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Description

Global’s dedicated cannabis practice is Chaired by former Premier of Nova Scotia Darrell Dexter and stands firmly at the intersection of cannabis policy and industry. We are trusted partners within the cannabis industry and auxiliary businesses. Our national focus, coupled with in-jurisdiction support allows us to work seamlessly across a multitude of regulatory frameworks. We offer a full suite of customizable public affairs services to assist new ventures and established industry players. We closely monitor issues at all levels of government and implement strategies across jurisdictions to achieve results from start-up through to initial capitalization and established entrants. In Canada’s new regulatory environment, we draw upon our expertise in pharmaceuticals, natural health products, alcohol, agriculture and other highly regulated sectors to assemble the most appropriate level of support for this emerging sector, including the expected industry of consumer health products containing cannabis.

 

Lead Contact:
Rod Elliot
Telephone: 416-597-3474
Email: relliot@globalpublic.com

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Team

Nicole Brassard

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/nicole-brassard-2/">Brassard

Vice President, British Columbia

Telephone: 604 -240-5788

Email: nbrassard@globalpublic.com

Nicole Brassard is the Vice President, British Columbia of Global Public Affairs and is responsible for all day-to-day operations and the strategic direction of Global’s Vancouver and Victoria offices. She is also the co-chair of Global’s Technology Practice and assists clients in the sector from conception to commercialization.

Nicole provides government relations, stakeholder engagement, and communications expertise with a focus on the Transportation, Infrastructure and Technology sectors. Since joining Global in 2018, Nicole has successfully delivered complex public affairs solutions in the country’s most challenging policy areas. Coalition building, media relations, and creative advocacy campaigns are her specialty and provide Global’s clients with a fresh approach to traditional government relations. With over 12 years of political involvement, she has extensive experience managing election campaigns and continues to provide strategic counsel at the federal level.

Prior to joining Global, Nicole was the Director of a federal political party managing stakeholder engagement and grass roots policy development in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Territories. She also worked in law for more than a decade for several national and international law firms in their corporate and insurance practice groups.

Hon. Darrell Dexter

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/dexter-hon-darrell-2/">Dexter

Vice Chair

Telephone: 613-783-6085

Email: ddexter@globalpublic.com

The Honourable Darrell Dexter, former Premier of Nova Scotia, is the Vice Chair of Global Public Affairs. He is a senior member of the Global team, working with our firm’s public affairs experts across the country on a range of client matters and business development initiatives.

Darrell assumed the leadership of the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party (NDP) in 2001 and led it to form the first-ever provincial NDP government in Atlantic Canada, becoming the 27th Premier of Nova Scotia. As Premier, he earned praise for controlling spending, launching a renewable energy strategy, and reducing small business taxes. Darrell oversaw ambitious new environmental policies and was presented with a Climate Leadership in Canada award at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. As Chair of the Council of the Federation from 2012-13, Darrell worked on key initiatives such as leading an economic trade mission to China, establishing the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, and improving the flow of inter-provincial trade.

A lawyer by background, Darrell also worked as a journalist and served in the Canadian Armed Forces before launching his career in public service, spending 15 years in the Nova Scotia Legislature as an MLA. In the course of his work as an elected official, party leader, Leader of Nova Scotia’s Official Opposition, and Premier, Darrell was engaged on critical issues and discussions related to energy and resource development, transportation, healthcare, the environment, infrastructure, and the economy.

Darrell holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Dalhousie University, a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of King’s College, and a law degree from Dalhousie University.

Elaine Larsen Wells

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/larsen/">Larsen Wells

Director

Phone: 613-783-6086

Email: elarsen@globalpublic.com

Elaine Larsen Wells offers her expertise on how to build impactful public affairs strategies to a diverse range of companies, organizations and governments. Elaine has earned a reputation for creating winning strategies which balance public policy, issues management and business imperatives, bringing value to clients and governments alike.

She provides strategic and tactical advice to clients, with particular focus on the life sciences sector and other regulated industries. For this work she has established meaningful relationships with the federal government and several provincial governments.

Elaine has served as a political aide in two levels of government. Additionally, she has worked as part of a diplomatic team to advocate for public and economic interests during the negotiation of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Canada-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA).

Active in the sector, Elaine serves on the board of the Government Relations Institute of Canada (GRIC) and is guest lecturer on issues related to policy advocacy at post-secondary institutions. In 2016, she was awarded the Ontario Leading Women Building Communities Award for her activism empowering young women to pursue leadership roles.
Elaine holds a Master’s in Political Management, and a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from the Arthur Kroeger College at Carleton University.

Curtis O’Nyon

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/onyon-curtis-2/">O’Nyon

Senior Counsel, Federal and Municipal Relations

Telephone: 613-294-2757

Email: conyon@globalpublic.com

Curtis O’Nyon is Senior Counsel, Federal and Municipal Relations. With over two decades of experience in the Ottawa political environment, he is a sought-after advisor and strategist for corporate, non-profit and political organizations. In that time, he has built and fostered relationships with government staffers, politicians and the corporate sector in Ottawa and across Canada. Curtis has proven experience managing industry associations, businesses, non-profits and government. His clients count on him to develop and implement strategic advocacy plans and to provide comprehensive public and government relations advice.

His knowledge of municipal governments and their intergovernmental relationship within the federation is based on working closely with municipal governments across Canada for over a decade.

Curtis holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications, both from Carleton University.

Rick Roth

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/roth/">Roth

Vice President Strategic Communications, Ontario

Phone: 416-597-3473

Email: rroth@globalpublic.com

Rick Roth is the Vice President Strategic Communications, Ontario, at Global Public Affairs, helping clients navigate the new Government in Ontario under Premier Doug Ford.  Rick works with clients seeking opportunities to collaborate with the public sector to achieve their business objectives.

Rick has more than a decade of experience in government, crisis communications and public affairs, holding senior positions in Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.  Most recently he served as the Chief of Staff to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks helping shape Ontario’s Environment Plan; a detailed vision ranging from the protection of air, land and water, addressing litter and waste as well as Ontario’s new approach to Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Previously Rick spent more than two years as the Senior Manager for Issues and Reputation Management at Scotiabank, one of Canada’s largest and most international banks.  There he crafted crisis communications plans for the Bank and their senior executives ranging from issues around cyber security, international trade and commerce as well as in retail and digital banking.  Rick also led the Bank’s external communications strategy during their quarterly earnings as well as numerous mergers and acquisitions.

Rick served within the Government of Canada as the Director of Communications to Canada’s Foreign Minister as well as with Canada’s International Trade Minister; leading the communications team in promoting Canada’s foreign policy and trade priorities around the world, responding to the fluid and unpredictable nature of international relations.  Rick’s term with the federal government concluded with the Minister of International Trade during the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership), where Rick led the communications roll-out and stakeholder strategy.

Rick is passionate about international relations, crisis communications and politics, and has built a positive reputation among his colleagues in the media, both in Canada and around the world.

Rick is a graduate of Brock University with a B.A. in Political Science with a Concentration in Public Law.

David Skinner

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/skinner-david-2/">Skinner

Senior Associate

Telephone: 613-851-5981

Email: dskinner@globalpublic.com

David Skinner is a Senior Associate with Global’s Life Sciences practice. He provides strategic, tactical and regulatory advice on matters dealing with foods, drugs (including natural health products), devices and cosmetics. Prior to joining Global, David led Consumer Health Products Canada for 34 years as President and was a Board Director for the World Self-Medication Industry for over three decades. He also served as Chairman of the Management Advisory Committee to the Health Product and Food Branch and was a member of a number of Health Canada expert committees including the Food Expert Advisory Committee. David also was a delegate to the United States Pharmacopeial Convention for 20 years. David has a BSc (Hon) in biochemistry from Carleton University with post-graduate studies in business and pharmacology. He is a certified Sommelier and wine writer, a level 3 Certified golf official and avid fly fisher.

Lauren Stone

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/lauren-stone-2/">Stone

Senior Advisor

Email: lstone@globalpublic.com

 

Lauren Stone is an experienced government relations and regulatory affairs professional with expertise in the manufacturing and agri-food sectors. With a decade of experience in both the public and private sectors, Lauren manages a broad range of public affairs issues and provides leadership and technical expertise to business and industry leaders globally. Her current and past clients include working for not-for-profit organizations, industry associations, and large multinational corporations.

Prior to starting her own consulting business, Lauren managed Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for Cargill Limited, where she was responsible for government relations and business development for Cargill’s 16 diverse businesses across Western Canada. In addition, she managed Cargill’s sustainability efforts, working with its grower and end-use customers to expand market opportunities in the agri-food supply chain.

Lauren has government and political experience at both the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. She served as Policy Analyst to Premier Brian Pallister during his time in Opposition and advised elected officials of the Manitoba Legislature in the Agriculture, Economic, and Conservation portfolios.

Lauren holds an honours degree from Queen’s University in Political Science.

Rod Elliot

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/rod-elliot/">Elliot

Senior Vice President

Telephone: 416-597-3474

Email: relliot@globalpublic.com

Rod Elliot is one of Canada’s leading public affairs consulting executives with over 20 years experience in the private sector and public sector.

Since joining Global Public Affairs in 2009 he has been responsible for the launching of the firms Health Reimbursement, Cannabis and Technology & Innovation practices.

Based in Toronto, Rod is currently SVP Cultural Industries and Emerging Issues focused on working with a variety of clients across multiple practices.

Before joining Global, Rod gained significant political experience in a number of roles with the Ontario Government at Queen’s Park. In addition, Rod spent seven years at TD Bank Financial Group executing government relations programs on behalf of the bank.

Rod holds a Certificate in Corporate Community Involvement from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Mass Communications and Political Science from Carleton University.

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