Anne-Claire Charrette-Briere serves as Spiritual Care Provider on Parliament Hill. She and her husband Grant serve in a Christian Chaplain Ministry called Leading Influence, which provides excellence in spiritual and emotional care to all Canadian politicians, including their staff.
00:03:18.360We are non-issue based because we're serving all those politicians from different political
00:03:28.540Allegiance. And we are a Canadian charity, and we are registered. And by our choice, we're not
00:03:39.860seeking a government funding, nor asking or receiving government funding. So we are a donor
00:03:46.840funded. Awesome. And we can definitely relate to that at the Western Standard, because we also put
00:03:53.760a lot of emphasis on being independent and not donor funded so I think that's
00:03:59.500really important for people who are looking into this ministry to know like
00:04:03.840where where the funds are coming from yeah we have no political ties so we
00:04:11.220really function out of donations of people who believe in that mission
00:04:15.420beautiful so on Claire how do you engage with MPs and their staff as you are
00:04:22.360running this missionary literally right in the halls of Parliament Hill yeah well that's great
00:04:29.500question we we are a ministry of presence means that we are present in their workplace so my
00:04:38.300husband and I will be present in Parliament Hill at question period we go four to five times a week
00:04:46.280And we attend question period and then we go in a corridor and we engage through conversation with MPs and their staff or in the corridors or through meetings, through people who are knowing us and then recommend us to other MPs.
00:05:06.080We're word of mouth. A lot of it happened through referrals because it's a confidential ministry, of course.
00:05:14.300And, yeah, we want to be and we are this familiar face with engaging and with time, at least to conversation that become confidential and non-judgmental.
00:05:40.680Important to. Oh, yeah. Go ahead, please.
00:05:44.300Well, you mentioned that this was a ministry of presence and that you spend time with your husband, Grant, just being in the halls of Parliament Hill so that MPs are becoming familiar with your face and becoming more comfortable coming to speak with you.
00:06:02.120And a lot of that was word of mouth, you said, right?
00:06:05.300So MPs are actually telling each other about their experience, receiving spiritual guidance from yourself and your husband.
00:06:11.200yeah yeah it's it's really uh we're not advertising we're just making ourself available
00:06:17.240and uh and and just meeting sometimes we will go to different events and we'll meet them there and
00:06:23.800then connect with them on on by email and because we had already a human touch a human a conversation
00:06:31.380they invite us in their offices and that's where uh we provide the care uh emotional care we're
00:06:37.780there for them. We listen to them. We offer them a place where they can have a respite or a moment
00:06:45.860of peace so they can be refreshed and go on in their day after. Yes and so many of general Canadians
00:06:55.580will maybe think of their politicians as you know someone that they can be constantly critical of
00:07:03.040and uh you know really examining their behavior and rightly so they are representative of
00:07:09.520canadians but um often you know people we can sometimes um forget that they are people too
00:07:17.800and that they have the same needs as us and um that they are capable of mistakes and therefore
00:07:25.140for repentance of mistakes too though,
00:07:31.320like they're just coming back from that mistake.
00:07:33.920There is avenues for them to look at what they've been,
00:07:41.340they've been doing as representing Canadians
00:08:15.680but it's a very, very high pressure level environment.
00:08:19.820And so we have to remember, just like you said, Jane, that politician leaders are people too.
00:08:30.780And we need to remember that they have spouses, they have families, and life happens to them too, just like us.
00:08:42.140And so they will have good days, they will have bad days.
00:08:45.200But because we are present most days on Parliament Hill in their workplace, we are there if they have a difficulty or personal crisis or just like day is not going very well.
00:09:03.200Well, we are available to be a listening ear, encouraging presence.
00:09:09.580And when those moments happen, we can interact with them there on the spot and be a present help.
00:09:19.460That is really encouraging to hear that the elected officials that represent us in Parliament do have that spiritual support and that they're talking about it and that they're making good use about it.
00:09:30.720So can you share with us any anecdotes of your work with MPs?
00:09:35.160I understand that it's highly confidential, but can you maybe illustrate for our viewers what that might look like?
00:09:43.560Absolutely. Like you say, it is highly confidential.
00:09:48.620So I can give you an example that happened just before Christmas, though.
00:09:53.760we are in question period we are in the gallery and one MP who knows us knows that we are up there
00:10:02.700and at the end of the question period we receive a text asked that this MP was asking to to meet us
00:10:10.680and so we went because we were there on spot we were available for them and we were able to
00:10:18.420go and meet them and they had just received a really sad news and they were pretty shaken
00:10:26.620by that news and they needed a place where they can just unpack and talk about it and they knew
00:10:33.480that we were there for them and so we spent that time with them just listening and then bringing
00:10:42.000some comfort and after that that mp was taking that moment of respite it was that that they were
00:10:51.820refreshed and they were ready to go on their day and this is an example that that we have
00:10:59.380you know on a weekly base uh often this happened this kind of example happens over and over and
00:11:08.140that's why we're here. Wow that's so wonderful to hear that there is that support for MPs like
00:11:15.660when they're going through something really difficult that they're they're not alone that
00:11:20.460they can come to this non-political ministry and you know it's really important too that you
00:11:27.720emphasize that it doesn't matter if you're representing blue red green or orange in
00:11:34.680Parliament Hill. What matters is that you're a person too and you have this high responsibility
00:11:40.400and that everyone is worthy of this kind of support. And so even that yourself and Grant
00:11:46.940have that presence on Parliament Hill and are demonstrating that, I think that your work is
00:11:53.320incredibly meaningful. Thank you. You're welcome. And you know, as I mentioned, you know, even here
00:11:59.920the western standard we're rather critical of those in power um yet you remind us that our
00:12:05.520politicians are just like anyone else as we discussed earlier you know with real human needs
00:12:11.840and issues and and the trials of life so what is your message of hope well we work in a behind the
00:12:21.840scene and so um it's important to know that uh well-supported leaders make better governance
00:12:32.460huh yeah right if they're well supported and they're they're well supported emotionally
00:12:40.680and for some of them as well spiritually they will govern much more efficiently and so that's
00:12:50.420why we maintain regular ongoing contact with MP of all political allegiance. These men
00:12:59.960and women, as you mentioned earlier, Jen, they choose to serve the nation, but they0.99
00:13:08.320make significant sacrifice as doing so. They serve in parliament, yes, but they travel
00:13:16.520weekly away from their spouse away from their family working long hours up to 70 hours sometime
00:13:23.460more on the week and then on weekend and the price they pay is real and so we were behind the
00:13:34.140scene to provide much needed support through confidential non-judgmental one-on-one meetings
00:13:41.180and uh we are here to listen and pray and encourage them on their journey as they serve
00:13:49.800so we yeah yeah that does really provide hope i think to all canadians not just the politicians
00:13:59.280because i loved what you said that supporter supported leaders make for better governance
00:14:05.500and don't we really need that in Canada right and so for Canadians to know that parliamentary
00:14:13.820leaders are are getting that support and that it's a non-judgmental place where they can go
00:14:21.640and they can share their heart they can talk about the personal stuff so they can get back
00:14:26.740to focusing on these you know just you described 70 hour work weeks yeah and being away from their
00:14:32.140families for long stints of time while they're out in Ottawa on Parliament Hill, of course not right
00:14:38.060now since they're in prorogation, but I think that that's a message that a lot of Canadians would want
00:14:44.060to hear. Now, speaking of prorogation, since Parliament isn't in session and MPs aren't on
00:14:51.180Parliament Hill, are you able to continue your ministry? Well, we all have heard of conference
00:15:00.300call right yes video conference call so yes we stay in touch with those contacts that we have
00:15:09.340on parliament hill we stay in touch with staffers we stay in touch with some mps where we're able
00:15:16.540to either have a phone call or just have a video conference moment so yes we continue
00:15:25.660to meet with them and bring as much support as we can, considering the situation where we are
00:15:32.940here now. And so our heart is to really make Canadians aware of these people being people
00:15:42.380first. And as we serve them and make sure that as they exercise, as they sacrifice, as they serve,
00:15:51.740There is a people that are there for the person.
00:15:54.940We're not there to bring activism or lobbyism.