Experience and expertise

Lori Turnbull is a leading voice on parliamentary democracy, governance, and public sector ethics in Canada. A Professor of Political Science and Public Management at Dalhousie University, she brings decades of academic expertise and real-world insight to complex questions of democratic reform and institutional accountability. A trusted political commentator, Lori appears regularly on CBC, CTV, and Global, as well as internationally on channels such as CNN, to analzye the pressing issues of the day. Her columns and analysis are featured in Policy Magazine, the Globe and Mail, the Walrus and the Hill Times, offering sharp, informed perspectives on the issues shaping Canadian politics and governance. In addition to being a professor at Dalhousie, Lori has held academic posts at Queen's University and Carleton University. Her award-winning book, Democratizing the Constitution: Reforming Responsible Government (co-authored with Mark Jarvis and the late Peter Aucoin), won the 2011 Donner Prize and the 2012 Donald Smiley Prize for the best work of Canadian political science — recognition of her standing as one of the country's foremost thinkers on democratic institutions. Lori also served on the Research Council of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions. Combining scholarly rigour with practical, plain-language insight Lori helps organizations navigate the complexities of government.

Don Booth brings over two decades of senior federal public service experience, including a distinguished tenure as Canadian Secretary to The Queen from 2019 to 2022 and Canadian Secretary to The King from 2022 to 2026. In this role, he provided leadership and expert advice on issues relating to the Crown in Canada while supporting the Royal Households in their interactions with the Government of Canada. Concurrently, Don served for over a decade as Director General within the Machinery of Government Secretariat at the Privy Council Office, providing guidance on the structure and functioning of government and the interpretation of Westminster conventions — work that placed him at the heart of some of the most consequential and sensitive questions in Canadian governance. He has represented Canada internationally at key public policy fora such as the OECD Public Governance Committee. Prior to joining the Privy Council Office, Don's career spanned a wide range of senior policy roles across government, beginning as a ministerial speechwriter and progressing through leadership positions at Industry Canada, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and Employment and Social Development Canada. This breadth of experience has given him a rare, wide-angle view of how policy, machinery, and institutions intersect at the highest levels of government. He has an MBA from the University of Edinburgh.