A Career Begins
Sean as Ontario Young Progressive Conservative President
Sean became an active member of the Progressive Conservative Party, and his political career took off quickly. In 1965, at the age of 13, he was elected to the Executive of the Hamilton Area Young Progressive Conservatives. In 1968 he was elected President, and also served as Youth Director for Diefenbaker’s re-election campaign.
In 1970 he was elected President of the Ontario Young Progressive Conservatives, and in 1971 became Youth Adviser to Premier William Davis.
Later that year, Diefenbaker chose Sean to be his Executive Assistant. In addition to his political activities, Sean enrolled at Brock University in 1969 to study political science. In 1972, he resigned as Diefenbaker’s assistant in order to run as a candidate for Hamilton-Wentworth in the federal election.
Telegram from Diefenbaker congratulating Sean, 1968
John Diefenbaker and Sean O'Sullivan, 1972