PETER O'NEIL
Ottawa,ON
Summary
Editor, former senior Government of Canada speechwriter, award-winning journalist, author, foreign correspondent. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Consistently delivers under extreme deadline pressure.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Development Editor
Self-employed
Ottawa, ON
2022 - Current
- Edited Kaddish for my Father, Flowers for my Mother A Holocaust Story, by Renée Levcovitch-McHale. The author, herself a Polish survivor of a post-war pogrom, had spent decades researching the lives of her survivor parents. Working with several manuscripts, and conducting additional research, I helped her create a compelling narrative published earlier this year on Amazon.
Senior Speechwriter/strategic Advisor
Government of Canada
Ottawa, ON
2017 - 2022
- Career highlights include providing keynote speeches and communications advice to General Jonathan Vance, Chief of Defence Staff, Canadian Armed Forces.
- Author of direction-setting and widely-praised speeches such as General Vance’s annual address to the Canadian Defence Association Institute.
- Senior speechwriter at three other government entities: The Privy Council Office (provides advice to the Prime Minister of Canada), the Department of Natural Resources, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Senior Policy Analyst/Lead Speechwriter
Privy Council Office
03.2017 - 12.2017
- Provided strategic communications advice and speeches to Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould, Government House Leader Bardish Chagger, and Randy Boissonnault, Special Advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on LGBTQ2 issues.
- Speeches generated consistent positive reviews from managers. Subjects covered include election financing, national security, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, democratic and electoral reform, Access to Information Act.
- Produced communications plans, speech outlines, news releases, video scripts, event scenarios, etc.
Parliamentary Bureau Chief
The Vancouver Sun
01.2011 - 01.2017
- Breaking news/analysis/feature-writing on broad range of issues, including international trade, foreign affairs, national defence/security, finance, environment, and immigration.
- Finalist or winner of multiple newspaper awards.
- Consistently met deadlines while maintaining quality.
Europe Bureau Chief
Postmedia News
01.2007 - 01.2011
- Paris-based Europe bureau for Postmedia, owner of Canada’s largest chain of newspapers.
- Wrote extensively on Canada's role in NATO’s Afghanistan mission; 2008 global economic recession; WTO and Canada-Europe free trade negotiations; covered elections in France, the United Kingdom, Poland, Ukraine.
Parliamentary Bureau Chief
The Vancouver Sun
01.1988 - 01.2007
- Covered six federal elections, 19 federal budgets, the 1995 Quebec referendum on separation, emergence of Reform and Bloc Quebecois parties; 1995 Quebec referendum; the deficit crisis; international trade (FTA, NAFTA, softwood lumber, Pacific Salmon Treaty).
- Led or collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive innovative storytelling and multimedia projects.
Editor/Columnist/Reporter
Various publications
01.1982 - 01.1988
- Nationally-syndicated weekly columnist, The Financial Times of Canada (1984-88); business reporter/equity market columnist, The Vancouver Province (1984-85) and the Vancouver Sun (1985-88); police/courts/business reporter for the Calgary Sun (1983-84); editor/reporter/photographer, Fort McMurray Express (1982-83).
Education
Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) -
Carleton University
01-1987
Skills
- Editing and proofreading
- Fact-checking
- Deadline management
- Content planning/development
- Style guide adherence
- Author collaboration
- Manuscript evaluation
- Team collaboration
Languages
French
Professional Working
Timeline
Senior Policy Analyst/Lead Speechwriter
Privy Council Office
03.2017 - 12.2017
Parliamentary Bureau Chief
The Vancouver Sun
01.2011 - 01.2017
Europe Bureau Chief
Postmedia News
01.2007 - 01.2011
Parliamentary Bureau Chief
The Vancouver Sun
01.1988 - 01.2007
Editor/Columnist/Reporter
Various publications
01.1982 - 01.1988
Development Editor
Self-employed
2022 - Current
Senior Speechwriter/strategic Advisor
Government of Canada
2017 - 2022
Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) -
Carleton University
AWARDS
National Newspaper Award Citation of Merit for political coverage of oil pipeline issue (2013). Honorable Mention Hillman Award Canada, investigative reporting category, Temporary Foreign Workers (2013), Nominated for the SABEW Canada “Best in Business” investigative reporting on Petronas LNG project (2016). Jack Webster Award for feature writing (2006) for Politics and the Pew series, Team coverage of Canada-U.S. free trade negotiations received a Southam Award (1988)
BOOK
I am a Metis: The Story of Gerry St. Germain (Harbour Publishing, 2016)