Duane Hicks
A recent university grad with local ties has started a new job as parliamentary assistant to Vancouver Centre Liberal MP Hedy Fry–the longest-serving female in the House of Commons.
Lindsay Campbell, granddaughter of local residents Bud and Dorleen Dyrland, has been in the new role since April 24, having just graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa.
“I’m fortunate to be given this opportunity to work for someone as prominent and influential as Dr. Hedy Fry,” said the 22-year-old, who was a summer student with the Fort Frances Times in 2015.
“It’s exciting to be able to start a new chapter in my life where I know I will learn so much, but also be able to use a lot of what has been taught to me during my past four years of education,” she added.
“I’m honestly just very grateful.”
Campbell’s duties include managing all of Fry’s meetings and running her schedule.
She also is helping Fry with two different files: the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly, for which Fry is Special Representative on Gender Issues, and the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development.
Campbell also is handling all of Fry’s social media presence.
“So, basically, if she’s in Ottawa and going to events, I follow her around and take her photo and Tweet about it on behalf,” she noted, adding Fry also uses other popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
In the near future, Campbell expects to be doing more correspondence and engaging with Fry’s constituents.
Since Fry’s riding is Vancouver Centre, Campbell likely will be travelling there in mid- to late June to help with “Pride Week” (Fry has been a notable advocate for the LGBT community throughout her political career).
“I was definitely told when I was offered this job that I’d get to go out to Vancouver and see what actually the riding is like,” said Campbell, who’s never been to B.C. before.
“It’s important to know what goes on there and see it for myself if I’m going to be representing her [Fry],” she reasoned.
Fry has won eight-straight elections, representing the constituency of Vancouver Centre since 1993, when she defeated incumbent Progressive Conservative prime minister Kim Campbell.
While many people envision journalists pursuing a career in TV, radio, or print media, Campbell noted the journalism program at Carleton leads to more avenues than one might think.
“Journalism is a degree where you’re able to come out with a lot of transferable skills,” she explained.
“I’m learning a lot of new things right now–it’s very complex,” added Campbell.
“And I think one of the things you can take away from having a journalism degree is having information thrown at you and being able to make it so the average person can understand it.”
Campbell also noted that with her social media duties, she’s expected to post photos and other information “on the fly.”
Being able to produce content that’s “fast-paced but concise” also is a skill shared by trained journalists.
Campbell urged high school students interested in journalism to consider pursuing it at a post-secondary institution, such as Carleton.
“Lots of people are saying right now that journalism is a dying industry, and I think that might put people off from going into this field,” she remarked.
“But I also think that not everyone who gets a journalism degree comes out with a journalism job,” she added.
“There’s so many things that you can do with this degree.
“It gave me a good set of transferable skills,” she reiterated.
