Jason MacDonald

Jason MacDonald is a Canadian communications professional and was the candidate for the Ontario PC Party in the 2011 Ontario election in the riding of Ottawa South. In 2013, MacDonald was appointed as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's eighth Director of Communications.

Early life

Education

MacDonald holds an M.A. from Wilfrid Laurier University and a B.A. from Bishop's University.

Personal life MacDonald has twin daughters, Molly and Ella, with his wife Lara.

Communications career MacDonald was the Chief of Staff at CBC Television in Toronto, followed later by his role as the Director of Public Relations and Operations at CBC Corporate Communications in Ottawa.

MacDonald then moved into his role as Vice President of Corporate and Public Affairs with Veritas Corporation, a full-service communications agency in Toronto. MacDonald's initial response seemed like he was denying the rumour, succinctly replying "I’m happy working for Minister Valcourt. Thanks. Jason." Two days later MacDonald was named as the Prime Minister's Office's Director of Communications.

In 2015, Macdonald joined Hill+Knowlton, a global public affairs and government relations firm in Ottawa. He currently serves as Vice-President of Corporate Communications.

2011 Ontario PC Party Candidate

MacDonald was elected as the Ontario PC candidate for the riding of Ottawa South, and was faced with the tough challenge of facing off against then-sitting Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Since PC Party leader Tim Hudak was unilingual English, MacDonald was given the responsibility of speaking for the Ontario PC Party during the French leaders' debate.

McGuinty would win by 7,000 votes, but the Ontario Liberals would also lose their majority government.

Appointment as Harper's Director of Communications Rumours began on September 10, 2013 when Ottawa journalist Don Martin tweeted that "sources" said MacDonald was about to be named Harper's Communications Director. In February 2015, MacDonald was questioned under oath in the defamation case and Harper claimed parliamentary privilege to avoid testifying. That same month, MacDonald resigned as the Prime Minister's communications director. In March 2017, as part of a settlement between council and MacDonald, he admitted that his statements were inaccurate. The Government of Canada also issued a statement "disavowing MacDonald's suggestion that the council had terrorist ties."