Don Smith is a former broadcast journalist and Government of Canada communications executive. During his ten years in radio Don produced two highly successful talk shows at CFRA Ottawa, and later was senior reporter for CKOY/CKBY Ottawa and a national correspondent for the Newsradio network.
Don started a 30-year career in Government of Canada communications as Press Secretary to a federal cabinet minister. Other career highlights include two years as Manager of Media and Public Relations at Public Works and Government Services Canada; then four years as Senior Analyst in the Communications and Consultations Directorate at the Privy Council Office, where he provided advice to the Clerk of the Privy Council, the Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Don spent the last fifteen years of his career at the Canada Revenue Agency as Director of Operations in the Public Affairs Branch, where he led and managed a team of 18 communicators providing advice, guidance and support to the Minister’s Office and the Commissioner’s Office through five business lines: media relations and media monitoring; special event planning and speechwriting for the Minister and the Commissioner; liaison with regional communications operations; writing and production of the Agency’s quarterly internal newsletter; and, secretariat for the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign at the CRA.
Don was responsible for more than 1,200 speeches for ministers and deputy ministers over the course of his 30-year career, and he developed and taught training programs for new speechwriters. He also developed and taught training programs designed to prepare senior executives to communicate effectively during media interviews, when testifying before Parliamentary committees and when making speeches or other presentations. Don holds a Master of Communications Management degree from McMaster University and Syracuse University. In 2012 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to Canada.