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Description

Global’s Food and Agriculture practice works with clients throughout the food supply chain, from farmers through to manufacturers, restaurants and retailers.  We provide a full range of public affairs services in areas such as regulatory and policy issues, health and food safety, animal health, product recalls, risk management, amongst other objectives. Our team has in-depth and multidisciplinary experience managing individual client’s relations with governments, media and stakeholders. Working across jurisdictions we help clients attain commercial success.


Lead Contact:
Ted Gruetzner
Telephone: 416-597-3485
Email: tgruetzner@globalpublic.com

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COVID-19 is demonstrating in real-time that the economy is inseparable from the health and wellbeing of the people.

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Team

Ted Gruetzner

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/gruetzner/">Gruetzner

Vice President

Telephone: 416-597-3485

Email: tgruetzner@globalpublic.com

Ted Gruetzner is Vice President of Global’s Energy, Environment and Resources team. He guides clients through matters involving government relations, regulatory, stakeholder engagement and indigenous relations. With a background in communications, issues management, branding and advertising, he has a keen understanding of the importance of a fully integrated approach to public affairs.

Prior to Global, Ted was Vice President, Corporate Relations and Communications from Ontario Power Generation (OPG), one of the largest electricity producers in Canada. At OPG, he led a team that was responsible for Indigenous, Provincial, Federal and international relations. In an earlier mandate, he also oversaw advertising, branding, media relations, and broader communications. Ted also worked for the Ontario Ministry of Energy, the Independent Electricity System Operator and implemented a successful stakeholder and community engagement plan for the construction and operation of the Portlands Energy Centre.

A frequent presenter on stakeholder engagement, Ted is also Chair of the Council of The Great Lakes Region (CGLR). CGLR’s goal is to inform state, provincial and federal decision-makers in Canada and the United States about the region’s long-term economic, social, and environmental goals.

Candice Laws

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/candice-laws-2/">Laws

Vice President, Alberta

Telephone: 403-269-1624

Email: claws@globalpublic.com

Candice Laws is a Vice President, Alberta and a key member of Global’s Western Canada government relations practice. Based in Calgary, she supports client initiatives in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Candice assists clients by providing government and current affairs monitoring, analysis, and strategic advice on a range of issues, detailed research support, and managing logistical and communications support for issue-specific initiatives including advocacy days, workshops, seminars, and roundtable discussions. She pursues this work for clients in the health and life sciences, natural resources and infrastructure sectors.

Candice joined Global Public Affairs after having worked for the Canada West Foundation, researching and writing on a variety of public policy issues including Western Canadian economic diversification and the Alberta non-profit sector. She also had the opportunity to work overseas, developing an HIV/AIDS awareness program for high school and university-aged youth in western Ukraine.

Candice is also an active member of the Global Connections Committee, organizing internal team building opportunities and charitable giving.

She holds a BA in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Alberta, and a Master’s of Political Science from the University of Calgary.

Michael Mactaggart

https://globalpublicaffairs.ca/staff/mactaggart/">Mactaggart

Senior Associate

Telephone: 416-726-4072

Email: mmactaggart@globalpublic.com

Michael Mactaggart is a Senior Associate with Global’s Agri-Food, Consumer and Trade practice groups. He provides sector-specific regulatory, legislative and communications advice and has extensive knowledge of Canada’s consumer product safety regime and chemicals management plan. Michael’s policy focus has involved: managing international regulatory alignment initiatives for product sectors; chemical and risk-based hazard assessments; managing new product safety regulatory standards; privacy and online behavioural advertising practices; and, international trading relations and tariff controls. Prior to joining Global, Michael was with a multinational law firm where he worked as a political and communications consultant in the firm’s global government relations and regulatory practices in Edinburgh, Scotland. Michael holds an LLB from the University of Edinburgh and BA (Hon) in Communications from Queen’s 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.

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