MPPA Policy Simulation… Another Huge Success!

On January 16th, MPPA students completed another highly successful Policy Enrichment Seminar (PES) course, delivered by Frank D’Onofrio in his role as Public Servant in Residence (PSIR).

The Policy Enrichment Seminar has a very strong reputation.  It’s a centerpiece for the MPPA’s focus on graduate experiential learning. It has become a critical complement to course work, co-op placements, and other elements of the program. Over the fall semester, students learn extensively about the various components of the policy process and real-world of policymaking from a mix of lectures, guest speakers, discussions and small group teamwork focused on in-depth analysis of policy cases. Through this intensive teamwork, they learn how to conduct policy research and analysis, generate a cabinet submission presentation and slide deck, and how to communicate their proposals culminating in a mock cabinet committee presentation and simulation.

This year, 34 students completed the course, working in six teams. Four teams tackled the case on “the Rising Cost of Living in Ontario”, while the other two teams addressed a case on “Climate Change Adaptation in Ontario”.  All teams were again asked to intentionally consider how their policy proposals would affect historically disadvantaged groups, with a specific focus on the Indigenous population.

The mock cabinet committee was made up of distinguished public sector and academic participants, taking on the roles of relevant ministers in the Ontario Cabinet.