Meet the Power & Politics panellists

You can watch full episodes of Power & Politicson CBC Gem, the CBC's streaming service.

*The panellists appearing on Power & Politics come from various professional and political backgrounds.Many work in the field of public affairs and government relations.All are required to publicly disclose, live on the air, any conflicts or business dealings they or the companies they work for have that are directly related to the issue being discussed.

Cameron Ahmad

Current position: Independent consultant

Experience:Cameron has over a decade of experience advising political leaders on campaigns, communications, crisis management, strategy and public policy. Most recently, he served as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's director of communications, a position he held for nearly five years after serving as his press secretary since 2014. He has been involved in political activism at the provincial and federal levels since he was a student, and began his career in Montreal working for the Quebec Liberal government. He played key roles in three successful federal election campaigns, worked on major policy changes and has handled more press conferences than he can possibly remember.

Amanda Alvaro

Current Position: Founder and president of Toronto-based public relations agency Pomp & Circumstance

Experience: Amanda was a senior communications adviser toboth Justin Trudeau's Liberalleadership bid and his party's election campaign. At the provincial level, Amanda worked as a communications and issues adviser to the Ontario Liberals through successive election campaigns. Amanda is also the founder of Artbound, a Canadian charity responsible for building arts schools and programs in developing countries.

Rick Bell

Current position: Columnist, Calgary Sun

Experience: After a decade as a teacher in Manitoba, Rick moved to Alberta because it was the ideal place to stir things up. Now, more than three decades later, Rick has covered sports, crime, soccer hooligans and Vegas boxers. He ran a hopeless and penniless campaign for mayor of Calgary and for years has squared off with politicians of all stripes.

Rick has won readers' choice awards as well as recognition for his advocacy on behalf of consumers and veterans and for going on TV and making people laugh. He has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Doug Creighton Award for Editorial Excellence.

Rob Benzie

Current Position: Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star

Experience: Robert has covered provincial, federal, and municipal politics in Canada since the 1990s. Before joining the Toronto Star in 2003, he was a political reporter for the National Post, a paper he helped launch in 1998. A National Newspaper Award and Michener Award nominee, he has covered countless elections and leadership contests. Robert is a graduate of Western University and Concordia University. Born in Australia to a Jamaican mother and a Scottish father, he is one of the 360,370 shareholders in the Green Bay Packers.

FranoiseBoivin

Current Position:Labour law commentator at 104.7 FM,strategic adviser andmedia relations coach,political commentator on RDI's Mordus de politique

Experience:Franoiseis a labour lawyer who has practisedmore than 30 years in theOutaouaisregion of western Quebec. In 2004, she was elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal MP. Elected president of theNDP's Quebec wing in 2008, she worked with JackLaytonto helpmake the party the Official Opposition in the2011 election andbecame the NDPMP for the riding ofGatineau,serving as justice critic.Francoise hosted her own radio show onCJRC-1150for several years, in addition to serving as a political and legal commentator for several radio and television programs.

Michele Cadario

Current position: CEO of Vanguard Strategy Inc.

Experience: In 2004, Michele was the first woman to be named national director of a federal campaign in Canada. She served as deputy chief of staff to Prime Minister Paul Martin and later to B.C. Premier Christy Clark. Today, Michele is CEO of Vanguard Strategy Inc., a consulting firm specializing in organizational structuring, strategic communications and issues management. She's also a principal and founder of J&M Leadership Network, a company focussed on increasing the number of women on corporate boards.

Kelly Cryderman

Current Position:Reporter and columnist for the Globe and Mail

Experience:Kelly makes regular appearances on political panels for CBC News Network and CBC Calgary News at 6. She has degrees from Carleton University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, and has worked for the Ottawa Citizen, the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Herald. Kelly has been with the Globe in Calgary since 2013 and writes about politics, energy and all things Alberta.

Catherine Cullen

Current position: Host of CBC's award-winning political program THE HOUSE on CBC Radio and CBC Listen, senior reporter in the Parliament Hill bureau.

Experience: Catherine began her career at CBC in 2014 based in Ottawa. She covered the final months of the Stephen Harper era and the 2015 election that brought Justin Trudeau to power. She has reported on major changes in Canadian law, including cannabis legalization and legislation permitting medically assisted death. She's worked across the globe, from Beijing to Brussels, Addis Ababa to Washington D.C. Catherine is a familiar face to viewers of The National and CBC News Network's Power & Politics.

Laura D'Angelo

Current position: VP, National Strategy and Public Affairs at Enterprise Canada

Experience: Laura leads Enterprise Canada's Ottawa office and federal government relations practice. Previously, she was a senior member of the Prime Minister's Office in the Trudeau government, where she provided high-level strategic advice. Laura also played key roles in the 2015 and 2019 election campaigns. Armed with over a decade of experience with working alongside C-suite leaders, Laura brings her expertise in business and politics together to provide insight and strategic advice on the days' current affairs.

Fred DeLorey

Current position: Partner, NorthStar Public Affairs

Experience: In the 2021 general election, Fred served as the national campaign manager for the Conservative Party of Canada. Against a backdrop of challenges, his leadership orchestrated a campaign that defied and surpassed prevailing expectations. His mastery of narrative-shaping is supported by rigorous opinion research, a testament to his conviction that data-driven insights are essential for effective strategy.

Fred has a long history in political strategy. He was the director of field operations for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and director of political operations for former prime minister Stephen Harper. He was the national spokesperson for the Conservatives during their winning 2011 campaign. His strategic insights are highly valued and he has been a trusted adviser to some of Canada's most influential leaders, including prime ministers, premiers and mayors.

Beyond the political arena, Fred has leveraged his expertise as a consultant-lobbyist to serve blue-chip corporations in the technology and health care industries.

As a regular contributor on CBC's Power & Politics' Political Pulse panel, Fred brings a wealth of experience and an incisive understanding of Canadian politics, making him a must-watch analyst for audiences seeking a nuanced perspective.

Matthew Dub

Current Position:Vice-president at Proof Strategies

Experience:Matthew served two terms in the House of Commons as member of Parliament for Beloeil-Chambly inQubec. Now based in Ottawa, he is vice president of government relations at Proof Strategies, a public affairs, government relations, public relations and marketing agency.He was vice-chair of the House of Commons standing committee on public safety and national security and served as deputy House leader while being twice elected NDP caucus chair by his peers.He also sits on the boards of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians and the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation.

Charelle Evelyn

Current Position: Managing editor of The Hill Times

Experience: Charelle began her professional journalism career in Ottawa after graduating from Carleton University in 2008 before heading back to her home province of British Columbia to work for the Prince George Citizen. She returned to the National Capital Region in 2016 to join Hill Times Publishing. Her previous roles thereincludedreporter and associate editor of The Wire Reportand deputy editor of The Hill Times. Charelle also worked as a field reporter for CPAC's Ridings to Watch series during the 2019 election.

Amanda Galbraith

Current position: Partner at Oyster Group

Experience: After two decades on the front lines of some of the most high-profile issues in Canada, Amanda is one of Canada's leading crisis communications and reputation management experts.

Amanda has advised countless candidates and politicians at all three levels of government, including former prime minister Stephen Harper and former Toronto mayor John Tory.

She is regularly featured in national media and is the host of Free For All Friday, a weekly national radio show.

A small town girl at heart, Amanda never forgot Red Green's advice to keep your stick on the ice. She is happiest on a spin bike or in her kayak.

Kate Harrison

Current Position: Vice chair of Summa Strategies Canada

Experience: Kate is a public affairs professional who has advised clients on government relations and communications strategies for the past 15 years. Her client roster includes some of North America's largest companies, as well as leading industry associations which navigate major challenges on behalf of dozens of different corporate entities. She is an active contributor and volunteer to Canada's conservative movement, having worked as a grassroots activist for both the Conservative Party of Canada and the Ontario PC Party for the last two decades. Kate serves on the board of the Canada Strong and Free Network, the country's largest organization dedicated to advancing the conservative movement in Canada. She is a regular commentator on local and national media and recently served as campaign co-chair for a successful mayoral campaign in Ottawa. Kate resides in Ottawa with her husband and two active toddlers and proudly hails from Ontario's beautiful Kawartha Lakes region.

Vandana Kattar

Current position: Vandana is a political strategist, focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion

Experience: Vandana has over a decade of experience in politics, including roles in federal opposition and Ontario politics. She began working for Justin Trudeau on his leadership campaign, helping to build a national team of organizers across the country. Vandana moved on to work in a number of roles in the federal government, most recently as the prime minister's director of operations, outreach and planning.

Sarbjit Kaur

Current Position: Co-founder of GTA-based communications firm KAPOW Comms

Experience: Sarbjit is a former journalist who has worked on more than a dozen federal, provincial and municipal political campaigns. At the provincial level, she worked in senior communications roles with the Ontario Liberals in four ministries (Transportation, Small Business, Consumer Services, Government Services) and the civil service. She has served on numerous boards and regularly supports charitable causes.

Shachi Kurl

Current Position:President of the Angus Reid Institute

Experience: Shachi spent the first part of her career as political reporter and holds a degree in journalism and political science from Carleton University. Kurl is a recipient of the prestigious Jack Webster Award for Best TV Reporting. Along with former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard and former U.K. prime minister Margaret Thatcher, she is an alumnus of the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program. Her expertise has been sought by policymakers who have invited her to testify before parliamentary committees at the House of Commons.

Brad Lavigne

Current Position:Principal and vice president, Western Canada, Counsel Public Affairs

Experience: Brad is an experienced political operative who served in a number of capacities with the New Democratic Party, including as campaign manager of the NDP's historic 2011 federal campaign. He is also the former principal secretary to the late Jack Layton and former director of communications for the federal NDP. Brad also worked as an adviser in the B.C. Premier's Office and as chief of staff to the B.C. minister of finance.

Jordan Leichnitz

Current position: Jordan Leichnitz has served as the Canada program manager for the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung since 2020, and is a weekly panelist on the podcast The Curse of Politics.

Experience: Jordan has almost twenty years of experience with progressive political strategy, campaigns and policy development in Canada at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. She spent a decade on Parliament Hill working in senior strategy positions for leaders of the New Democratic Party of Canada, including deputy chief of staff, and oversaw policy development and issues management for the parliamentary caucus. She holds a master's degree in political science from the University of Ottawa and lives in the nation's capital with her partner and two young children.

Greg MacEachern

Current position: Principal, KAN Strategies (Ottawa)

Experience: Greg's love of watching all things political along with his growing realization he was a political geek started with the federal PC and Liberal leadership conventions in the 1980s. Starting as a campaign volunteer during the "free trade election" of 1988, Greg went on to work at all three levels of government, including as director of communications for the Nova Scotia Liberals, a bureaucrat at Halifax City Hall and as a senior ministerial adviser in Paul Martin's government. Greg also served on two national election campaign teams as the media/advance lead for Atlantic Canada. He has been providing political commentary for the past 15 years.

Jason Markusoff

Current Position: CBC News

Experience: Jason has been based in Calgary for Maclean's since 2015 and is a two-time National Magazine Award gold medallist. He is now the Opinion and Analysis Producer forCBC Calgary. Before getting into the magazine racket, he spent more than a decade reporting for the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald. He grew up in Dundas, Ont., and is a graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa.

James Moore

Current Position: Senior adviser at the multinational law firm Dentons, public policy adviser at the global firm Edelman and a corporate director.

Experience:Mooreserved as Canada's minister of Industry, minister of Canadian Heritage,secretary of state for the Asia Pacific Gateway and minister for the 2010 Olympics over a five-term, 15-year career as a Conservative member of Parliament (2000-2015). He was the senior regional minister for the province of British Columbia and the is the youngest cabinet minister and member of Parliament in B.C.'s history.

Emilie Nicolas

Current Position:Columnist with Le Devoir and The Montreal Gazette

Experience:

Emilie Nicolas is a columnist with Le Devoir and The Montreal Gazette and a consultant and public speaker on public policy, equity, human rights, international cooperation, race and gender issues. She is a regular contributor to several TV and radio shows and has been published in multiple journals, magazines and newspapers, both in French and English. Most recently, she won Quebec's cultural magazine (SODEP) 2020 Excellence Award for Best Essay for a piece in Libert magazine. Emilie is also a course instructor in the Book and Media Studies Department at St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto, where she teaches a course on the Black Lives Matter movement in the media.

Emilie is a co-founder of Qubec inclusif (2013), a movement that united citizens against islamophobia and social exclusion. She also initiated a coalition campaigning for equality and against systemic racism in Quebec (2016). She is a board member with the Canadian Race Relation Foundation, a Crown corporation focused on antiracism, and Informed Opinions, a non-profit pushing for gender balance in the media.

Emilie is the recipient of a Harry Jerome Award for leadership along with a Governor General's Award. She completed the Action Canada Fellowship (2015) as well as the Jeanne Sauv Public Leadership Fellowship (2019)

Cheryl Oates

Current Position: Principal at GT&Co, a Canada-based consulting firm, and co-host of The Discourse, one of Canada's most downloaded political podcasts.

Experience: Cheryl is a communications expert and strategic adviser. She served as the executive director of communications and planning for Alberta Premier Rachel Notley from 2015 to 2019 and has held senior roles in New Democrat election campaigns across the Prairies. Cheryl's political background is complemented by her international experience. She has worked as a communications consultant in multiple countries, collaborating with governments, political parties and civil society organizations. She also lectures on Political Communication and Rhetoric at McGill's Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Stevie O'Brien

Current position:Senior adviser at McMillan Vantage and counsel at McMillan LLP

Experience: Stevie served as chief of staff to several cabinet ministers on the Hill and at Queen's Park. She was chief of staff to Bill Blair when he drove forward cannabis legalization, and to procurement ministers Anita Anand and Filomena Tassi throughout Canada's COVID-19 response. Stevie is co-lead of McMillan LLP's procurement law group and a senior adviser at their strategically affiliated public affairs firm McMillan Vantage.

Martin Patriquin

Current Position:Journalist at The Logic

Experience:Martin is a National Magazine Award winner.He hasworked for Maclean's, the New York Times, the Globe and Mail and the National Post.He is a frequent contributor to Radio-Canada and the BBC. He has contributed to The Walrus magazine, the Literary Review of Canada and many others. Martin is a graduate of Mount Allison University.

Tim Powers

Current Position: Vice-Chairman of Summa Strategies and managing director of Abacus Data.

Experience: A columnist and commentator, Tim has worked on numerous Canadian federal political campaigns for Conservatives and conservative parties dating back to the early 1990s. Working as an adviser and political operative, Tim has advised party leaders and cabinet ministers. He hasraisedfundsfor federal and provincial parties across the country. Tim is also the current chairman of Rugby Canada.

Shannon Proudfoot

Current Title: Ottawa-based reporter for The Globe and Mail

Experience: Since beginning her journalism career in 2005, Shannon has covered a 1,600-km dogsled race across the tundra, a royal wedding, a newly unearthed Old Master artwork, voter rage, the image-making and -breaking of a prime minister and the evolution of assisted death in Canada. A feature writer by nature, she now writes on federal politics and public policy, often with an eye to its hidden complexities and human side. Previously, she was the Ottawa bureau chief for Maclean's and wrote for Sportsnet magazine, Postmedia News and the Ottawa Citizen. She believes The Golden Girls is the greatest television show ever created and that people who engage in public stunt marriage proposals are awful.

Lisa Raitt

Current position: Co-chair, Coalition for a Better Future

Experience: The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets in January 2020, having previously worked in both the public and private sectors. Ms. Raitt's current focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors topics which align closely with her deep expertise.

Before taking on her current role, Ms. Raitt was the president and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and held three senior cabinet portfolios Natural Resources, Labour and Transport. Most recently, Ms. Raitt was the deputy leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada.

Ms. Raitt holds a bachelor of science degree from St. Francis Xavier University, a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Guelph and an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1998. In 2020, Ms. Raitt was named a Woodrow Wilson Center global fellow of the Canada Institute.

Mlanie Richer

Current position: Senior consultant at Earnscliffe Strategies

Experience: Mlanie Richer has eight years of experience in federal and provincial politics in communications, media relations and issues and crisis management. Mlanie was the director of communications and media for Canada's NDP and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.

Mlanie also served as the communications and media lead for Singh on tour during the 2021 election and was his director of communications in the NDP war room in the 2019 election. She also served as the communications and media lead on tour for Andrea Horwath in the 2022 Ontario election, for Gary Burrill in the 2017 Nova Scotia election and for Earle McCurdy in the 2015 Newfoundland and Labrador election.

Ginny Roth

Current position: Partner, Crestview Strategy

Experience: Ginny advises Canadian companies, multinationals and non-profits across various sectors on their public affairs strategies. She is also a political commentator who appears on major television and radio outlets, and a contributor to The Hub and The National Post. She is a lifelong political activist and volunteer, having most recently served as director of communications for Pierre Poilievre's Conservative leadership campaign.

Rob Russo

Current position: Former parliamentary bureau chief for CBC News

Experience: Rob Russo is a veteran political journalist and analyst who recently retired as the Ottawa bureau chief for CBC News.

After a reporting career in Toronto, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Washington, Russo ran several news bureaus over a three-decade career at The Canadian Press. At each stop as a news leader he was lucky enough to be surrounded by spirited and determined journalists.

His peers in the Parliamentary Press Gallery gave him the Charles Lynch Award for outstanding contributions to national political coverage. He is also a recent recipient of the Hyman Solomon Award, given out by the Public Policy Forum for providing insight into the policy making process in Canada and explaining how public policy affects collective progress.

Russo grew up in Toronto, cheers for (or rages at) the Montreal Canadiens and remains an irrepressible optimist despite almost 40 years in journalism.

Rachael Segal

Current position:CEO, Beyond a Ballot

Experience: Rachael is a lawyer with a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall law school. She served in various policy roles in the Harper government, including the government House leader's office and the minister of public safety's office. Rachael has extensive media experience and has worked full time as an on-air contributor and a political contributor for CBC Radio Vancouver. She is the founder and CEO of Beyond a Ballot, an organization dedicated to encouraging more Canadian women to engage with politics.

Niigaan Sinclair

Current Position:Professor in the Department of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba.

Experience:Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair is Anishinaabe (St. Peter's/Little Peguis) and an award-winning writer, editor and activist who was named toMonocle Magazine's list of"Canada's Top 20 Most Influential People." He won the 2018 Canadian columnist of the year at the National Newspaper Awards for his bi-weekly columns in The Winnipeg Free Press. In 2019, he was namedPeace Educator of the Year bythe Peace and Justice Studies Association atGeorgetown University in Washington, D.C. for his work as an international media commentator on outlets such as CBC, APTNand Al-Jazeera America.

Michael Solberg

Current position: Partner, New West Public Affairs

Experience:

Born and raised in southern Alberta, Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Lethbridge and holds a post-graduate Professional Certificate in Public Relations from Mount Royal University.

With a special focus on business development, Michael started his career in a leadership role for an international staffing and management consultancy.

From there, Michael built expertise in government relations and stakeholder engagement as stakeholder relations adviser to the federal minister of health. Michael has led and participated in political campaigns in constituencies across the country, including in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. He has deep personal and professional connections in both conservative and progressive parties in many parts of the country, particularly in Alberta and Ottawa.

Michael also served on the board of directors for the peer-to-peer mental health support group SupportWorks in Calgary and remains an active volunteer with the Economic Club of Canada.

Laura Stone

Current Position: Queen's Park reporter, Globe and Mail.

Experience:Laura covers Ontario politics for the Globebutstill dabbles in the federal scene. She joined the Globe in February 2016, reporting in the Ottawa Parliamentary bureau until she started at Queen's Park in October 2018. Laura was the first recipient of the Michelle Lang award at the Calgary Herald, where she wrote a national series about women's prisons. In 2015, she won the Canadian Journalism Foundation's Greg Clark Award, which allowed her inside the RCMP's Senate investigation.Laura likes to profile politicians over lunch. She always picks up her own tab.

Andrew Thomson

Current Position:Chief of government relations for the University of Toronto

Experience:Andrew was first elected to the Saskatchewan legislature in 1995 and spent 12 years as an MLA.He served in the NDPcabinetas minister forfinance, education, public safetyand energy. After leaving politicshe worked overseas in the tech sector, returning to Canada in 2015.Andrew nowserves on the Board of Family Services Toronto and the CD Howe Institute's Human Capital Policy Council.

Marie Vastel

Current Position: Editorial writer for Le Devoir

Experience: Marie is a frequent political analyst forCBC Radio, CBC News Networkand Radio-Canada. Shepreviously worked for The Canadian Press. Marie has covered Parliament Hill since 2009, reporting on everything from defence procurement to democratic reform to social issues and the Senate.

Zain Velji

Current Position: Partner at Northweather a marketing and strategy firm for charities, non-profitsand cause-based businesses and host ofStrategists Podcast.

Experience: Campaign manager for Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, campaign adviser and head ofdigital strategy for former Alberta premier Rachel Notley. He workedon campaigns forU.S. Sen.Elizabeth Warren and U.S. President Barack Obama. Zain was named one of Calgary's Top 40 under 40 by Avenue and was awarded the Horizon Award for alumni contributions by the University of Alberta. He serves on the board of YMCA Calgary and chairs the board of the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Zain has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Alberta.

Laryssa Waler

Current position: Founder, Henley Strategies

Experience: Laryssa was the media liaison for the 2022 papal visit to Canada, which was focused on Indigenous reconciliation. From 2018-2020, Laryssa was the executive director of communications for the premier of Ontario. Laryssa started her career in Ottawa working in the Harper government at Health Canada and Industry Canada. She has also worked with the cannabis, gambling, construction and health sectors.

Laryssa is a passionate defender of Ukraine and has used her expertise to support the international response to the most recent Russian invasion. For this work, the Russian Federation has sanctioned her personally. She holds a degree from the University of Toronto and a graduate certificate in public relations from Humber College. She is fluent in English, Ukrainian and French.

Marieke Walsh

Current Position:Political reporter, The Globe and Mail.

Experience: Marieke has covered politics since 2011, first on Parliament Hill and then at the Nova Scotia legislature and Ontario's Queen's Park before heading back to Ottawa in time for the 2019 federal election.

Leah Ward

Current position: VP, Wellington Advocacy

Experience: Leah leads Wellington Advocacy's Manitoba and B.C. practice. Previously, they served as a senior adviser to Premier Rachel Notley in Alberta and was the director of communications for the Alberta NDP Caucus. Leah also has experience working and advising on local, provincial and federal campaigns. Leah has two decades of experience in both the public and private sectors and provides practical and strategic advice to labour leaders, business executives and politicians. They offer regular commentary on CBC News Network and CBC Calgary News at 6.

Paul Wells

Current Position:Journalist

Experience: Paul was political editor of Maclean's magazine before working as national affairs columnist at the Toronto Star in 2016-17. Over 13 years at Maclean's the first time around, Paul won three gold National Magazine Awards and moderated Maclean's 2015 national leaders' debate, which drew more viewers than the two other English debates combined. His book "The Longer I'm Prime Minister" won the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize, the John W. Dafoe Book Prize and the Ottawa Book Award. Paul returned to Maclean's as senior writer in 2017.