National youth competition launches nation-wide campaign
By Natasha Marar
News Editor
October 10, 2007
Balinder Ahluwalia, a former finalist on CBC’s 2007 television special Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister, is embarking on a national university tour to promote this year’s competition and its $50,000 cash prize.
“We are looking for people who have a great idea for this country,” said Sarah Kapoor, senior producer for the show. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity for national exposure in the political realm.”
The competition asks Canadians between the ages of 18 and 25 to submit a three to five minute video highlighting their vision to make Canada a better country, and why they are the one to put it in action.
Applicants are then narrowed down, and four finalists compete in a one hour televised debate, where former prime ministers are the questioners and the live studio audience casts the final vote.
“It was a program set up through Magna International to promote youth involvement in community and politics,” explained Matt Barrington, associate producer for the show. “In the last few years, CBC has gotten involved.”
Last year’s winner, Joseph Lavoie, took home the $50,000 prize and a six-month placement
with DMF Fair Enterprise and Public Policy Internship, which stands for Dominion Institute, Magna International and the Fulbright Program.
“I’m working at a public strategy firm, Navigator Ltd,” said Lavoie. “In terms of success,
I’m pretty sure [winning the competition] is one of the reasons why I’m at Navigator now.”
Finalists also received several prizes. Ahluwalia was awarded $5,000 and three one-month internships with Magna, Fulbright, and Dominion Institute. “I got to see how different organizations work,” said Ahluwalia. “It was the experience of a lifetime.”
For this year’s competition, Ahluwalia was chosen by Magna, Fulbright, and CBC to head a
two-month recruitment campaign that has him going to 35 university campuses across Canada promoting the show, auditioning students on the spot, and posting his visits in a videoblog on YouTube.
“Last year they did a very national campaign,” said Ahluwalia, who kicked off the campaign in Windsor on Oct. [This year] we are doing a much more local approach.”
“The more people know, the more submissions we’ll get,” added Ahluwalia, who explained that more submissions will result in a greater diversity of ideas.
The success of last year’s one-hour special, which drew in approximately 1 million viewers, can be attributed to some production changes. In the first year of the competition, the prime ministers chose the winner. In 2007, a randomly chosen live studio audience gave the final vote. The set design and greater interaction with the prime ministers also gave the show a dramatic feel.
National television icon, Rick Mercer, will be hosting the show once again, and Kapoor revealed, “There is going to be at least one new prime minister.” Although, she did not specify who would be the new judge.
There are also changes to the submission process of this year's contest.
“This year we are doing it all through YouTube,” said Barrington of the video submission process. Last year individuals had to privately [mail] their audition videos to CBC.”
“[YouTube is] a public domain that everyone can interact with it,” explained Barrington of the benefi ts to using YouTube.
Kapoor agreed. “[YouTube] gives contestants a chance to comment each other, favourite each other...and interact with each other before the show itself. And if there are response videos that would be excellent.”
Ahluwalia furthered, “It’s not like last year when all those people submitted videos and no one saw it.”
Ahluwalia suggested that those interested in auditioning should be well versed on current political, social, and economic issues.
“I encourage reading a lot of magazines, newspapers, and books,” said Ahluwalia.
Barrington offered some advice for those interested in submitting a video. “It’s two fold,” he explained of what the judges are looking for. “We are asking for the great idea, so make sure that is explained clearly, and the second thing we are definitely focusing on is why that person is the best to implement [the idea].”
“We are looking for people to be themselves and be dynamic,”
”The audition tapes should be passionate,” advised Lavoie, who noted that all the finalists’ videos shared some similarities. “We were all clearly knowledgeable...our videos were also quick paced.”
Kapoor explained that a three- point platform was a common theme in last year’s audition tapes. “Instead of a platform we want an idea...be creative,” she said.
Kapoor also stressed that participants should upload their audition videos to YouTube quickly, well before the Oct. 31 deadline, to generate the most exposure for their idea. “Get your [video] up as soon as possible, because one of the things we will look at is how much traffic they generate on YouTube.”
“Last year the female ratio to male entrants was really low, not even one in 10,” added Kapoor, who encourages more women to apply this year.
“I can’t wait to see what the great ideas for the country are,” said Kapoor.
Ahluwalia concluded, ”Don’t be afraid whether or not you are going to make it...just do it.”
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