December 8th, 2015
On Friday, December 4, MPP Fife of Waterloo visited our class to discuss her role in politics and answer questions posed by the grade 4 and 5 students, who are studying Canada’s physical and political regions and the three levels of Canadian government.
Catherine Fife is a member of the New Democratic Party (NDP). She won the Kitchener-Waterloo riding in 2012 and will be running for re-election in 2018. She is one of 107 members of provincial parliament. Her job is to represent the concerns of people living in Kitchener-Waterloo when she meets at the Legislature. We learned that MPP Fife spends 3 weeks of each month in Toronto at the Legislature to discuss the services and laws that would be best for the citizens of Ontario.
MPP Fife shared with us the reason she got into politics: education. She discovered that new refugees didn’t have a lot of education and she believes, “When you educate a child, you build up a whole family; it is the key to being successful in the world. It’s worth fighting for.” Much to the delight of the students in Room 21, she also feels that there should be more minutes for gym in a student’s school day!
The best part of MPP Fife’s job is helping people. She calls that her “real work.” When not at the legislature, she is working with community members, particularly those who need her assistance with housing, legal support or making ends meet. She said that’s what she likes best about her party, “The NDP party speaks for people who don’t have voices. They take on the cause of the little guy.”
In class, we learned that Ontario’s coal powered plants have been closed because they’re environmentally unfriendly. MPP Fife explained that currently 60% of our power comes from nuclear energy. We discovered that this power source has its disadvantages too. Nuclear power is a cleaner power source because it doesn’t release as many harmful emissions but it does produce a lot of waste.
Another “green” project the Ontario government is thinking about is the creation of a better rail system in order to reduce the number of cars on highways. MPP Fife leaves her Waterloo home at 4:00 am and commutes to Toronto four days a week so she knows firsthand how helpful a rail system would be to the public. Moreover, it would reduce the province’s carbon emissions.
We were surprised to learn that schools aren’t the only place bullying takes place. MPP Fife said, “Politics can be hostile and bullying can happen. Some people are mean when you disagree with them.” When asked how she handles conflict with her peers, she answered, “I try to take the high road because how you respond is important. I stay focused and don’t call people names. And, I let out my frustration with exercise!”
Presently, MPP Fife is cosponsoring a bill called “Rowan’s Law.” Rowan Stringer was a 17 year old high school rugby player who died from a brain injury due to a concussion. The law would give teachers, coaches, and players better tools to identify and treat concussions. With the passage of Rowan’s Law, Ontario would be the first province or territory in Canada to have concussion related legislation.
MPP Fife encouraged us to write her a letter or send an email if we have questions or concerns. She added, “We read them all and we love hearing what kids have to say.” Some of the students in Room 21 were excited about this invitation. Visit MPP Fife’s website if you feel the same!
Categories: News