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Faculty of Arts and Science Master’s student has been selected as the official inaugural North Star Internship Recipient for 2025.

Launched as part of the 2025 North Star Award celebrations, the program honours Stephen S. Poloz, former Governor of the Bank of Canada and recipient of the 2025 North Star Award. He did his bachelor’s degree in economics from �ʹ�����’s in 1978. Governor Poloz will serve as a mentor in the inaugural year of this six-month program, providing guidance to a selected graduate-level intern as they gain critical exposure to Canada’s public and policy sectors.

“I was immediately interested and excited when I learned about the opportunity for the first time,” says Fisher (Economics). “It is such a unique opportunity to gain wide exposure to a number of policymaking bodies that work for Canada, while being mentored by a distinguished leader in Canadian economics and policymaking, Governor Poloz. When I heard I was selected as the inaugural intern, I was filled with joy, excitement, pride, and a feeling that I ought to do my best to make the most of the six-month term ahead of me. It is an incredible opportunity, and I really can't wait to start.”

The North Star Internship program comprises a six-month, in-person experience divided equally into two placements. The first three months the intern will work within a Government of Canada financial department, Crown corporation, or federal agency, providing direct exposure to economic policymaking and governance. This will be followed by three months at the Policy Insights Forum's Ottawa office, contributing to policy research, thought leadership, and stakeholder engagement.

“Malcolm was one of five excellent graduate students nominated by our Economics Department based on merit,” says Professor Amy Sun (Department of Economics). “The opportunity to embark on the inaugural North Star Internship will have a significant and lasting impact on Malcolm’s career as an economist, in terms of skill development, professional networking, and career path refinement. We are thrilled about Malcolm’s well-deserved accomplishment and wish him continued success in the North Star program.”

Fisher describes himself as a passionate young economist with an ambition to serve Canadians as a policymaker. He has been studying and working in the field of economics for almost eight years.

“My passion for economics started as an undergraduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University. Following the completion of my undergraduate studies, I worked in the Bank of Canada's Financial Markets Department as a Research Assistant for two and a half years. In this role, I contributed to a number of the Bank's flagship policy documents, such as the Financial System Survey and the Financial Stability Report.”

Following this term at the Bank of Canada, he decided to continue his studies at �ʹ�����’s MA Economics program.

“The past eight months at �ʹ�����'s have proven to be a fantastic opportunity to grow as a young economist. It has been rigorous and demanding experience, which is exactly what I was looking for as I follow my ambition of successfully implementing economic policy for Canadians. As I near the end of my MA program, I feel incredibly grateful to the faculty and my classmates for the incredible experience these past eight months. This time in the program have positioned me well to undertake both applied and theoretical research, and I feel well prepared to begin to apply the tools learned in the program to Canadian policy.”

Learn more about the on the website.