Women in the House
Applications open until December 2!
Women in the House hones leadership skills and opens doors
The Women in the House program is Canada’s first and only experiential for-credit undergraduate and graduate course that equips participants with both a theoretical and practical understanding of women in Canadian politics and intersectional policymaking processes. The centrepiece of the program is the opportunity to shadow a woman MP and her staff in Ottawa, seeing first-hand what it means to be a woman leader. The program is multi-partisan and engages with all main political parties in Ottawa.
We prepare students for this visit and future opportunities with academic learning and leadership skill-building workshops and networking events with women community leaders, parliamentary journalists and political activists.
Women in the House encourages young women – especially from Black, Indigenous, People of Colour and/or 2SLGBTQ+ communities – to learn more about the role of gender and intersectionality in politics and the current political climate. The program also introduces them to the possibility of becoming a political leader, highlighting the lack of gender parity in local, provincial and national legislatures in Canada and across the world.
Women in the House is helping change representation in Canada
Representation matters. Despite making up half of the population of Canada, women currently account for only 30% of our federal elected representatives – and women with intersectional identities account for only a fraction of that already small group.
This same imbalance is reflected in other leadership roles across sectors, reinforcing the need to equip more young women with the skills they will need to succeed as professionals and agents of change in our society.
“Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. We are committed to promoting and encouraging the next generation of young women leaders through Women in the House, showing these exceptional students that they have what it takes to help lead Canada forward.”
Praise from past participants
“The Women in the House program helped to reaffirm some of the passions I have had regarding political activism and as a racialized woman, the women we interacted with made me excited for the future of political representation and the ways in which I will be able to implant my mark on transforming policy.”
- 2022 participant
“My participation in the Women in the House program was an extraordinary experience that I will never forget. Growing up, I saw few women participate in politics, but this program has showed me that we can be leaders in Parliament and other forms of government.”
- 2022 participant
Apply today for Winter 2023!
Join previous participants, including award-winning undergraduate, graduate and law students, and outstanding community change-makers by applying to be part of the Winter 2023 cohort. Please note that spaces are limited.
The course is open to upper-level undergraduate students (enrolled in your 3rd year or higher and with a GPA of 3.0 or higher) who identify as women. Students from all backgrounds, including racialized minorities, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQ+ students are encouraged to apply.
Apply by filling out an application (google form) here (external link)
Application deadline: Friday, December 2 by 5:00 p.m. ET
No course prerequisites or pre-registration required; all successful applicants will be manually enrolled at time of acceptance.
Contact: Tracey Raney, Professor: traney@torontomu.ca,
Peggy Nash, Senior Advisor to the Dean of Arts: peggy.nash@torontomu.ca