My 5 Minutes

I came across this blurb on MCC Ottawa's website today. Even after all of the post-earthquake interviews and attention on Haiti, it's still startling when I come across my name in print somewhere. Anyway, since I never posted anything about my nerve-wracking 5 minutes in front of the Canadian government, I thought I'd share. It actually went extremely well. By minute 4, I was no longer nervous and my little segment even got an ovation. Justin Trudeau was there, which according to the Canadians that I know, means that I have met a real celebrity.

MCC Canada hosts "Breakfast on the Hill"

Paul Heidebrecht
05/04/2010

On May 4, 2010, the Ottawa Office invited Members of Parliament and Senators to a breakfast at the Parliamentary Restaurant in order to learn more about the work of MCC. Three Senators and ten Members of Parliament from the Conservative, Liberal, and New Democratic Parties attended, along with several of their assistants.

The focus of the gathering was on priorities in post-earthquake Haiti. After greetings from Don Peters, the Executive Director of MCC Canada, Alexis Erkert Depp, a Policy Analyst with MCC Haiti based in Port-au-Prince, provided an overview of MCC's involvement in Haiti prior to, and in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Willie Reimer, the Director of MCC's Food, Disaster, and Material Resources program based in Winnipeg, then outlined MCC's long term development plans in Haiti.

Judging by the questions, MPs and Senators are clearly interested in seeing that the Government of Canada makes a constructive contribution to the earthquake response in Haiti. From MCC's perspective, this was a unique opportunity to connect with policy-makers, and to help them understand our priorities.