We are Justice

Patrick Walton

Photo of Patrick Walton

Patrick Walton is one of the few employees who has worked directly with the Minister and the Deputy Minister, as well as almost every one of the Department of Justice Canada’s senior managers.

And they also invariably do what he tells them to – at least when he has his camera in hand.

Patrick, who works in the Creative Services and Outreach Unit of the Communications Branch as a communications advisor, is the main departmental photographer for the National Capital Region.

He studied photography at Algonquin College, never imagining the people he would make his career taking pictures of.

Patrick began working at the Department right out of college on a short-term contract. His first job was to build a database of photographic images that could be used in departmental communications across the country.

This project gave him his first opportunity to work with a diversity of people in the Department, including all levels of management.

“My work offers me a platform to be creative and provides me with the tools I need to put ideas into motion.”

Patrick now takes photographs for the majority of the Department’s corporate publications, both for print and for on-line material. He is often at press conferences, or taking pictures at ministerial announcements, which sometimes include the Prime Minister. (He also took most of the pictures in this publication.)

Patrick is proud to be a Justice employee, and enjoys the prestige of working in such an important and well-respected institution.

“I enjoy working on a national scale,” says Patrick. “It is rewarding knowing that the work I do will be seen by people across Canada and occasionally internationally.”

Since he began working at the Department, his job has evolved. Through his own initiative and ingenuity, and with encouragement from management, Patrick has taken on other visual creative tasks, such as graphic design, video and Web publishing. For example, for the recent Department-wide Managers’ Forum, he created a highly popular video montage featuring employees from across the country entitled I am Justice.

“My work offers me a platform to be creative and provides me with the tools I need to put ideas into motion,” he says.

Patrick thrives on his freedom to take the initiative in improving processes and adopting new technology in his work. “It’s an exciting time to work in government communications,” he says. “The industry is changing, and keeping up with new advances such as social media and collaborative tools like GCPEDIA will mean more employees with these skill sets will be needed in the federal public service.”

“My job gives me the space I need to be creative,” he says.

More than anything, for Patrick success means “delivering for my clients and always striving to improve my services.”

Diversity in work is important to Patrick, and his job provides variety. Another key to job satisfaction, he says, comes from the integrity of the people he works with.

“This is one of the things that motivates me to do my best,” he says.

“Growing up, I never thought I would work for the government, but now I know that I am in the right place.”

He sees himself one day leading a team of people in Creative Services. Given his colleagues’ fondness for him, it seems they might like that, too.

Photo of Patrick Walton