has also been the only legislature in Canada not to provide direct financial support to its legislative internship program,” he added.