Welcome to Municipal Masterclass, a one-day conference bringing together candidates, campaign teams, strategists, and municipal leaders for practical, real-world insights. Through workshops, keynotes, panels, networking, and leading campaign technology showcases, you’ll gain the tools and strategies to run smarter, stronger campaigns.
Watch this space for additions to this exciting lineup!
Mayor, City of Brampton and Past MP & MPP, Ontario
Patrick Brown, re-elected Mayor of Brampton in 2022, has served at all three levels of government. First elected in 2000 as a Barrie City Councillor, he was MP for Barrie from 2006 to 2015, chairing the GTA Caucus, and later Leader of the Ontario PC Party and Official Opposition from 2015 to 2018. Since becoming Mayor in 2018, he has delivered four tax freezes, secured major transit funding, and advanced key health care projects, including Brampton’s second hospital and the opening of TMU’s Medical School. He lives in Brampton with his wife, Genevieve, and their three children.
Mayor of Burlington and Chair of the OBCM Caucus
Marianne Meed Ward is currently serving her second term as Mayor of Burlington. She is the longest-serving female mayor of the city. A passionate advocate for smart, balanced development, Mayor Meed Ward is focused on ensuring Burlington remains a great place to live, work, and play while maintaining its natural beauty. Her leadership is marked by a dedication to listening to residents, fostering collaboration, and prioritizing transparency in municipal decision-making. Mayor Meed Ward is the Chair of the Ontario Big City Mayors Caucus. Mayor Meed Ward also launched the Elect Respect pledge, a nation-wide campaign to foster respect, inclusivity, and safety in public life. Prior to being Mayor, she served as a Burlington City Councillor from 2010 to 2018. Mayor Meed Ward has a degree in Journalism from Carleton University and worked for more than twenty years in journalism as a writer, editor, and broadcaster.
Mayor of the City of Richmond Hill and OBCM Treasurer
David West has a deep and longstanding interest in the City of Richmond Hill. His commitment to the community has been demonstrated throughout his more than three decades as a resident, during which time he has been a local business owner, has demonstrated leadership through various volunteer community positions, and has served the residents of Richmond Hill as an elected official, from 2013-2022 as Ward 4 Councillor from 2013 until 2022 at which time he was elected as Mayor, first in a by-election and subsequently re-elected in October 2022.
Councillor, City of Toronto (Ward 12 Toronto—St. Paul)
Councillor, City of Mississauga and Former Mayoral Candidate
Dipika Damerla is a dedicated public servant and accomplished business professional, currently serving as the Councillor for Ward 7 in Mississauga. Since her election in 2018, she has earned a reputation as a thoughtful, hard-working advocate who listens to residents, asks tough questions at Council, and consistently delivers results.
Dipika brings extensive experience from her seven years as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga East Cooksville, where she also served as Ontario’s Associate Minister of Health and Long Term Care and Minister of Seniors Affairs. During her tenure, she championed initiatives that secured 350 new hospital beds, two long-term care homes, two new schools, and a 40 percent increase in service on the Milton GO line. These are tangible improvements that continue to benefit the community today.
Her career began in the private sector, where she worked in corporate banking and successfully ran a small business in Mississauga. This unique blend of public and private sector experience gives her a strong perspective on fiscal responsibility and community development. Dipika holds an MBA in Finance from the Rotman School of Management.
Whether at Queen’s Park or City Hall, Dipika has remained steadfast in her commitment to the people of Mississauga. She combines integrity, experience, and a deep understanding of the community she proudly calls home.
Pollster, Lobbyist, and Principal at Liaison Strategies
David Valentin is a principal at Liaison Strategies. Valentin is a nationally recognized pollster and lobbyist who works with a variety of nonprofits across Canada, including the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. He is a member of the Canadian Research Insights Council. In 2013, Valentin co-founded Mainstreet Research, a polling firm. Within a year, Mainstreet signed a contract with Postmedia Network, Canada's largest newspaper chain, to provide public-facing market research, covering everything from vaccination studies to political polling, including election surveys. In 2018, Valentin departed Mainstreet to found Focus on Research, a boutique polling firm, and Liaison Strategies, a government relations and public relations shop. Valentin is a nationally recognized pollster who has made over 400 media appearances and has been seen on CBC, CTV, Global News, the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, CP24 and more. He has worked closely with researchers and professors at the University of Toronto and Concordia University. He resides in Toronto and speaks English, Spanish and intermediate French.
Councillor, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
As the youngest elected member of Council, Kate brings a fresh and forward-thinking perspective to municipal governance. She is especially committed to amplifying the voices of young people and ensuring that decision-making at City Hall reflects the diverse needs and experiences of all residents. In her role as Councillor-at-Large, Kate is focused on building strong relationships with community partners, residents, and City staff to create sustainable, inclusive, and positive change. Her priorities include affordable housing, climate action, accessibility, and improving public engagement in local government. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Gender Studies from Memorial University, where she was named to the Dean’s List and awarded the Academic Medal of Excellence in recognition of her academic achievements and contributions. A proud resident of St. John’s, Kate grew up in an intergenerational household, which shaped her early understanding of the challenges faced by seniors in our city. This upbringing also deepened her appreciation for St. John’s unique culture, built heritage, and close-knit communities.
Regional Councillor, Waterloo and Community Leader
Colleen James was elected to the Regional Council in October 2022, representing City of Kitchener residents. She has over 15 years of experience in municipal government at both the city and regional levels, and she is a local business owner and former professor.
Colleen is committed to the future sustainability of the region and is proud to represent Kitchener residents. Her values guide her leadership and decision-making, including building trusted relationships, fostering meaningful community discussions, listening and collaborating, empowering others, taking action, and being accountable.
She holds an Honours B.A. in history, political science, and Caribbean studies from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in leadership, higher, and adult education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at U of T.
Born and raised in Kitchener, Colleen currently lives there with her husband, Daren, and their daughter.
Government & Social Impact Partner Manager at Meta
Lauren works for Meta, supporting government organizations and political campaigns with leveraging Meta products for civic engagement. She has over a decade of experience in marketing and market research, and has been with Meta for over 8 years.
Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs (Canada) at TikTok
Steve de Eyre is the Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs at TikTok Canada, where he works with all levels of government to inform them about TikTok’s commitment to user safety and privacy, and how Canadians are using TikTok to share their culture and talents on a global stage. Prior to joining TikTok in 2020, he founded and led Amazon Canada's public policy team, and previously served at the Canadian Embassy in Washington D.C. as the representative for Innovation, Science & Economic Development. Steve holds a B.A. (Honours) in Political Studies from Bishop’s University and J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He currently serves on the Boards of Sheridan College and MediaSmarts.
Political Digital Strategist & Managing Principal, EOK Consults
Harneet is a seasoned political strategist with over 15 years of digital marketing experience. He is the Managing Principal at EOK Consults - one of Canada's leading political digital marketing agencies with over 100 successful political and advocacy campaigns across all levels of government.
Widely recognized for his expertise, Harneet has been featured in national and local media outlets for his insights on political marketing and digital advertising. He is a pioneer in using high-precision online advertising to win elections and influence grassroots campaigns.
Harneet is also the founder of Municipal Masterclass.Veteran Political Strategist and Campaign Manager
Tom Allison is a veteran political strategist with more than 30 years of experience working inside the Ontario and federal governments. He has served in seven Ontario ministries and was Chief of Staff in six of them for three different ministers.
In 2013, Tom managed Kathleen Wynne’s successful leadership campaign and subsequently joined the Premier’s Office as Deputy Chief of Staff. Federally, he spent a decade advising senior cabinet ministers, including Allan Rock (Justice, Health and Industry) and Roy MacLaren (International Trade). Tom has managed high-profile political campaigns across all levels of government, including the mayoral campaigns of John Tory in Toronto, Ana Bailão in Toronto, and Dipika Damerla in Mississauga. He has also worked on campaigns for two former Deputy Prime Ministers, a Premier, and multiple national party leaders. Leveraging his extensive government and political experience, Tom has also led strategic partnership development in the healthcare sector.Campaign Strategist and (Past) Director of Communications for Mayor John Tory's Campaign
Blue Knox has worked in senior strategy and communications roles at every level of government, including as Director of Communications to Canada's Minister of Trade, Toronto Mayor John Tory, and Toronto Mayoral candidate Ana Bailao.
Mayoral Candidate, Hamilton and President & CEO of Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
Keanin is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and the College of William & Mary School of Law. He began his legal career in Washington, D.C., practicing construction litigation before returning to Canada and settling in his wife’s hometown of Hamilton. In 2013, Keanin was appointed President & CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, where his leadership earned him recognition twice as the top executive in the Ontario Chamber of Commerce network. In 2022, he ran for Mayor of Hamilton, mounting a strong grassroots campaign that came close to overcoming a long-established politician with widespread name recognition. He joined the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in 2023 as Vice President, Member Services, before being named President and CEO of the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction in June 2024. On February 25, 2026, Keanin announced his candidacy for Mayor of Hamilton in the upcoming municipal election. Keanin also serves as a federally appointed Director of the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority. He and his wife, Trish, are proud to be raising their three children in Hamilton’s Lower City.
Campaign Strategist & Grassroots Organizer
Maureen Balsillie is a campaign strategist known for building grassroots teams and delivering breakthrough election results. Raised on a fruit farm in rural Ontario, she developed an early appreciation for entrepreneurship, community leadership, and grassroots organizing.
She has played a key role in the growth of Green campaigns in Canada, helping move the party from having no elected representatives in Ontario to achieving historic victories. As Campaign Manager in Kitchener Centre, she helped elect Ontario’s second Green MPP with 48% of the vote, leading a team of staff and hundreds of volunteers, raising over $200,000, and coordinating large-scale voter outreach operations. Maureen also managed the high-profile Parry Sound campaign that secured 40% of the vote and served as Campaign Director for the BC Greens’ provincial campaign, helping elect two new MLAs. She specializes in building motivated volunteer teams, designing effective field strategies, and turning grassroots momentum into electoral success.Campaign Strategist and Director of Corporate Relations at Rubicon Strategy
Christine is a veteran campaign strategist and government relations leader with deep, on-the-ground experience across municipal, provincial, and federal politics. She has managed and advised on winning campaigns at all three levels of government, bringing first-hand knowledge of what it takes to build momentum, earn votes, and deliver results. Known for her strategic instincts and disciplined execution, Christine pairs data-driven analysis with a practical understanding of the political landscape to help candidates and organizations navigate complex environments and win.
Political Consultant and President at Constituent Manager Solutions
Cameron Bonesso is a political consultant and the President of Constituent Manager Solutions, a consulting and voter contact firm located in Ottawa that he co-founded in 2020. Prior to working as a political consultant, he worked for several years as an advisor and executive assistant to federal Members of Parliament. Most notably from his time on Parliament Hill, his work helped get Trikafta — a life-changing drug for Canadians living with cystic fibrosis — approved for use in Canada by the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board.
Cameron's current focus involves helping prospective candidates navigate the municipal campaign environment. Since 2018, he has managed successful local campaigns for school board, council and mayoral races in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. With experience overseeing voter contact for leadership candidates such as Peter MacKay, he is consistently recognized for his expertise in mobilizing campaign teams and voters alike. Cameron has a degree in social science from the University of Ottawa and is a recipient of the Governor General's Academic Medal.
Founder of Campaign Compass™ and Past Campaign Manager and Chief of Staff
Nancy Cooke brings over twenty years of experience in nonprofit governance, community activism, business and political operations. Nancy’s passion for community engagement translated into engagement in the democratic process as a candidate, campaign manager, federal constituency office assistant, director of operations and CEO of a provincial political party.
In 2016 Nancy moved her public service to working in the legislature as a Chief of Staff to various ministers, including Infrastructure, Crown Services, Municipal Relations and Mental Health Wellness and Recovery, playing a key role in supporting the development of the first Manitoba Roadmap for Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery in 2021. Since 2021, Nancy’s innovative pursuit for a game-changing solution to support engagement in democracy was created.
Campaign Compass™ is a comprehensive software platform that includes an integrated suite of tools to streamline campaign operations and resource management. Campaign Compass™ allows candidates and campaign teams to focus on campaign strategy and success. To date Nancy has helped transform 100s of campaigns across Canada.
Founder and Group Editor of Y Media Group
Yudhvir Jaswal is the founder of Y Media Group and one of the best-known media personalities in North America, with more than 2.5 decades of experience in media and Event management. Y Media Group is the largest ethnic media house in Canada & increasingly capturing the mainstream audience with its English-language content. Y Media Group is the only media with a strong footprint across multiple platforms: 24/7 TV channels, Print, Radio, and online. For his outstanding contributions to media and the community, Yudhvir has been honoured with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and King Charles III’s Coronation Medal, a prestigious recognition of his impact on Canadian society. Through his pioneering work in media and community service, Yudhvir Jaswal continues to be a powerful advocate for the community, shaping conversations and driving meaningful change. Yudhvir Jaswal, both as a Group editor and an Individual, is dedicated to bringing communities together and supporting free speech.
Author and Publisher at POLICORNER
For more than four years, Ahmad Elbayoumi has covered the politics, policies and personalities at Queen’s Park. Known for his candid, inside-the-room reporting, he’s quickly built POLICORNER into a weekly must-read for Ontario’s political crowd, delivering big scoops, insider’s analysis and original reporting on governance, policy, power and the political climate. Today, the newsletter is read, trusted and talked about by the province’s most powerful political players.
Ahmad’s work has been featured in The Trillium, on 640 Toronto and mentioned by CBC News, POLITICO, the National Post and Toronto Star. He has moderated major, headline-making conversations, including a leadership debate for the Ontario Liberal Party and a mayoral debate in the province’s third-largest city. He’s also a frequent commentator on Newstalk 1010 and CBC Radio.
Beyond the daily churn, Ahmad is an enterprising media entrepreneur building the company’s brand from the ground up — spinning up new products, growing the shop’s reach and driving the editorial and business strategy. His goal: a modern, insider-first political publication built to drive the conversation — not chase it.
Our program will feature keynotes, presentations, workshops, and panel discussions that cover the most important skills, strategies, and insights needed to run a successful municipal campaign.
Detailed agenda coming soon.
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