TORONTO, March 19, 2007 -- Joseph Lavoie, a political science major at York University’s Glendon College, has won the CBC’s nationwide search for “Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister.”
The contest, judged by four former Canadian prime ministers, netted Lavoie $50,000 and a six-month internship with the contest’s sponsors: Magna International, the Dominion Institute and the Canada-US-Fulbright Program. The results were announced last night following a televised debate between contestants.
“I've been a political junkie for a long time,” says Lavoie. “But the vision I presented on the show originated from a Glendon course in municipal politics. What I learned there allowed me to formulate a policy about our cities and the need to grant them more autonomy.”
The judges -- Kim Campbell, Joe Clark, Paul Martin and Brian Mulroney -- were impressed with Lavoie’s focus on structural changes to municipal government that would create direct accountability to citizens.
“Cities would have the necessary tools to participate successfully in a highly competitive global market”, concluded Lavoie. “With these changes in Canada, we can re-energize our country, usher in an era of economic prosperity, and be a model for the rest of the world.” He argued that rural Canadians would also thrive in this system.
The competition called on young Canadians to show how they, as prime minister, would make Canada a better, stronger and more prosperous nation. The judges combed videotaped submissions for original ideas and effective delivery, and selected four top candidates to participate in a debate, aired on CBC and hosted by Rick Mercer. The studio audience voted in Lavoie’s favour.
After graduating in August, Lavoie will tackle the trio of internships that are part of his prize, with the goal of a career in public policy or public relations. Says Lavoie, “Ideally, I hope to end up on the Hill as an MP and, who knows, perhaps even as prime minister -- but that's a long way off.”
Glendon College at York University is Canada’s only bilingual liberal arts college.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 23 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not for-profit corporation.
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Please note: Joseph Lavoie is available for interviews from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. today.
Media contact:
Tobi Strohan
Director, Recruitment, Marketing and Communications
Glendon College, York University
Office: 416-736-2100 x88337
Cellular: 416-277-8624
