💡 Alumni Spotlight: Gord Westmacott (1998-99)

The OLIP interns were grateful for the opportunity to meet with Gord Westmacott, an accomplished OLIP alumnus whose career has been rooted in journalism and public storytelling.

Following his time in OLIP, Gord pursued a career in journalism, beginning at Studio 2 on TVO before moving to CounterSpin at CBC News Network. He later joined CBC Radio, where he worked on As It Happens and The Current. For the past ten years, Gord has served as Senior Producer on Day 6, where he continues to help lead thoughtful, in-depth conversations on complex issues shaping public life. 

During our meeting, Gord provided us with insights on many aspects related to journalism, as well as his time in and takeaways from OLIP. Our discussion ranged from the impact of social media on journalism, the decline of the newspaper, new avenues of information sharing, writing press releases, and much more. 

Reflecting on his OLIP experience, Gord emphasized how the program fundamentally shaped his understanding of politics. He shared that OLIP “humanized politics” for him by revealing the people behind the process. Seeing elected officials and staffers as individuals who work hard and care deeply, he explained, helped demystify government and made political decision-making feel far less intimidating. 

Gord highlighted both professional and personal milestones that he feels proud of. Professionally, he reflected on leading a team through a particularly challenging five-year period while continuing to show up consistently to help audiences make sense of a rapidly changing world. On a personal level, he shared his pride in his two children, who both graduated from high school and began their post-secondary journeys, noting how proud he is of the people they have become. 

Gord’s advice to young professionals focused on growth rather than rigid long-term planning. While he noted that it is fine to have an idea of where one hopes to be in the future, he encouraged interns to focus on what they can learn and the skills they can build in the next year, allowing curiosity and opportunity to guide the path forward. 

For those looking for recommendations, Gord shared an eclectic and thoughtful list of current favourites. He is currently reading Enshittification by Cory Doctorow, and highly recommends Liz Pelly’s Mood Machine, which explores the rise of Spotify. Jeff Lemire’s graphic novel The Underwater Welder stood out as a recent discovery. He also recommended CBC’s Understood podcast series, the television series Pluribus, and music from the jazz-electronic band SML, as well as Sam Prekop’s album Open Close. 

We are sincerely thankful to Gord for taking the time to share his experiences, reflections, and advice with our cohort. His journey illustrates the diverse paths OLIP alumni can take and highlights the lasting value of curiosity, perspective, and public service. Thank you, Gord, for an engaging and inspiring conversation!