(One) of our best analysts in the business... Tom Clark, CTV Power Play, September 21, 2009
Welcome to ATory01
As the name implies, the writer is a Tory or Conservative first and most comments will reflect that bias.
Keith has been fascinated by politics ever since his school turned out to see John Diefenbaker on one of Dief's visits to Keith’s hometown. To this day he is still a Diefenbaker fan and wishes that more MPs today had the oratorical skills of the former Prime Minister.
Like many others, Keith began his career at the riding level with the federal Progressive Conservative Party where he served in various executive positions for his local riding association. He was also quite active in municipal politics, but his real interest was the federal scene. In September 1984, Keith came to Ottawa and over the next few years served as an office manager, Legislative Assistant and Chief of Staff to the minister in three departments. At that time one of his tasks was monitoring the daily Question Period as well as briefing the minister on emerging issues. He found the cut and thrust of Question Period fascinating, little realizing then that it would become such a large part of his career. For the most part from 1989 to 1995 Keith took a break from federal politics while he worked in the private sector.
After the close vote in the 1995 Quebec referendum Keith was motivated to return to a more active role in federal politics. He served first at the riding level as a volunteer, then in 1997 as a candidate and later as an assistant to a Conservative senator. While on the Senate side, he was a researcher, speech writer, press secretary as well as a member of the Conservative Senate Question Period team.
In 1998, Keith was asked to work in the Progressive Conservative Party's Leader's Office, where he served with party leaders Jean Charest, Joe Clark and Peter MacKay in various roles as a researcher, senior advisor, and Question Period coordinator. It was during this period that he developed one of the most effective rapid response teams in Canadian politics.
In 2003 when the Progressive Conservative Party merged with the Canadian Alliance to form the Conservative Party of Canada, Keith continued in those same roles with the new leader, Stephen Harper, in both the Opposition Leaders Office and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Today, Keith is a partner and strategist for True North Public Affairs in Ottawa where he offers political and strategic advice to a wide range of corporate and association clients. Intrigued by the emerging role of social media and its impact on politics, Keith has a keen interest in following what is happening and understanding how social media is being used and its future impact on policy related issues.
Having served on both sides of the House (government and opposition), Keith brings a unique perspective to the Canadian political scene. This political blog analyzes the events and issues taking place in Canadian federal politics, admittedly from a Conservative viewpoint. The opinions expressed on here are but one person’s view and hopefully they will inspire others to take an interest in the federal political scene as well as encourage comments and discussion.
In his spare time Keith is an avid private pilot, runner and cyclist as well as an occasional guest speaker and political pundit on various radio and TV shows.