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The opportunity to discuss current policy issues with other public service leaders in the MPA online program is awesome! The commitment of my cohort to our discussions is a great source of motivation as we manage our busy schedules. The diversity of my cohort also allows me to see the same issue from different perspectives and encourages us to learn from each other.

I am able to apply the material in the MPA online program in an integrated way to tackle difficult environmental, social and economic issues that can't be solved with simple solutions. The innovation comes from taking each course and building on the material throughout the program.

Interacting with the faculty is the best part for me. Being able to present a complex problem and get back suggestions on how to deal with it is a benefit to the program.

The online MPA program has afforded me the lifelong goal of completing a graduate degree while working in the field of First Nations Public Administration. I am further improving my skills in different facets of administration that help me become a more effective manager of a busy and progressive First Nation.

My favourite aspect of the program is the diverse course load, but all are interconnected with concepts of sustainability, social and ecological justice.

I am learning a tremendous amount in the MPA online program about local government and how to be an effective leader in it. Even though it is strictly an online program, the professors set up the classes to encourage communication and engagement among students. It is a great way to help us feel a sense of inclusion and community.

Many of my friends, when I told them of the degree I was working towards through UVic, had a similar reaction. "Oh, cool! What is that?" I try to simplify the field by saying that public administration entails the translation of politics into the reality that Canadians see every day. As such, the marriage between my studies with the SPA and my work in the Senate of Canada have been extraordinarily complimentary.

The work done by public administrators can simply never be overstated. Their intention, spirit, effort, energy and diligence can literally have life or death consequences. We have seen it in our work with First Nations people across the country. The way public administrators interpret laws passed in the political forum, and their approach in actioning them, has a higher degree of subjectivity than many people would care to believe or think is true. Again, we have seen this firsthand in our work.

Public administration, in practice, touches on every member of Canadian society in big and small ways. It is incumbent on us all to ensure that we always consider those who most need our help and support, and that we go about our work in a way that honours and upholds those individuals. In doing so, we will honour and uphold all citizens; as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all ships.

The MPA online program allows me to apply what I learn directly in my work. The broad range of courses in different aspects of public administration are setting me up for future opportunities in my career as a well-rounded public service professional.

I enjoy learning alongside other professionals in different fields. It broadens my understanding of the public service as a whole by learning about their roles, as well as sharing my own experience.