Members of Parliament

Members of Parliament divide their time in Ottawa among the activities of the House of Commons, the work of the different committees on which they sit, and the issues of concern to their constituents.

All MPs have a constituency office and a staff budget to help them respond to individual constituents' requests and to address issues under federal jurisdiction that come up in their electoral district, or riding. Their involvement at the local level takes various forms: holding constituency meetings to talk with the people in their riding about matters of importance to them; speaking out in public to make people across Canada aware of the problems that exist in the riding; and presenting their party's position on specific matters. MPs also introduce proposals in the House of Commons, such as bills to amend laws that do not properly serve their constituents.