Patrick Kennedy, a third year Queen’s political studies student, has been named a finalist in Magna International’s 2000 ‘As Prime Minister’ Awards national judging program.
As one of over 500 participants in the annual contest, which is run by the Magna for Canada Scholarship Fund and open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students from academic institutions across Canada, Kennedy was required to write an essay addressing the question, “If you were the Prime Minister of Canada, what political vision would you offer to improve our living standards?”
Along with 49 other finalists, he presented his prime ministerial advice before a national panel of judges in Toronto in August and was named one of 11 finalists across Canada, which earned him $10,000 and a paid, four-month internship at Magna International Inc., Canada’s largest supplier of automotive systems and components.
The judging panel included notable Canadians such as journalists Arlene Bynon (Global), Mike Duffy (CTV), Joan Crockatt (Southam/Hollinger), Hubert Bauch (Montreal Gazette) and Linda Frum (The National Post).
“It was a nerve-racking experience…it was certainly an intimidating group,” Kennedy admitted.
Cracking a joke to open his twenty minute presentation and question period in front of the national journalists and television crews, however, he was quickly able to break the ice. Having entered the contest for the first time in his first year at Queen’s after reading about it in The Journal, Kennedy was motivated to give it another go during his second year because of his keen interest in Canadian politics.
“I have a great passion for Canadian politics…and everyone in Canadian politics thinks ‘boy it would be cool to be Prime Minister,” he says.
Kennedy’s political vision is to improve Canada’s living standards by improving a three-pronged approach to address the crucial elements of Canada’s development: fiscal responsibility, enhancing our confidence in government as well as addressing Canadian unity.
In the area of Canadian unity, Kennedy explains that he chose, unlike many other contestants, to focus on small things, such as the Molson Canadian beer commercials, that he feels have the power to unite people coast to coast. “We should use simple things like that as rallying calls for unity,” he says of the commercials.
As a finalist, Kennedy will also compete for the title of National Winner of the ‘As Prime Minister Awards’ which comes with an additional $10,000 and a one-year paid internship with Magna International. The top prize will be announced at an Awards ceremony in Ottawa on November 8th.
Essays of the finalists will be published in @stake, “As Prime Minister, I would…” which will be sold at bookstores across Canada.
According to George Marsland, executive director for the Magna for Canada Scholarship Fund, the purpose of the contest is to illustrate the “importance of young minds to the future of this country.”
“Our vision for the ‘As Prime Minister Awards’ Program is to provoke dialogue and debate and to challenge young Canadians to offer solutions for improving our living standards,” he explains.
Kennedy praised the political studies department at Queen’s for preparing him for the contest.
“The courses, the feedback, and the interactions with the profs really stimulate these types of opportunities. I think it’s a great department.”
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