Many of Those Closest to Pierre Poilievre Have Ties to Canada’s Biggest Lobbying Firms

Many of the figures closest to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre have been tied to the largest corporate lobbying firms in the country.

After winning control over the official opposition in September 2022, Poilievre quickly got to work placing pro-business allies into key positions of power within the party. These included top advisors, executives and policy makers — not least of whom is key advisor Jenni Byrne, whose ties to the world of corporate lobbying were recently reported by PressProgress.

But there are others close to the centre of Conservative political power who have deep and well-documented ties to some of Canada’s top political lobbying firms. These include Poilievre’s chief of staff, his top policy advisor, and several members of the Conservative Party’s powerful National Council.

Here’s a look at key figures close to Poilievre with ties to the world of corporate lobbying in Canada:

Aaron Wudrick

What: Director of policy for the Conservative Party since summer 2024

What else: Wudrick’s early political activity included lobbying for Temple Scott Associates on behalf of anti-union group Merit Canada and Imperial Tobacco in 2013 and 2014. Wudrick then moved on to become the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation until 2021, when he left to head up the domestic policy program for the right-wing Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a think tank that promotes conservative economic policies. Wudrick held the role from April 2021 to July 2024. MLI has been a partner of the Atlas Network, a global network of right-wing think tanks and advocacy groups largely funded by conservative mega-donors, including billionaires Charles and David Koch.

Ian Todd

What: Chief of staff to the Opposition Leader since September 2022

What else: The chief of staff to Alliance Party leader Stockwell Day until 2001, Todd served in the mid-2010s as a consultant lobbyist and partner at Maple Leaf Strategies, a firm that over the years has represented a range of fossil fuel companies. While with Maple Leaf, Todd represented American company Comcast  on issues concerning the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Robert Staley

What: Chair of Conservative Fund Canada since September 2022

What else: While vice chair of law firm Bennett Jones, Staley was appointed to the powerful role leading the Conservative Fund, the party’s fundraising arm, as part of a major shakeup by Poilievre in the days after his winning the leadership. The Toronto lawyer’s ties to the lobbying world go back to 2009, when he acted as a consultant lobbyist for Research in Motion.

David Murray

What: Senior director of policy for the Conservative Party through last summer

What else: Murray served as Poilievre’s policy director during both his campaign for the party leadership and most of his time as leadership of the official opposition. According to his current bio, Murray “managed the policy process for the next Prime Minister of Canada” and worked closely with Mr. Poilievre, “leading all policy initiatives driven by the leader.” In mid-2024, Murray joined lobbying firm One Persuasion as senior vice president. One Persuasion, whose clients have recently included TikTok Canada, counts Hamish Marshall, a founding director of Rebel Media, among its founders and partners. Murray states his connections to conservative leaders are an asset to his clients. Murray’s lobbying activity also includes working on behalf of the University of Alberta for Counsel Public Affairs in 2021.

The Conservative Party’s National Council

The body that governs the party’s national operations and campaign also maintains deep ties to corporate lobbying interests. No fewer than six of its 20 members are connected to industry groups, including its president and vice president. As reported by The Hill Times, members of the Conservative Party voted down a resolution in 2023 that would have barred lobbyists from sitting on the council.

The council has power over candidate selection and removal, having been involved in several controversial nomination race appeals in BC (Abbotsford, Burnaby) and New Brunswick.

Notable figures on the council tied to the lobbying world include:

Stephen Barber, president

Following a stint as a deputy minister in Manitoba, Barber became vice president of StrategyCorp’s western region in September 2024, a position he continues to hold. StrategyCorp represents companies in the healthcare, financial and industrial sectors.

Matthew Conway, vice president

A senior consultant with Maple Leaf Strategies as recently as last August, Conway represented Hitachi Energy and General Dynamics Ordinance and Tactical Systems in 2024. Prior to that, he lobbied on behalf of SAS Institute Inc. for Capital Hill Group in 2020.

Aaron Scheewe

Having formerly worked under Stephen Harper, Scheewe is currently the Toronto managing director of Capital Hill Group, a lobby firm whose client list includes MBDA Missile Systems and Elon Musk’s X Corp.

Amber Ruddy

Currently vice president of Counsel Public Affairs, Ruddy’s career in lobbying and pro-business advocacy goes back to her time as a researcher for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation in 2009. In 2020, Ruddy lobbied for Husky Oil.

Anthony Matar

After working for the Ford government in Ontario’s transportation ministry, Matar went to work for lobbying firms the Capital Hill Group and Crestview Strategy, where he’s currently a Montreal-based consultant.

Heather Feldbusch

Until last September, Feldbusch was a lobbyist with Alberta Counsel Inc. She was included in over 500 filings with Alberta’s provincial lobbyist registry dating back to mid-2022, associated with clients like Enbridge and Tourmaline Oil.