At StrategyCorp, we recognize the vital role of mothers in educating children. The HIPPY program empowers mothers to deliver education to their kids during early childhood. HIPPY leverages the relationship between a mother and her child to help children successfully transition from their home environment into the Canadian school system.
This year, in honour of […]
Since the recession of 2008-09, Ontario Liberals promised to return the budget to balance. Today’s budget saw Finance Minister Charles Sousa reach that goal. However, as Sousa said in his speech to the Legislature, “… a balanced budget is never an end in itself. For Ontarians, this is just a beginning. A balanced budget […]
Technology has become such an important factor in the strategic direction of any enterprise today that increasingly it is becoming a subject for discussion around the boardroom table rather than just in the executive suite. For some non-IT organizations – including OMERS AC, officially the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System Administration Corp. – technology […]
Amid the underlying uncertainty from global events, the Liberal Government of Canada released their second budget. Standing in stark contrast to the breathtaking expansion of deficits and spending in the 2016 Budget, the 2017 Budget is a relatively modest plan. It is a budget designed to produce a number of modest announcements and moves […]
Webster joins StrategyCorp’s growing roster of public affairs, communications, and management consulting experts in Ottawa
February 1, 2017 – Ottawa, Ontario – StrategyCorp is pleased to announce that senior government relations consultant Sean Webster has joined the firm as Vice President. Sean comes to StrategyCorp after more than 30 years of public affairs experience within both […]
Shaw joins StrategyCorp’s roster of public affairs, communications, and management consulting experts
January 24, 2017 – Toronto, Ontario – StrategyCorp is pleased to announce Ron Shaw, an experienced leader in the municipal sector, has joined its team as a Senior Advisor. Ken comes to StrategyCorp after more than 35 years in municipal administration; most recently as […]
Engelhart joins StrategyCorp’s roster of public affairs, communications and management consulting experts
January 20, 2017 – Toronto, Ontario – StrategyCorp is pleased to announce telecommunications and broadcasting expert Ken Engelhart has joined its team as a Senior Advisor. Ken comes to StrategyCorp after a prominent 25 year career at Rogers Communications, where he most recently led […]
The U.S. relationship is the number one foreign policy file for any Prime Minister. With the election of Donald Trump, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was handed the most complex situation – at least since the Iraq War. Foundational agreements like NAFTA and the earlier Free Trade Agreement are in question. Canada’s access to its […]
Political experts say Canadians don’t have the same tolerance for racism and bigotry as in the United States, but they also say Donald Trump has changed political campaigning rules. John Duffy, founder of public affairs and communications firm StrategyCorp, who was an adviser to former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, said Mr. Trump’s election […]
Chris Loreto and John Perenack join current Principals, Leslie Noble, John Duffy, John Matheson, and Lisa Samson
November 29, 2016 – Toronto, Ontario – StrategyCorp is proud to announce the expansion of its ownership group with the addition of two new principals to the firm, Chris Loreto and John Perenack. In StrategyCorp’s 21st year of […]
Mayor John Tory has delivered a major speech addressing his plan to pay for the City’s massive $33 billion infrastructure deficit. His plan, if approved by Council, will set the tone for a new era of transit and infrastructure building in Toronto for the next generation.
The focus of Mayor Tory’s announcement was new revenue […]
The overwhelming consensus is that yesterday’s by-elections in Niagara West-Glanbrook and Ottawa-Vanier had virtually no impact on the agenda and priorities of the Ontario government, and offered no insight into the next provincial election in 2018. While this is true of the results, there are still come lessons to be learned for all parties.
Even […]
Donald Trump shocked observers with his unexpected win in the U.S. Presidential election tonight, upsetting traditional voting patterns. Given a GOP majority in the House and likely in the Senate, Trump will be in a strong position to pass legislation. Only the Constitution, filibusters by Senate Democrats and tensions in his own party limit […]
Top Points
Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered his Fall Economic Statement 2016 today as the Government of Canada confronts continued economic softness. This slow growth resulted in revised deficit projections with no return to balance until 2021-22. All of the available $6 billion in contingencies in the March budget are allocated because of economic growth […]
Premier Kathleen Wynne’s government delivered a Speech from the Throne today in an attempt to position her party for success in the upcoming 2018 election and reverse sagging poll numbers. After proroguing the Legislature late last week – effectively killing all bills currently before the Legislature – today’s speech can be seen as a […]
Today, Premier Wynne’s government announced its intention to seek prorogation of the Ontario legislature.
What does this mean for business at Queen’s Park?
While the essential work of government continues, Bills that were not passed in the last session are now dead and will need to go back to step one and be re-introduced. Legislative committee […]
July 12, 2016 – Toronto – StrategyCorp is pleased to announce that in September Andrew Steele will join the firm as Vice President, fueling the firm’s continued growth across Canada.
Andrew’s 20 years of transformational leadership in business, media and government helps cement StrategyCorp’s unique market position as the only firm to provide integrated business […]
During the 2015 General Election campaign, the Liberal Party of Canada promised to make changes to the Environmental Assessment (EA) processes as part of their broader platform themes to improve environmental sustainability and promote greater consultation (and permission) from stakeholders, including Indigenous peoples. Once elected, the Liberal’s throne speech reiterated that government would introduce […]
Ontario’s new cabinet was sworn-in today (download our quick reference guide to Ontario’s new Cabinet here). At 30 members, more than half of elected Liberals now sit in Cabinet. While headlines continue to focus on the size of cabinet, and that women represent 40% of its members, there’s more at play here than echoing […]
The Government of Ontario has released its Five Year Climate Change Action Plan. Ontario has decided to pursue aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets:
2020 – 15%
2030 – 37%
2050 – 80%
The cornerstone of the government’s approach is its decision to adopt a cap-and-trade system, specifically in partnership with California and Quebec through the Western Climate Initiative […]
What should have been a fitting farewell tribute to a band that has become as synonymous with Canadiana as a May long-weekend, has become something that’s threatening to mar the Tragically Hip’s legacy. No one would question the motives of the Band. I find it difficult to assess how I’d react if I were […]
The Ontario government doubled-down on intensification today with the release of proposed updates to four Provincial Land Use Plans – the Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan, Niagara Escarpment Plan, Greenbelt Plan, and Oak Ridges Moraine Plan.
While the Wynne government promoted the new environmental protections in a news release, the most significant changes were reserved […]
The federal Liberal government has focused new spending on priority areas that it believes will strengthen the middle class, create jobs and grow the economy. Front and centre in this approach is the government’s plan to invest $120 billion in infrastructure over the next 10 years. (Albeit with only $11.9 billion allocated for the […]
Justin Trudeau’s March 10-11 trip to Washington was the first state visit by a Canadian prime minister since 1997. The historic visit marked a transition of international relations that Trudeau promises will be stronger and more cooperative than his Conservative predecessor.
The Prime Minister affirmed he is committed to renewing relationships with Canada’s closest neighbours, […]
The Ontario Progressive Party took another step in rebuilding itself with its recent General Meeting (GM) held between March 4- 6. Close on the heels of its by-election victory in Whitby-Oshawa where it grew its margin of victory for that seat over the results from the 2014 general election, the party sought to reintroduce […]
What’s good about the results of the First Ministers’ meeting in Vancouver this week? There was agreement.
What’s not so good? There is much more work to be done.
The Good
The First Ministers came together to flesh out details on a plan to accomplish Canada’s climate change commitments made in Paris. There were a number of […]
With the 2016 Ontario Budget we are witnessing the Liberals’ first efforts at establishing their 2018 election narrative.
In the Budget, the government states that jobs and the economy are its top priority. For this Liberal government that translates into investing in skills development through improved access to post secondary education, and into infrastructure spending […]
As the Ontario Legislature’s spring session begins at Queen’s Park today, observers are looking for Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government to show progress on a large number of substantial public policy priorities, especially at a time where an unprecedented alignment with the federal and municipal governments has created high expectations for new stimulus spending […]
Leadership Team Staff Being Assembled
The executive team behind the new Liberal government in Ottawa has largely been assembled. StrategyCorp’s quick reference guide provides an at-a-glance look at the players:
Download StrategyCorp’s Quick Reference Guide – which includes Ministers, Chiefs of Staff, Parliamentary Secretaries, and Deputy Ministers
| Minister | Department | Chief of Staff | Parliamentary Secretary | Deputy Minister |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau (QC) | Prime Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth | Katie Telford | Celina Caesar-Chavannes Adam Vaughan (Intergovernmental Affairs) Peter Schiefke (Youth) | Michael Wernick (Clerk of the Privy Council) |
| Hon. Amarjeet Sohi (AB) | Infrastructure and Communities | John Brodhead | Pablo Rodriguez | Jean-François Tremblay |
| Hon. Bardish Chagger (ON) | Small Business and Tourism | Rachel Bendayan | Gudie Hutchings | John Knubley |
| Hon. Bill Morneau (ON) | Finance | Richard Maksymetz | François-Philippe Champagne | Paul Rochon |
| Hon. Carla Qualtrough (BC) | Sport, and Persons with Disabilities | Matt Stickney | Stéphane Lauzon | Ian Shugart; Graham Flack |
| Hon. Carolyn Bennett (ON) | Indigenous and Northern Affairs | Rick Theis | Yvonne Jones | Hélène Laurendeau |
| Hon. Catherine McKenna (ON) | Environment and Climate Change | Marlo Raynolds | Jonathan Wilkinson | Michael Martin |
| Hon. Chrystia Freeland (ON) | International Trade | Brian Clow | David Lametti | Christine Hogan |
| Hon. Diane Lebouthillier (QC) | National Revenue | Josée Guilmette | Emmanuel Dubourg | Andrew Treusch |
| Hon. Dominic LeBlanc (NB) | Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | Vince McNeil | Kevin Lamoureux | Michael Wernick (Clerk of the Privy Council) |
| Hon. Harjit Sajjan (BC) | Defence | Brian Bohunicky | Hon. John McKay | John Forster |
| Hon. Hunter Tootoo (NU) | Fisheries and Oceans, and Canadian Coastguard | George Young | Serge Cormier | Catherine Blewett |
| Hon. Jane Philpott (ON) | Health | Geneviève Hinse | Kamal Khera | Simon Kennedy |
| Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos (QC) | Families, Children and Social Development | Josée Duplessis | Terry Duguid | Louise Levonian |
| Hon. Jim Carr (MB) | Natural Resources | Janet Annesley | Kim Rudd | Bob Hamilton |
| Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould (BC) | Justice | Cyrus Reporter (Acting) | Sean Casey Bill Blair | William F Pentney |
| Hon. John McCallum (ON) | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship | Mathieu Bélanger | Arif Virani | Anita Biguzs |
| Hon. Judy Foote (NL) | Public Services and Procurement | Gianluca Cairo | Leona Alleslev | Marie Lemay |
| Hon. Kent Hehr (AB) | Veterans Affairs | Christine Tabbert | Karen McCrimmon | Walter Natynczyk |
| Hon. Kirsty Duncan (ON) | Science | Rob Rosenfeld | Terry Beech | John Knubley |
| Hon. Lawrence MacAulay (PE) | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Mary Jean McFall | Jean-Claude Poissant | Andrea Lyon |
| Hon. Marc Garneau (QC) | Transport | Jean-Philippe Arsenau | Kate Young | Michael Keenan |
| Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau (QC) | International Development and La francophonie | Geoffroi Montpetit | Karina Gould | Peter Boehm |
| Hon. Maryam Monsef (ON) | Democratic Institutions | Ali Salam (Acting) | Mark Holland | Michael Wernick (Clerk of the Privy Council) |
| Hon. MaryAnn Mihychuk (MB) | Employment, Workforce Development and Labour | Matthew Mitschke | Rodger Cuzner | Lori Sterling |
| Hon. Mélanie Joly (QC) | Heritage | Leslie Church | Randy Boissonnault | Graham Flack |
| Hon. Navdeep Bains (ON) | Innovation, Science and Economic Development | Elder Marques | Greg Fergus | John Knubley; Paul J. LeBlanc (ACOA); Janet King (CanNor); Nancy Horsman (FedDev Ontario); Dylan Jones (WD) |
| Hon. Patricia Hajdu (ON) | Status of Women | Monique Lugli | Anju Dhillon | Meena Ballantyne |
| Hon. Ralph Goodale (SK) | Public Safety | Marci Surkes | Michel Picard | Malcolm Brown |
| Hon. Scott Brison (NS) | Treasury Board | Sabina Saini | Joyce Murray | Yaprak Baltacioglu |
| Hon. Stéphane Dion (QC) | Global Affairs | Julian Ovens | Pamela Goldsmith-Jones Omar Alghabra (Consular Affairs) | Ian Shugart |
StrategyCorp was engaged by the City of Windsor to conduct an Economic Development Delivery Strategy. The review focused on ways to improve on the existing structure using the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation, a regional organization that provides economic development services across the Windsor/Essex region.
To complete the review, StrategyCorp conducted extensive interviews with key […]
Today, the Liberal government tabled its Speech from the Throne, officially opening the first session of the 42nd Parliament. The Speech reaffirmed a number of the commitments the Liberals made in their campaign platform, Ministerial mandate letters, and announcements to date. While the campaign platform and mandate letters identified more than 300 priorities, by […]
StrategyCorp analyzed the 2011 and 2015 raw electoral data to determine how provincial voting turnout and patterns changed between the 41st and 42nd federal elections.
Summary:
In 2015, Ontario saw a million more voters turn up at the polls than in 2011
In 2015, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta all had approximately 500,000 more voters than in […]
We recently conducted a survey of over 20 senior public sector leaders in order to learn from their experience in the design of public sector organizations. More specifically, their successes and challenges and to see if there are common themes that may be informative to other leaders as they consider potential changes in the design of […]
The Ontario government this afternoon delivered its Fall Economic Statement, which provided an update on the province’s economic growth and the status of its commitment to eliminate the provincial deficit by 2017-18. Although it has revised the province’s economic growth projections downward from earlier this year, the government was eager to announce that it […]
Finance Minister Bill Morneau has released his “Update of Economical and Fiscal Projections 2015,” which builds on the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s downgraded economic forecast. The federal government maintains that the Canadian economic outlook is likely to result in a deficit of over $3 billion deficit by year’s end – which differs from the Conservative […]
Some would say “absolutely not”; it’s their role to guide, direct and hold senior management accountable. Others would say “absolutely” since the design of an organization is critical to strategy execution. There is not necessarily a right answer. The degree of Board engagement and their role in organizational design will depend on a number […]
Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, was sworn in this morning along with a cabinet that is the most diverse in the country’s history. The new Prime Minister’s choice to select a cabinet that reflects the youthful group of Liberal MPs elected on October 19th is in line with the change […]
Moderated by Paul Wells from Maclean’s Magazine and co-sponsored by Concordia’s Workshops on Social Science Research (WSSR) and the Department of Political Science, this post-election panel will draw on the expertise of a variety of prominent pundits and seasoned specialists of Canadian politics.
Watch the video here >>
Tonight’s election rings down the curtain on 10 years of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, and the advent of a Liberal majority government under Justin Trudeau.
The Liberals’ two challenges
To govern successfully, Trudeau and his team will face two defining challenges: scope and pace.
First, the scale. Harper’s government has fundamentally re-wired federal public policy in almost […]
How the province has dominated this federal election campaign, in ways both historic and unexpected
John Duffy
“You have to understand,” the federal strategist told me in the spring of 2013, “that this whole thing is a massive Quebec play.” Campaign 2015’s fundamental story is the re-emergence of the province’s issues and tendencies at the centre […]
While industrial policy has played a minimal role in the federal election campaign – particularly with all three platforms released so late in the game – in the lead-up to Election Day on Monday, we wanted to highlight some of the policy differences between the parties. Download and share our quick reference guide to […]
As we enter the final two weeks of one of the longest election campaigns in Canadian history, the battle for the progressive vote appears to be consolidating around the Liberal Party of Canada. There will be much ink spilled after the election as to why this happened. The issue that may receive the most […]
Experience across Ontario has taught us that there are policies – basic principles and practices or ‘rules of the road’ – that will contribute significantly to municipal Councils getting the very best from the talent and energy of their municipal staff, at all levels. Some of those policies reflect basic common sense and human […]
Highlights
Two recent decisions reconfirm the powers of utility regulators to disallow, in appropriate circumstances, the recovery by utilities of costs arising from past commitments.
Utility regulators may disallow such costs even when they arise from legally binding collective agreements and employee pension plans.
The decisions equip regulators to address more actively the growing concerns about overly-generous […]
The economy is repeatedly named as the number one issue that Canadians will have on their minds as they vote on October 19th. The ballot box question is likely to be some variation of the following question: “Which party has the best plan to manage the economy during uncertain economic times?”
Each of the three […]
The Ontario legislature resumes today (September 14th) after a three-month summer break, with the Wynne government anticipated to focus on implementing major policy commitments announced over the past several months.
There has been some change in representation at Queen’s Park over the summer with the election of Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Leader Patrick Brown in […]
Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Leader Patrick Brown is projected to win the Simcoe North by-election, and will become Leader of Ontario’s Official Opposition once he is sworn in as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP).
Although it was widely predicted that Brown would win the riding that Garfield Dunlop had held since its creation in […]
By Aleck Dadson & Patrick Moyle
In late April, the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets, led by former TD Bank President and CEO Ed Clark, released its recommendations regarding Hydro One and Ontario’s electricity distribution sector. It is worth pausing to consider, nearly three months later, how those recommendations have been received and what […]
History was made this week with Alberta’s first ever Speech from the Throne from an NDP government. Unlike other Throne Speeches, this was a cautious effort from a new government that is going out of its way to give comfort to Albertans that the NDP is not going to do anything drastic. There were […]
Premier Rachel Notley and her eleven cabinet colleagues were sworn in on Sunday in a very public ceremony on the steps of the Alberta Legislature. With just a dozen ministers, it’s one of the smallest cabinets in the province since the Great Depression.
Some observers have expressed concern about the level of experience of the […]
For Jim Prentice, winning the Alberta election meant his government would have likely overseen the approval of pipelines for market access and the opening of a new refinery in the province, the North West Sturgeon Upgrader. Now that distinction is likely to go to Rachel Notley and the NDP.
The NDP have always been passionate […]
Now in power, there are a number of issues that face the Notley Crew. From slumping oil prices to the structural and organizational concerns with Alberta Health Services, none seem small. Before those issues can be addressed, however, the Premier-elect will have to take into consideration five key challenges. In no particular order:
The NDP […]
The election of Rachel Notley as Premier of Alberta will change the way the Government of Alberta (GOA) does business. In the weeks and months ahead, industry can expect that Alberta’s new NDP Premier will do things differently. The Globe and Mail reported today that Premier-elect Notley is expected to be sworn in earlier […]
The Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Party announced today that backbench Conservative MP Patrick Brown is the new leader of the party. Brown defeated former Deputy PC Party Leader Christine Elliott, MPP, who was considered the frontrunner at the outset of the race.
Brown Now Looking for Provincial Seat
Brown is expected to announce his resignation as […]
In sport, athletes study tapes of themselves, their teammates and their opponents to evaluate their mistakes and successes so they can learn from them and adjust themselves accordingly when similar situations arise. It is this type of dedication to continuous improvement that the new NDP Government in Alberta must apply to their day-to-day decision […]
The Alberta election result was widely predicted but no one actually believed it until it happened. After 44 consecutive years of Progressive Conservative governments, many still thought that the polls might be proven wrong and the PCs would, once again, be returned to power. But, after four decades, the people of Alberta have held […]
While Ontario’s Budget Day brought little in the way of newsworthy items that had not already been leaked in advance, it has helped to resolve an enduring question of the Wynne government: What is Premier Kathleen Wynne’s plan to meet her commitment to balance the province’s book by 2017-18? Based on the Budget, the […]
Aleck Dadson
Last week, the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets released its long-awaited recommendations for Hydro One, the provincially-owned transmission and distribution business. The Wynne government announced immediately thereafter that it would adopt the recommendations in full. Given these closely coordinated announcements, and the fact that the panel was empowered to negotiate on behalf […]
Today’s federal budget entitled, “Strong Leadership, A Balanced-Budget, Low-Tax Plan for Jobs, Growth and Security,” is the first milestone in a six month long campaign leading up to the fixed federal election date on October 19, 2015.
It contained 3 key chapters:
Creating Jobs and Economic Growth
Prosperous Families and Strong Secure Communities
Balancing the Budget
The Conservatives set […]
The release of the second report from the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets (“the Clark panel”) signalled the government’s intention to proceed with an IPO for Hydro One and introduce the sale of beer into a number of grocery stores.
It is worth noting that the Wynne government’s acceptance of the recommendations of the […]
Matt Thompson
Premier Kathleen Wynne has announced that Ontario would adopt a cap and trade plan to curb greenhouse gas emissions and help battle climate change. The province will eventually join the cap and trade system jointly maintained by Quebec and California under the Western Climate Initiative. This is a major policy development with potentially […]
Sector Expert to lead Energy and Utilities Group at the multi-disciplinary consulting firm
TORONTO, March. 17, 2015 – StrategyCorp Inc. is pleased to announce that former Ontario Energy Board (OEB) Chief Operating Officer, Aleck Dadson, has joined the consulting firm to lead their Energy and Utilities Group. Dadson brings considerable knowledge of the regulatory and public […]
Aleck Dadson
A number of headlines have been written about Ontario’s electricity sector in recent months. Generally, these have speculated about possible transactions in the sector, like the privatization of Hydro One. But behind the headlines, there are a number of changes afoot in the electricity sector that could have far-reaching implications for utilities and […]
Matt Thompson
The judiciary is usually the quiet branch of government, the one that goes about its work under the radar.
But earlier this month, the Supreme Court of Canada jammed the radar. With its historic Carter decision, the Court boldly recognized a constitutionally-protected right to physician-assisted suicide under certain circumstances. With one stroke, it jettisoned […]
As the Ontario legislature returns from its two-month hiatus, the policy focus of the House will be on the timing and content of the Wynne government’s budget, as well as a number of government bills that remain for consideration by the Legislative Assembly.
Politically, the focus will be on the OPP investigation into bribery allegations […]
Shawna Rossi
In the days since Target announced they would be closing all their Canadian stores and leaving the market, the news media has been flooded with stories about their demise. Reporters have been looking at the story from every angle and anyone remotely associated with the retail industry has been weighing in on talk […]
To tweet or not to tweet. That is the question.
Something as simple as 140 characters can make the difference between being employed or not employed.
Just ask Justine Sacco, a communications executive who was fired – unbeknownst to her – from InterActive Corporation during a flight to Africa because of a tweet she posted before […]
Hoy joins StrategyCorp’s roster of public affairs, communications and municipal operations experts
January 16, 2015 – Toronto, Ontario – StrategyCorp is pleased to announce the addition of former Toronto City Manager Shirley Hoy to its Municipal Affairs practice group. Shirley comes to StrategyCorp with a distinguished 30 year career in both municipal and provincial public […]
During the fall legislative session, the Wynne government re-introduced 17 pieces of legislation, and limited debate on seven key bills so that they could be passed before the end of the year.
StrategyCorp has prepared quick reference guides for: government Bills passed this fall, government legislation still being debated, and hovernment legislation that died on the […]
Shawna Rossi
Brands, celebrities, companies (and even scientists) continue to find out the hard way that our culture of social sharing can be a reputational minefield where what you say, post, or even wear can spark unexpected backlash you never intended. Recent history is littered with examples of missteps where an online firestorm can suddenly […]
We’re living in the era of the apology. A week doesn’t go by without news of an executive or celebrity who says or does something objectionable; which leads to calls for that person to apologize/be fired/resign; followed by an apology (sometimes good, but more often lacking); and then the cycle begins anew.
So if you’ve […]
The Wynne government put forward the traditional Fall Economic Statement in the Legislative Assembly this afternoon. Part snapshot of how Ontario’s economy is doing, and part guidance from the government on what might be in the spring budget, this year’s Fall Economic Statement left observers with many of the familiar questions about exactly how […]
On the heels of what members view as a disappointing election result, Ontario’s NDP held its policy convention on November 14-16, 2014, the centerpiece of which was a delegate vote on Andrea Horwath’s leadership.
In the formal leadership review on Saturday evening, 1,055 delegates voted on whether or not a leadership race should be held: […]
Organizations deal with issues every day – it’s just part of doing business. But the risk every organization faces is that, if left unchecked, a serious issue can quickly turn into a crisis and cause real harm to a business. Protecting against this requires being continually mindful of the issues that you face, but […]
John Tory was elected Mayor of Toronto tonight with 40% of support, compared to nearly 34% for right-wing populist Doug Ford and 23% for left-wing candidate, and one-time frontrunner, Olivia Chow. While Tory’s margin of victory is a little closer than expected, his centrist-positioning will provide him with a potential opportunity to break the […]
When news broke Sunday morning that CBC had cut ties with Jian Ghomeshi, it was a stark change from the announcement several days before that he was taking a leave of absence, and set up this story up for much closer media scrutiny.
Jian Ghomeshi is taking a leave of absence from CBC for ‘personal […]
Shawna Rossi – To a young journalist assigned to one of the biggest Canadian news stories in history, one timely moment must have seemed like the perfect opportunity to earn some social media karma. In the process of covering the Parliament Hill shootings in Ottawa on October 22, 2014, Vandon Gene, a new Sun […]
Ontario Government Releases Ministerial Mandate Letters
Premier Kathleen Wynne has provided directions to her Ministers. Yesterday, Ministers were provided with their mandate letters, outlining the government’s overall priorities as well as detailed priorities for each ministry. Mandate letters are a tool used by some Premiers to provide explicit direction to Ministers. Yesterday’s letters are unique […]
Welcome! On behalf of the StrategyCorp team, I’d like to welcome you to our new website.
When I first joined StrategyCorp almost seventeen years ago, we were a small team focused on traditional government relations services. What drew me to join the company was its innovative approach to strategic government relations. Right from the start, […]
Coming off its election victory in June, the focus of the Wynne government has been on passing the 2014 Ontario Budget, appointing ministerial chiefs of staff, implementing some change in the ranks of deputy ministers, and making a couple of key appointments in the Premier’s office. Download our quick reference guide of Ministers, Deputy […]
The Executive Council Of Ontario
Kathleen Wynne
Premier and President of the CouncilMinister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Deb Matthews
Deputy PremierPresident of the Treasury BoardMinister Responsible for the Poverty Reduction Strategy
Jim Bradley
Chair of CabinetDeputy Government House Leader
Michael Gravelle
Minister of Northern Development and Mines
Ted McMeekin
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Brad Duguid
Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure
Jeff Leal
Minister of Agriculture, […]
StrategyCorp’s Senior Advisor, Michael Fenn, addresses the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) in his keynote speech at their Annual General Meeting in Kleinburg, ON.
Read full speech >>
Premier Kathleen Wynne has won a majority parliament and will form the next provincial government. The Liberals won 59 seats in the 107-seat legislature with 38 percent of the popular vote, Tim Hudak’s Progressive Conservatives (PCs) shrank to 27 seats with 31 percent of the vote, and Andrea Horwath’s New Democrats won 21 seats […]
As Ontario enters the final week of the general election campaign, political observers are assessing whether Tuesday’s leader’s debate will have an impact on the final outcome. While the consensus view is that PC Leader Tim Hudak emerged as the debate’s victor, it is unclear whether his performance will be enough to put his […]
Ontario Election: Focus turns to the Television Debate, Minority Scenarios
As we hit the one-month mark in the campaign, the race between the Liberals and PCs remains a relatively close one, with the NDP still working to find their voice. While the PCs have dominated the policy landscape with their “Million Jobs Plan,” estimates […]
With public opinion poll results bouncing all over the place, we have been asked what would happen if a single political party fails to win a parliamentary majority on June 12th. While it is impossible at time of writing to predict what the election result will be, what we do know is that, as […]
This week the air war began with a whimper. Where the previous weeks dished up juicy policies, the television ads unleashed were more strategic than memorable. Each party stuck to its core message, trying to use the power of paid broadcast media to entrench its established direction. As expected, special interest groups stepped up […]
This week, the strategy of each campaign began to take shape. All three parties have used their policy proposals, and their reactions to their opponents’ positions, to position themselves for the election. On June 13th, it will be these strategic decisions – and the major assumptions that underpin them – that political observers will […]
Authors: Michael Fenn, André Côté – In Ontario, the history of provincial-municipal relations has progressed from the Baldwin Act of 1849 and the Great Depression years, to the postwar boom and the tumultuous amalgamations and Local Services Realignment of the 1990s. At different points in Ontario’s history, the pressures of managing growth, economic restructuring, […]
Authors: Michael Fenn, André Côté
Abstract
In Ontario, the history of provincial-municipal relations has progressed from the Baldwin Act of 1849 and the Depression years, to postwar boom and the tumultuous Local Services Realignment of the 1990s. At different points in Ontario’s history, the pressures of managing growth, economic restructuring, social and demographic change, environmental sustainability, […]
Political Battlegrounds Take Shape
All three campaigns experienced some bumps during the first week, which, given the anticipation of the campaign, is hard to understand. Mistakes made in week one are infrequently fatal, but if they persist, the reputational damage to a party may be impossible to repair.
Time is the currency of election campaigns, where […]
Election Day, Thursday, June 12
Despite almost every major labour union (except for OPSEU and CUPE) declaring their support for the Ontario budget, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath met with Queen’s Park media this morning and pulled the plug on further cooperation with the Liberals, declaring the New Democrats had lost confidence in the current government […]
Now that Ontario’s 2014 budget has been introduced, everyone is asking the same set of questions: will the NDP support the budget or topple the government? Will Premier Kathleen Wynne attempt to negotiate with the NDP, or pull the plug herself? The only question no one is asking is what the Conservatives will do, […]
Michael Fenn, The Mowat Centre, Published Friday April 11, 2014
StrategyCorp and The Mowat Centre have collaborated to publish a framework for public asset management and reinvestment, answering the question: “In the face of growing public debt, fiscal constraints and a growing need to invest in public infrastructure, how can Canadian governments attract local and […]
8th GCC Municipal Conference – April 8-9, 2014 – Abu Dhabi, UAE
StrategyCorp’s John Matheson took to the stage at the 8th GCC Municipal Conference in Abu Dhabi to discuss the merits of Public-Private Collaboration. Organized under the slogan “Sustainable Municipal Services to Enhance the Quality of Life”, the Conference focused on:
– Best Practice and […]
Authors: Chris Loreto, Dave McCleary
ReNew Canada: Municipalities must drive innovation through a new generation of partnerships
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Tonight’s pick-up of a seat by the New Democrats in Niagara Falls means that a provincial general election this spring is looking ever more likely. While most political observers thought that the province was already heading towards an election around budget time, the NDP is likely to feel emboldened by Wayne Gates’ victory, the […]
To use an Olympic analogy, today’s budget was the qualifying round for Budget 2015. It was a “business as usual” budget where the government sought to show progress on some key files while demonstrating overall fiscal restraint and paving the way to a budget surplus in 2015. It is important to remember that many […]
StrategyCorp’s David MacNaughton to become Canada’s next Ambassador to the United States
Canadian business leader, David MacNaughton, selected to become Canada’s next Ambassador to the United States
MacNaughton to leave his post as Chairman at StrategyCorp, a public affairs, communications, and management consulting firm, at the end of February 2016
January 16, 2016 – Toronto – David MacNaughton will be appointed by the Governor General of Canada to become […]