Meet Emily B.

Ministerial Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs

Municipal Affairs, Government of Alberta

Winter 2021 (12 month term)

“Arts Work Experience allows me to work in the most dynamic building in the province: the Legislature Building. Currently, I am working as the Ministerial Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. This is a fantastic ministry to work in; Municipal Affairs has the best people, a diverse set of stakeholders, and an abundance of topics for me to be a part of. And, being a Political Science major means I’m a political nerd, so getting firsthand experiences with historic provincial legislation such as the Recall Act and the Local Authorities Elections Amendment Act has been incredibly exciting!

The most important thing I have learned on the job is humility. It’s okay to start out not knowing everything - in fact, it’s expected. Working in government means that there is never a dull moment and every day is unique. I’ve been working in Municipal Affairs for almost a year and not a day goes by that I don’t have the opportunity to learn from my colleagues. The Legislature Building is a community and everyone is here to support everyone else.

The best part of my job is that I get to help make an impact on the everyday lives of Albertans. Municipal Affairs receives daily emails from constituents asking for help with their local infrastructure, flood relief, red tape reduction ideas, or their upcoming municipal elections. Going forward with my work term—and my future career—I hope to continue helping Albertans share their experiences and ideas with our provincial government.”

Emily Briand is a Political Science major and a Psychology minor. She currently works for the Government of Alberta as the Ministerial Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs.