Occasional writing on citizens' assemblies, electoral reform, political advertising, and the odd personal reflection.
In 2024, I was asked to help with the learning phase of the Yukon Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform. Like its Ontario and BC versions, this was a demographically diverse group of citizens assembled to learn, deliberate, and make recommendations on the ideal electoral system for the Yukon.
Peter MacLeod has donated the archives of MASSLBP to Queen's — an invaluable resource for those who study how citizens reason and deliberate on public policy.
An op-ed with Bob Pickard for the Globe & Mail on the nature of political apologies, written in the midst of a federal election.
Some tentative reasons for the prime minister's decision to abandon electoral reform, published in the Ottawa Citizen.
After 18 years, 3 new and risky heart surgeries, 3 pacemaker replacements, and countless "tune-ups" — Nathaniel's last visit to the amazing Sick Kids Hospital.
On a crucial city council vote and the importance of ethical oversight in municipal governance.
A cautionary tale involving Battery Park, a water dog named Lucy, and some random young woman's assessment of the situation.
Prepared for expert testimony at ERRE — the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform.
The three national parties have filed their election expenses, and the most important message is the central role that advertising plays in modern campaigns.
On the mayor's online poll about ranked ballots and why a citizens' assembly would be a better vehicle for this decision.
Prime Minister Trudeau announced that a woman would appear on a Canadian bank note. An Advisory Committee will recommend a suitable nominee after deliberating on choices made by citizens.
Speaking on a panel about electoral reform with former B.C. MLA Nick Loenen and Conservative critic Scott Reid.
The conference "Elections: Democratic Tools or Democracy Denied?" — on a panel about future challenges with Richard Balasko and Tamara Small.
A contribution to the Marland & Giasson collection, a novel project getting political scientists to react quickly to the election in an accessible format.
Hosting an AMA for /r/CanadaPolitics on electoral reform and citizens' assemblies.
Talks at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University on the role of election ads.
How a single photograph changed the nature of the Canadian election campaign and the politics of the Syrian refugee crisis.
A diversion into baseball analytics and the Blue Jays, applying the Pythagorean expectation to the 2015 season.
On the visual display of quantitative information and how tables can hide the real story.
When Citizens Decide received the Seymour Martin Lipset Award for best book in Canadian politics from the APSA.
Cataloguing examples of English-language t-shirts in Shanghai as a form of ethnographic research.
On civil servants paid overtime to produce feel-good ads about the Universal Child Care Benefit, and the problem of ads beyond parliamentary scrutiny.
Seaker Chan Visiting Professor at Fudan University in Shanghai, lecturing on Canadian politics and deliberative democracy.
A contribution on citizens' assemblies to the Crick Centre at the University of Sheffield, which aims to bridge the chasm between academics and non-academics.
On structural problems in university teaching that the HLTH 102 tempest at Queen's brought to the surface.
Guidance for students on what is required for a good letter of reference.
Meeting with the Joyce Foundation to discuss the feasibility of citizens' assemblies on American state-level constitutional issues.
A social experiment: a Little Free Library on the front garden, and what happened next.