Their inner circles

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/08/2014 (4078 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The candidate matters, but the team around him or her matters more. They make strategy, research policy, raise cash, organize phone banks and get out the vote.

And, those campaign staffers often end up as backroom city hall operatives, proposing policy, handling communications, corralling councillors, negotiating with other levels of government and becoming chiefs of staff.

That’s what happened to Hugh McFadyen, who ran Mayor Sam Katz’s first campaign and then became his senior adviser at city hall, along with fellow campaign worker Ryan Craig. It’s also what happened to several of former mayor Glen Murray’s campaign operatives, such as Rose Passante and Diane Poulin.

Here are some new names to know:

JUDY WASYLYCIA-LEIS

The former NDP MP’s campaign team has drawn heavily on union and provincial staffers, which has earned her criticism. But, her advisers also include Liberals. 

BOB DEWAR — Straddling both union and NDP camps, the chief of staff to former premier Gary Doer ran several successful provincial election campaigns for the New Democrats and was, until recently, one of the top directors at the MGEU.

Role: Campaign co-chair.

BOBBI TAILLEFER — Formerly Bobbi Ethier, the longtime Liberal organizer has held senior posts in the federal party and locally, including president of the Manitoba party and is a senior staffer at the Manitoba Teachers’ Society.

Role: Campaign co-chair.

SHAUNA MACKINNON — The former head of the lefty think-tank the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, now a U of W professor.

Role: Core adviser.

JIM SILVER — The city’s top expert on poverty policy and inner-city issues, and a U of W professor.

Role: Core adviser.

CAROLINA STECHER — A special adviser to Education Minister James Allum and experienced campaign worker. She is on leave.

Role: Campaign manager.

BOYD PONCELET — Constituency assistant to Wolseley NDP MLA Rob Altemeyer.

Role: Senior organizer and election-day co-ordinator.

SHIRLEY LORD — Veteran community activist, labour organizer and New Democrat. Recent winner of the Joseph Zuken Citizen Activist Award.

Role: Key fundraiser.

PETER DALLA-VICENZA — A senior adviser to Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross and former provincial communications staffer.

Role: Communications, along with a team that includes CUPE and Unifor staff reps.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE — Includes former Liberal senator Sharon Carstairs, Helen Norrie, former NDP MP Bill Blaikie. former Liberal MP and lieutenant-governor John Harvard, chocolatier Constance Menzies, indigenous activist and professor Niigaan Sinclair.

DONORS: Will be released prior to voting day.

 

BRIAN BOWMAN

His campaign team is stacked with young Red Tories and Liberals, most of whom are best-known for their tweets.

JASON FUITH — One of Bowman’s longtime friends and technology expert.

Role: Campaign manager.

KELLY MCCRAE — A former PC caucus staffer, now a public affairs consultant.

Role: Campaign operations.

HOWARD MORRY — Tax and estate lawyer and partner at Pitblado with Bowman, a significant figure in Winnipeg’s Jewish community, chairman of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights capital campaign.

Role: Fundraising.

CONOR LLOYD — Public relations staffer with the Manitoba Metis Federation, Red River College and other organizations. Once ran for the provincial Tories against then-NDP premier Gary Doer in Concordia.

Role: Communications, with help from local consultant Julie Mikuska.

COREY SHEFMAN — Lawyer, young Liberal and adviser to leader Rana Bokhari, president of the Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties.

Role: Ground game and election day.

MARK CHIPMAN — Jets owner. ‘Nuff said.

Role: Donor, supporter.

ADVISERS — Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president Dave Angus, alumni relations expert Jana Thorsteinson, NRG Research president Andrew Enns.

DONORS — Will be made public Sept. 24.

 

GORD STEEVES

It’s not entirely clear who is running Steeves’ campaign, which has tilted heavily to the right. He won’t say exactly who is in charge.

JOHN TROPAK — Owner of Video Cellar, a well known Manitoba Conservative campaign worker who has managed MP Shelly Glover’s campaigns, once rumoured to be in line for a Senate appointment.

Role: Senior advisor

KEITH BORKOWSKY — Former Brandon Sun reporter, former communications staffer for provincial PC Leader Brian Pallister.

Role: Campaign operations

ALEX ROBINSON — A Liberal, served as a policy advisor to Mayor Sam Katz and one of the city’s deputy CAOs.

Role: Fundraising

KEN LEE — Accountant, long-time provincial Progressive Conservative party treasurer and former board member of Osborne House.

Role: Official agent

BRYAN GRAY — former policy advisor to Mayor Sam Katz and transition advisor to provincial Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister.

Role: Advisor

DONORS — Will not be public until campaign finance documents are released by the city, likely next summer.

 

PAULA HAVIXBECK

Her campaign has been slower to take off and her team is less well-known in political circles.

ABBY MANN — Management consultant

Role: Campaign chair

ALLY BEAUCHESNE — Conservative Party up-and-comer.

Role: Campaign opperations

MURRAY NAGLER — Businessman and chair of the board of the Graffiti Gallery.

Role: Fundraising

SHAILA WISE — Public affairs assistant and Charleswood resident.

Role: Volunteer coordinator

DARREN PENNER — Active on several Conservatives campaigns in the past.

Role: Communications

DONORS — Will make them public by Oct. 15.

 

ROBERT-FALCON OUELLETTE

Though he doesn’t yet have the ground game of other candidates, his team includes Liberals with some campaign experience.

DOUGALD LAMONT — former candidate for Manitoba Liberal leader, longtime Liberal backroom communications consultant.

Role: Campaign co-chair and communications

MALCOLM BIRD — U of W political scientist.

Role: Campaign co-chair

ERIC STEWART — Former provincial Liberal candidate in Wolseley, provincial party activist.

Role: Campaign manager

VICTOR ANDRES — Former federal Liberal candidate in Kildonan-St. Paul and provincial party activist.

Role: Volunteer coordinator

DONORS — All listed online and include Point Douglas activist Sel Burrows, musician Cara Luft, artist Diana Thorneycroft, landscape architect Cynthia Cohlmeyer,