Experts are available to share notable insight on digital advocacy strategies, business implications, proprietary reputation data and national + regional priorities.
TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2021 /CNW/ - Hill+Knowlton Strategies' (H+K) public affairs, digital advocacy, research and corporate advisory experts are available for media commentary and analysis during Canada's 2021 federal election. The team is comprised of seasoned experts from across the country, from various disciplines and from across party and non-partisan backgrounds.
During the election H+K will be administering a national survey on the reputation of federal party leaders and their parties to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each. The research will focus on undecided voters demonstrating the opportunities that exist for parties and party leaders. The research will uncover which leader the undecided voters hold the most confidence in and where there are gaps in perception between party leaders and their parties.
In addition to discussing the research, H+K experts are available to provide analysis of digital advocacy strategies; the implication of campaign news for corporations; provincial priorities from Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec; and high-impact national affairs.
To inquire about H+K's roster of experts, please contact Jillena Oberparleiter by email at: [email protected]
Reputation Data:
H+K is administering surveys across a statistically relevant and representative sample of Canadians to determine the reputation of federal party leaders and their parties. The results of this research will identify both the strengths and weaknesses in each party's and party leader's reputation, as well as the issues that are most important to Canadians. The research may also show discrepancies between perceptions of the party leader and the party as an institution. For example, it may be that people have certain perceptions of the Conservative party but different perceptions of Erin O'Toole. Importantly, this survey will allow assessments of Canadians' political leanings and, in doing so, will demonstrate the opportunities that exist for parties and party leaders amongst undecided voters.
The reputation of federal parties and party leaders will be evaluated against H+K's Reputation+ framework, which has been vetted by international reputation management experts. All data will be stored and accessible in H+K's proprietary Reputation+ dashboard which can be shown to the public during video media appearances and pictured within print/online articles. By showcasing data in the Reputation+ dashboard, audiences will be able to interact with and segment data. This will allow all interested parties to see the issues that matter by specific demographic characteristics, thereby demonstrating the importance of tailored communications and messaging.
Speciality Experts:
Lindsay Finneran-Gingras | Digital advocacy: Lindsay is one of Canada's leading digital public affairs strategists, having built and led campaigns for major corporate and issues files. Her work has pioneered the digital public affairs space in Canada, combing data, insight and strategy to build and win critical campaigns. Lindsay is a commentator on political digital campaigns, digital communications trends, advertising, data and analytics, social and digital engagement.
Jason MacDonald | Business implications for corporations: Jason is a bilingual communicator with over two decades of public and private sector corporate communications experience. A seasoned adviser, he draws on knowledge gained from his time working for Canada's largest media organization in a range of senior roles, as well as from his tenure as director of communications and chief spokesperson for Canada's 22nd Prime Minister.
Elliott Gauthier | Data + analytics, reputation data tracking: Elliott has designed and overseen non-partisan polling for major media outlets, digital media and clients in every provincial election in Ontario, federal election and select provincial elections in British Columbia and Alberta for 20 years. As an expert in innovative mix-mode and cross-disciplined research methods, Elliott can provide data-backed insight on the nature of party support, key issues, topics and the opportunities that exist for the parties and their leaders.
Ontario Based Experts:
Will Stewart | Conservative, national affairs: Will Stewart is a senior strategic advisor with over 20 years' experience in public affairs and is the national lead for Public Affairs + Advocacy for Canada. A regular speaker and strategist on public policy, Will has spent much of his career in and around politics notably serving as Chief of Staff to the Ontario Minister of Energy. Will was named by the Hill Times as one of the Top 100 Lobbyists in the country for seven consecutive years and has spent hundreds of hours in front of TV camera, radio microphones and featured in written publications as a strategist and commentator.
Vivek Prabhu | Conservative, national + Ontario affairs, digital advocacy: Vivek has deep knowledge and experience from various provincial governments and elections campaigns as well as the federal government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He played a key role in the successful election campaign war rooms of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in traditional and digital advertising. He served as a senior communications advisor and digital director to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark and served in the office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
John Delacourt | Liberal, national affairs: John has tremendous experience in Canadian national affairs as he spent twelve years working on Parliament Hill for three Liberal governments. He was the Director of Communications at the Liberal Caucus Research Bureau where he worked closely with the Prime Minister's Office. Prior to that he worked with Ministers and Members of Parliament. He is a successful author, contributing writer and frequent commentator on national affairs. John was named by the Hill Times as one of the top lobbyists of 2020.
Kevin Bosch | Liberal, national affairs: Kevin has over two decades of experience working with elected officials, notably serving in various leadership roles with the Liberal Research Bureau, providing two Prime Ministers and three Liberal leaders with strategic research and advice. He served as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada campaign team for six consecutive general elections between 2000-2015. He also worked with the Alberta Liberal Caucus at the Alberta Legislative Assembly in Edmonton. Kevin was named by the Hill Times as one of the top lobbyists of 2020.
Meagan Murdoch | Conservative, national affairs, agriculture + agri-food: For nearly a decade, Meagan was a communications advisor within the federal government including as Director of Communications to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. She's worked on several provincial and federal campaigns from Newfoundland and Labrador to Vancouver Island and did media + issues management in the 2015 war room for the Conservative Party of Canada. She brings an international perspective to any conversation having worked in New Zealand, advising Fonterra – one of the world's largest dairy processors and exporters. She's a regular guest on Real Agriculture radio.
Peter Donolo | Liberal, national affairs + political communications: Peter is one of Canada's most experienced communications strategists. As the longest-serving prime ministerial director of communications in Canadian history to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, he has represented Canada abroad as a senior diplomat and served as a senior executive in the private and public sectors.
Vancouver Based Experts:
Stephen Smart | British Columbia affairs: Stephen has a deeply rooted West Coast perspective and expertise in public affairs and strategic communications. He's served as the Press Secretary to a Premier of British Columbia. Prior to that he spent 15 years as a journalist with several of Canada's top news organizations including serving as the Legislative Bureau Chief for CBC in B.C. Stephen covered nine provincial and federal elections during his time in media and now regularly provides political commentary.
Alex Mitchell | British Columbia affairs: Alex is a seasoned communicator with robust experience and insight into local government. She brings a background in regional economic development across the lower mainland of British Columbia. Alex most recently led media relations and public affairs at the City of Abbotsford. She has a wide range of campaign and political experience across the province and can contextualize how federal and provincial policy shifts impact communities at the local level.
Carlie Pochynok | British Columbia + Alberta affairs: Carlie brings over a decade of political and campaign experience in both British Columbia and Alberta. She most recently served as Director of Communications and primary media spokesperson for the BC Liberal Caucus and was chief of staff to the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Minister of Municipal Affairs in Alberta's former Progressive Conservative government. Carlie has held a variety of campaign roles in B.C. and Alberta and was media relations lead and spokesperson for the BC Liberal Party during the 2020 provincial election.
Quebec Based Experts:
Pierre Tremblay | Quebec affairs: Pierre held various roles within the Coalition Avenir Quebec and predecessor Action Democratique du Quebec party over the course of 12 years. Notably he was deputy chief of staff to the Quebec Minister of Transport and chief of staff of the Parliamentary Leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec opposition during the entire 41st legislature of the Quebec National Assembly.
Josiane Hébert | Quebec affairs, French-only: Josiane has extensive knowledge and insight of the inner workings of the Quebec municipal, provincial and federal government bodies. She served as a press officer and deputy chief of staff to former Minister of Labour and Minister of Transport and held posts with the research and communications branch of the Quebec Liberal Party's parliamentary wing at the National Assembly. She has been interviewed on her work as a lobbyist and is called upon to comment on political news in the Quebec media.
About Hill+Knowlton Strategies:
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada (H+K) is a public relations and public affairs consultancy providing services to local, multinational and global clients from its eight offices across the country. H+K works with clients to solve complex communications and build long-term, sustainable and shared business value by driving growth, building reputation and protecting against risk.
H+K offers deep sector knowledge in health + wellness, energy + industrials, consumer packaged goods, financial + professional services, technology, government + public sector, food + drink, retail + leisure and sports. Globally, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Inc., has offices in more than 40 countries as well as an extensive associate network; and it is a member of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), one of the world's largest communications services groups.
SOURCE Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Jillena Oberparleiter, D: 416.413.4577, M: 437.217.9763, [email protected], Hill+Knowlton Strategies, www.hkstrategies.ca
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