Government Doesn’t Take the Summer Off. Neither Should Your Advocacy.
When Queen’s Park rises for the summer, many organizations assume government does too, and they take their foot off the gas. Don’t make that mistake. Government doesn’t stop when the Legislature does. Ministers are on the road. MPPs are on the ground in their ridings. Political staff are working on priorities for the fall. Policy […]
Pipeline peace and Premier David Eby’s economic agenda highlight historic deal brokered by Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier David Eby today announced an historic and comprehensive economic agreement that touches on nearly every sector of the province’s economy while brokering peace between British Columbia and Alberta on the divisive issue of pipeline construction. The Canada-British Columbia Prosperity Agreement provides federal financial support to a series of critically […]
Pegah Taj and Maleeka Thomas Join Counsel Public Affairs
Counsel expands teams in BC and Ottawa Counsel continues to grow its expert team, strengthening its presence across multiple jurisdictions and expanding its ability to support clients navigating complex policy, regulatory, and government relations environments. With the addition of Pegah Taj as Senior Consultant in Victoria and Maleeka Thomas as Consultant in Ottawa, Counsel continues […]
Counsel at CRIC 2026 – Some Thoughts on Insights, AI, and Where We Go From Here
Recently, I had the privilege of attending CRIC’s national conference at The Carlu in downtown Toronto (CRIC stands for Canadian Research Insights Council). The conference was an opportunity for Canada’s research, analytics, and insights community to come together to share ideas and celebrate innovation beneath the timeless Art Moderne ceilings of the former Eaton’s Seventh […]
From Assumption to Insight: Driving smarter strategy with qualitative research
In the business of helping organizations to strategize, influence, and lead in their respective spaces, decisions often need to be made quickly. In this environment, opinion research can be a critical source of information, but to bring value, it must keep pace. Quantitative research tools, namely surveys or polls, are often the first (or the […]
An Industrial Strategy for AI: Canada Picks Adoption Over Regulation
Key takeaways: The document is an industrial strategy for fostering domestic AI champions, expanding access to compute, leveraging AI for health research, and training workers to use these new tools. There are nods to regulation, but nothing that wasn’t already being discussed in the prior Parliament. Privacy legislation and the online harms bill are coming, […]
Manitoba Legislature Wraps Spring Session Amid Procedural Battles and Policy Priorities
As the Manitoba Legislature adjourns for the summer, the 2026 spring session will be remembered as much for procedural conflict as policy debate. In the closing days of the session, MLAs sat through overnight sittings as government and opposition members battled over the passage of the Budget Implementation and Tax Statutes Amendment Act (BITSA). The […]
The BC Legislature Awards: Spring Session Edition
British Columbia’s tumultuous legislative session ends today with the House rising until Oct. 5. It began with a rare moment of unity as all parties in the Legislature came together in mourning following the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge that claimed nine lives, including the shooter. Days later, the tone shifted sharply back to politics […]
Inside Premier Smith’s Cabinet Shuffle: What Changed and Why It Matters
Premier Smith Shuffles Cabinet: What Alberta’s New Ministry Lineup Signals for Stakeholders Premier Danielle Smith announced a major cabinet shuffle today that includes significant movement of senior ministers to new portfolios and offers an early look at the government’s political and policy priorities just over a year out from the next provincial election. The shuffle […]
When Policy Meets Reality: Navigating Ontario’s Species Conservation Act Transition
Managing Transition Effectively: Species Conservation Act Anyone who has worked in government knows that even the most meticulously designed policy is still at the mercy of the law of unintended consequences. Operational success happens on the ground, not in an ivory tower. The real test is how policy changes interact with the real economy once implementation begins. When the pens are finally put down, you’re only just beginning. Ontario’s transition from the Endangered Species […]