Working as a Page
Duties and Roles
Pages are non-partisan employees of the House administration and provide service to all members of Parliament. As one of the few individuals permitted access to the floor of the House during a sitting besides members themselves, a page has the role of bridging the gap between those working inside and outside the chamber.
Support members in the Chamber
Pages deliver glasses of water and pass important messages to members inside the chamber. They collect members’ speaking notes and distribute essential documents for chamber operations.
Assist with ceremonial and protocol events
A page marches in the Speaker’s Parade, which takes place at the beginning of each sitting day. Pages also assist with visits of dignitaries, parliamentary conferences and other traditional ceremonies, including royal assent and the Speech from the Throne.
Participate in educational programs
Pages work as ambassadors for the program by speaking to youth groups in the chamber. The program also organizes educational panel discussions and team-building activities for the pages throughout the year.
Benefits of working as a Page
See for yourself the many advantages of working as a page while studying during your first year of postsecondary studies.
Flexible hours that accommodate your class schedule
Your class schedule is arranged in consultation with the page program to ensure there are no conflicts with your work requirements at the House (15 hrs/week minimum). Your supervisors work closely with you and liaison officers from your school to ensure a balanced work schedule every semester and during exam periods.
An attractive salary and paid travel costs
Your cost of travel to and from Ottawa at the beginning and end of your one-year contract is paid by the program. An annual salary ($18,400) deposited in equal amounts every two weeks helps you ensure financial planning as a brand new student.
New friendships
Your time as a page will be shared with 39 other students from across the country. For many, the friends made here last a lifetime, and the opportunity to exchange ideas with students from a variety of backgrounds enriches the educational component of the program.
Experience debates live in the Chamber
While working in the chamber, pages learn about the parliamentary system by listening to members of Parliament debate important issues.
Contract
An information session regarding the terms and conditions of employment will be provided during training week. Here is some information that applicants may find useful regarding those terms.
Impartiality
The House of Commons administration is a non-partisan workforce where respect, support and promotion of the democratic process are an organizational value. Pages may not participate in any activities, including on social media, that are politically partisan or that could give rise to the perception that they could not perform their duties impartially.
Salary
Under the terms of their contract, pages are paid $18,400 in 26 equal payments over a 12-month period. In addition, a sum of $1,200 is paid at the end of the employment period for successful completion of the contract. Pages are expected to work a minimum of fifteen (15) hours per week during the period when the House is sitting. They must also be available for duty when the House is not sitting or if the House goes into extended hours.
Training
In late August, new pages begin their stay in Ottawa with an intensive training program. Sessions aimed at familiarizing pages with their new work environment and responsibilities are given, along with a variety of practical information sessions, to ensure that pages are ready to provide a high level of service to members of the House of Commons.
Accommodations
After training, pages are responsible for finding their own accommodations in Ottawa-Gatineau. Pages from outside the national capital region often stay in university/college residences for the remainder of the year.