We had the pleasure of meeting Minister Lecce this week for an engaging discussion about his transition from student government president to PMO staffer, taking on the education file, and his tenure in Premier Ford’s cabinet.
As many of the interns were formerly involved with our respective student unions, we were curious to better understand how minister Lecce leveraged his experiences and opportunities as the president of the Western University Students’ Council to launch his career in politics. He noted being grateful for how his time as a student leader led him to advocating in front of Prime Minister Harper and recommended that we make the most of future opportunities by committing ourselves fully to the cause and advocating for the value we can bring to any organization.
During his time in student government, Minister Lecce honed his ability to persuade people on the merits of an argument, and as Chief Spokesperson for Prime Minister Harper, learnt the importance of framing the debate before your opponent can. These skills, he noted, were crucial when he became Education Minister in 2019 during high-stakes fiscal negotiations. At age 32, he was the youngest Minister of Education in Ontario history and, after managing the critical portfolio throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, remains one of the longest serving cabinet Ministers in the Ontario Government today.
Minister Lecce hopes that creating opportunities for younger people to get involved in politics will help create an element of dynamism in government. This is evidenced by his ongoing enthusiasm and support for OLIP, which is much appreciated by the interns!
Minister Lecce, thank you for taking the time to meet with us, and for your elaborate responses to our questions!
