Peek behind the campaign curtain

But with a federal election campaign looming on the horizon, it felt like an opportunity to take part in something historic — one he just couldn’t pass up.

That campaign has since become Ahmad’s life.

As press secretary for the Office of the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, he deals with the Ottawa Press Gallery as well as media across the country on a daily — often hourly — basis.

Just a few credits shy from graduating, Ahmad postponed his final semester as an undergraduate student in the Department of Journalism to hop on the campaign trail.

He took time out of his hectic schedule to talk about what it’s like being press secretary to a Canadian party leader smack in the heart of a federal election.

When did you first discover you had an interest in politics?

Cameron Ahmad: I’m lucky to have parents who, ever since I can remember, always encouraged me to share my opinions about the world and debate them vigorously.

When I was 16, my mother suggested I stop by the campaign office of my local Member of Parliament, Francis Scarpaleggia, who was running for re-election during the 2008 campaign. I did, and that decision gave me the opportunity to be part of a movement bigger than I could have imagined.

Joining the local campaign awakened me to the reality that I could have a real impact on the future of my community and my country by influencing, in a small way, the outcome of a federal election.

How did you get involved with the Liberal Party of Canada?

CA: The Liberal Party has a very active youth wing. I got increasingly involved during university, heading up the Concordia branch of the Young Liberals of Canada and eventually their Quebec chapter.

I joined the Young Liberals at a time when the leadership race was engaging many Canadians in the political process for the first time — particularly young people and students. That gave us a tremendous opportunity to reach out to universities and colleges across Quebec.

I’m proud to have played a meaningful role in getting other students directly involved with politics. We saw a real impact, as our membership more than doubled in less than two years.

Describe a typical work day for you.

CA: Every day is different, and often unpredictable, as political situations are constantly evolving!

Our office receives dozens of media requests daily for both the party leader, Justin Trudeau, and for members of the Liberal Caucus. My responsibility is to assign these requests.

The afternoon is always a mad rush, coordinating with spokespeople and MPs to appear on the evening political panel shows and comment on the daily news circuit.

I’m also in charge of organizing regular press conferences in Parliament for Mr. Trudeau, and managing media relations for the Liberal Caucus before and after Question Period in the House of Commons.

Running media relations for a major political party during a federal election campaign must be equal parts exciting and stressful. What’s your favourite thing about the job? Your least favourite?

CA: There is truly never a dull moment. Issues can explode at a moment’s notice, comments can be taken out of context, attacks require rebuttals, and there is almost no room for error.

But the excitement outweighs the stress, and every day is a new opportunity to communicate directly with the public.

My favourite part of my job is that I get to work for a movement and vision that I believe in. And though politics is imperfect, I believe it is by far the best vehicle to affect change and achieve progress for our country.

My least favourite part has to be forfeiting my weekends!

How do you apply the skills you acquired in journalism school to your current job?

CA: Having a background as a journalism student helps me appreciate that news media in the 21st century are facing remarkable challenges.

Journalists and news outlets are increasingly forced to evolve rapidly and adapt to new consumer realities, with fewer resources and funding.

Simply put, the job of a political reporter is not particularly easy in this environment, and I believe it is important for political actors to acknowledge that.

What’s the last book you read?

CA: I’m currently reading The Orenda by Joseph Boyden. I wish I had time to read more, though!

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