Zach Nixon (SMC 1T8) is a Torontonian living in Ottawa. He holds a BA in Political Science. He began his political journey working in the Constituency Office of Bill Blair, Member of Parliament for Scarborough Southwest. He later served in successive roles under Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Small Business and Economic Development, where he played an active role in supporting Canada’s small business sector—especially during the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic. His work during this time, particularly in helping small businesses weather unprecedented challenges, remains one of his proudest contributions to date. He later served as Director of Operations to Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business. In July 2024, Zach joined the Office of the Prime Minister, initially serving under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and now continuing his service under Prime Minister Mark Carney.
When I think of what most people think of politics today, I figure the word that best captures the time we are in is “polarization”. Now more than ever, it seems like no one can agree about anything at all and the political temperature is high. However true some of this may be, it risks turning away our best and brightest from working with our public office holders and missing the greatest opportunities to make a difference in our country.
Polarized as our politics may be, my experience for the past seven years in federal politics has been nothing short of amazing and I have met and worked with incredible people who just want to make a difference.
At St. Mike’s, I got involved in student politics at the encouragement of my residence don and friends during my second week on campus. Being deathly afraid of public speaking, I never thought that this would be an opportunity for me (and I almost skipped out on the required all candidates debate). Nevertheless, I ran and won as a first-year rep on the Student Union and the rest was history. During my time on the Student Union, I made great friends and found in my involvement something that became clear to me in politics–that almost everybody who puts up their hand to help out is doing so because they want to make a positive contribution to their community.
After a few years on student council, I got involved in federal and provincial politics by volunteering for the provincial and federal Liberal Parties in Ontario. These opportunities set me up for what became a seven-year career in federal politics. My first job, working in the constituency office of MP Bill Blair, did not have the high drama and political machinations that you often see on CBC, but rather saw me attending community events and helping regular people with their immigration casework. This was incredibly fulfilling work and speaks to the old adage I have learned in the business that “all politics is local”.
After a few months in that role, I had a chance to move to Ottawa and spent the next few years working for the Minister of International Trade and Small Business, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. I spent hours on the phone with business owners who were looking for just about anybody who would listen to them as they grappled with owning a business during a global pandemic. This was a time when the government was at its best, and where I, at 25 years old, was the only face that hundreds of business owners would encounter–and chances are would ever encounter, when dealing with the federal government. It was a huge responsibility for someone so young, but not uncommon in political life. Oftentimes, I was able to help them secure the funding they needed to keep their doors open, and I’m really proud of that.
Most recently, I have been working in the Prime Minister’s Office as a Regional Advisor. I started this role under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and continue under Prime Minister Mark Carney. In this role, I work with other levels of government, businesses, and organizations in Ontario who are looking to get in touch with the Prime Minister. I travel the province with the Prime Minister so that he can meet Canadians in their communities and hear about their experiences. I learn about cities and towns across this province – all with their own concerns and all with local leaders looking to make their communities better.
I didn’t expect that politics would be the path for me, but I’m glad I chose it. I have travelled to almost every province in Canada and have made lifelong friendships. I’ve learned how our government works and have experiences I will cherish forever. So, if you want to make a difference and have experiences that will last a lifetime, I’d encourage you to take the plunge. There is a world of experience in politics that awaits you!
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