A former student of Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School is getting the chance of a lifetime to participate in the Page Program, where she’ll head to Ottawa to work in Parliament and the House of Commons while studying at the University of Ottawa.  

Abbie Good, who graduated high school in June, is one of only 40 Canadian students picked to be part of the program, which she’ll begin later on this summer.

“It’s a really great opportunity for first year university students where you get to work at Parliament and the House of Commons,” she said. “I’ve always been interested in politics and economics. I went and talked to Mrs. Visser, our Career Centre Counsellor at Lindsay Thurber, and she introduced me to this program. Huge thanks to her for introducing me to this, otherwise I would have never found it!”

Good will be studying for her Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization at the U of O, while she works part-time as a Page in the House of Commons.

Some of her duties will include performing tasks directly related to the sittings of the House, work with Parliament Members in non-partisan roles, watch live debates in Chamber, meet with student groups who visit the Chamber and participate in the Speakers parade.

“I really think it will be an eye-opening experience and an inside look into the Canadian Parliamentary system,” said Good. “I’m really excited to see, up close and personal, how our government runs and how they make decisions on a daily basis. I’m really grateful to have this opportunity for learning, and I can’t wait!”

Good said she was very nervous about the application process, with her friends and family behind her providing support the entire way.

“I had to hand in a written application, which took me a very long time to perfect. I also had to take a Second Language Competency test because if you are a Page you have to be able to speak both French and English. Following that I had another interview,” she said. “I was really nervous for every step, but I was also confident in myself that I would be able to achieve this. When I heard that I was accepted, I was ecstatic - there is no other way to describe it!”

Good has big plans for when she’s finished school, hoping to help out people in need around the world.

“This program is really specific to different countries and how they interact with each other politically, economically and socially. That is what really drew me to the program,” she said. “After I finish this degree, I would really like to go to law school and specialize in international law, which would include helping out in humanitarian crises and working with the U.N.”

Due to the current pandemic, Good’s first semester of school at the U of O will be online, but the Page Program is still planned to go ahead.

To say that her parents are proud of her would be an understatement.

"We are extremely proud of Abbie and can’t wait to see what she can accomplish,” said Deanne Good, Abbie’s mother. “She is an extremely driven and dedicated student who works very hard to accomplish her goals. We are so thankful to all the teachers and staff who have supported Abbie from K-12 and would like to acknowledge the French Immersion Program that Red Deer Public has."