O'Connell currently serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to Dominic Leblanc, the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs (Cybersecurity).

[2] On Council, O’Connell developed a reputation for aggressively opposing perceived wasteful spending by the City of Pickering and the Regional Municipality of Durham.

[8] When Finance Minister Bill Morneau presented the government's budget, it included a separate comprehensive document focused solely on youth economic issues entitled “Investing in the Future of Young Canadians”.

[10] The budget lowered interest rates on student loans and provided an interest-free grace period for recent graduates and those facing health or family-related challenges.

When LeBlanc became the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions, and Intergovernmental Affairs in 2023, O’Connell continued as his Parliamentary Secretary, with a specific additional mandate focused on the government’s cybersecurity policy agenda.