You know what a politician sounds like on the job. But once they leave office, that’s when they can share what’s truly on their minds.
Join host Sabreena Delhon as she speaks with former Members of Parliament, to hear, in their own words, what this job is really like. Their stories are woven together in a six-part series that explores a MP's path to politics, why they left, and what it cost them to serve their communities.
Tune in to Humans of the House, a podcast from the Samara Centre for Democracy.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Was It Worth It?
We’ve come to the final chapter of an MP’s civic journey. What is it like to leave office? Whether they resigned, decided not to run again, or lost an election, former MPs tell us their stories of leaving parliament. Just like any ending, it brings lots of mixed emotions. After hearing all the ups and downs of their lives as MPs, one question remains: was it worth it?THIS EPISODE FEATURES:Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)James Cumming, Conservative, (2019-2021)Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019)Hon. Scott Brison, Progressive Conservative, Kings-Hants, (1997-2003); Liberal, Kings-Hants, (2003-2019)Hon. Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, (2008-2021)Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, 2015-
25/04/2023 • 40 minutes 20 seconds
I’m Going to Say the F Word
We elect our representatives hoping they’ll make meaningful change while in office. We lose trust when we see their election promises broken. But we don’t often get to see the process of making change from their point of view. What does it take for MPs to make a difference? We hear from former MPs about the changes they pushed for, and what it cost them.THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019)Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, 2015-2019; Independent, Whitby, (2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)RESOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:View our episode page at: https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-5/ To learn more about the Indian Act,
18/04/2023 • 49 minutes 1 second
Unwritten Rules
Who is an MP’s real boss? Their party leader? Canadians? Themselves? MPs have to strike a balance between serving their riding’s needs, their party’s interests, and their own goals that brought them to Ottawa in the first place. But what happens when these priorities clash? This episode, we explore partisan politics and party power. Former MPs tell their stories of learning unwritten rules, striking out on their own, compromise, and unlikely friendship. Plus, what’s the best place in parliament for making unlikely friends? This episode features:Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, (2015-2019); Independent, Whitby, (2019)Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, (2015-2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)Hon. Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, (2008-2021)Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Spadina-Fort York, (2014-2021)Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2
11/04/2023 • 48 minutes 25 seconds
The Best/Worst Place I Ever Worked
What is Parliament Hill like as a workplace? Is it respectful? Is it safe? If we want our democracy to thrive, it should be. Former MPs tell us how they were treated on the job, both inside and beyond the House of Commons. How did they navigate the extreme workloads and all the pressure? And when you’re in such a huge job, where can you turn for support?Plus, a who’s-who of the many different roles in parliament. This episode features:Romeo Saganash, NDP, Abitibi-Baie James-Nunavik-Eeyou, (2011-2019)Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor-Tecumseh, (2015-2019)Hon. Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, (2015-2021)Hon. Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, (2008-2019)Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, (2011-2018)Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, (2015-2019)Resources for this episode:View our episode page at https://www.samaracentre.ca/articles/hoth-episode-3/ </
04/04/2023 • 49 minutes 28 seconds
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? Plus, how does a vote work in the House of Commons?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, (2015-2019Adam 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 ep
28/03/2023 • 45 minutes 3 seconds
You Wanna Run?
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, (201
21/03/2023 • 41 minutes 53 seconds
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
