
You Wanna Run?
03/21/23 • 41 min
1 Listener
Would you ever run for political office? For many of us, “politician” is the last job title we’d ever consider. What is it that drives people to run for political office?
In this episode we talk to former MPs from across Canada. They each have a unique journey that brought them to Ottawa to serve their communities. For some, federal politics was a childhood dream – for others, something they had never thought to aspire to. Some were chosen by their parties, and some put their own hats in the ring.
Plus, background on the nominations process that determines our electoral candidates in the first place.
THIS EPISODE FEATURES:
Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)
Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)
Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019)
Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)
Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)
Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)
RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:
View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-1/
For more on how federal election candidates are chosen, visit our website.
This episode features audio clips from Bloomberg, The Ottawa Citizen and CBC.
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.
This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy’s MP Exit Interview Project.
This series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.
Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.
Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.
The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Would you ever run for political office? For many of us, “politician” is the last job title we’d ever consider. What is it that drives people to run for political office?
In this episode we talk to former MPs from across Canada. They each have a unique journey that brought them to Ottawa to serve their communities. For some, federal politics was a childhood dream – for others, something they had never thought to aspire to. Some were chosen by their parties, and some put their own hats in the ring.
Plus, background on the nominations process that determines our electoral candidates in the first place.
THIS EPISODE FEATURES:
Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)
Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)
Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019)
Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)
Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)
Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)
RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:
View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-1/
For more on how federal election candidates are chosen, visit our website.
This episode features audio clips from Bloomberg, The Ottawa Citizen and CBC.
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.
This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy’s MP Exit Interview Project.
This series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.
Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.
Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.
The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode

Trailer — Humans of the House
In Humans of the House, we are on a journey that explores the human side of politics. Prepare to be surprised, maybe even moved, by the real lives of Members of Parliament.
Interviews for Humans of the House were conducted in the summer of 2022 and the show was launched in March 2023. In August 2023 Romeo Saganash was charged with sexual assault. We will update when the court case is complete.
The Samara Centre for Democracy and SSENC/RESCC have partnered on curriculum-connected teaching resources based on Humans of the House. Click here to access free accessible teaching resources for your classroom!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode

Show Up and Glow Up
So, you won an election and are officially a Member of Parliament. Now what? This episode, former MPs take us inside their very first days on Parliament Hill. What does an MP do in an average week? Where do they go? And as they settle into their new jobs, are they being set up to serve Canadians well?
THIS EPISODE FEATURES:
Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)
Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)
Hon. Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, (2015-2021)
Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019
Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)
Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)
James Cumming, Conservative, (2019-2021)
Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019)
RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:
View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-2/
Learn more about how new Members find their feet with this fact sheet from the 44th Parliament.
Learn more about onboarding and retention: The True Cost of a Bad Hire.
On motions and the legislative process:
The legislative process in Parliament.
More on a typical sitting day in the House of Commons.
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheSamaraCentre and on Facebook at the Samara Centre for Democracy for updates. Join the conversation using #HumansOfTheHouse.
This podcast is part of the Samara Centre for Democracy’s MP Exit Interview Project.
This episode features audio clips from Global News and The Canadian Press.
This series is produced by Media Girlfriends for the Samara Centre for Democracy.
Visit our website to learn more about how the Samara Centre for Democracy is working to secure a resilient democracy, and consider supporting our work with a donation.
Humans of the House is funded by the Government of Canada and Rosamond Ivey.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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