Biographies
Lecia Stewart
Lecia is one of the most widely recognized professionals in transportation infrastructure project development in Canada. She has led ground floor development and start-up of several of Canada's largest urban transportation projects; secured bids and negotiated contracts for private sector firms, ranging from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars; and has a proven ability to strategize and communicate in complex, often highly contentious areas. Her diversified background spans the full spectrum of executive and leadership functions in both the public and private sectors, including more than 20 years experience in management, major infrastructure project management, negotiations, marketing, public affairs and labour relations. She has significant experience working with governments at all levels — public interest groups, the media and other stakeholders.
In March 2002, Ms. Stewart joined Bombardier to establish a North American high speed rail division. In that capacity, she led a consortium that won a $4.3 billion Design, Build, Operate, Maintain and Finance project for a high speed rail system in Florida. She also led project development for Bombardier's high speed efforts in California, the mid-West, and throughout Canada.
Prior to this position Ms. Stewart served as President and Project Director of Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit project from 1997 to 2001. This $1.2 billion dollar initiative was the largest infrastructure project in the history of British Columbia. She led a ground floor start-up of all financial, corporate and operational systems and had full responsibility for both the design and construction phases.
The SkyTrain "Millennium Line" was completed under budget and in record time.
From 1993 to 1997, Ms. Stewart was President of the West Coast Express, one of North America's newest and fastest growing commuter rail services. Her leadership spanned from concept to design, through construction, start-up and finally to a mature operating company. This award-winning service was also completed under budget and clocked the fastest rail construction start-up in North American history.
In June, 2005, Ms Stewart established her own company and consults widely on business, strategy and project development throughout North America.
Ms. Stewart is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Executive MBA Program for Management Development. Since 2002, Ms. Stewart has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
Patrick Gossage
Patrick is one of Canada's most highly respected public relations practitioners. Drawing on his 35 years of experience in broadcasting, politics and communications, including serving as the prime minister's press secretary, he provides strategic and political communications advice and media training to numerous private and public sector clients. These clients include: The Westaim Corporation, BMO Nesbitt Burns, Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation and Toronto Community Housing. He has prepared numerous national, provincial and municipal leaders for interviews and televised debates, and was most recently a strategic advisor to Mayor David Miller.
Following graduation from the University of Toronto and after a stint at Harvard Divinity School, Patrick wrote, produced and directed countless public affairs television programs in both Toronto and Montreal for the CBC and CTV. He is also fluent in French.
After working in television, Patrick moved on to the CRTC in Ottawa, where he wrote speeches for Chairman Pierre Juneau and produced communications research.
Following his high-profile tenure from 1976 to 1982 as Press Secretary to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Patrick spent three years working at the Canadian Embassy in Washington with Ambassador Allan Gotlieb, where he orchestrated media and promotional events. Upon his return to Canada (when he founded Media Profile), Patrick published his recollections of the Trudeau years in Close to the Charisma (McClelland and Stewart, 1986). His first novel, The Father Pat Stories, was published by Simon & Pierre in 1997.
Patrick provides personalized media coaching and presentation training to many of Canada's top executives and best-known politicians. Patrick was a regular political panelist on CBC Newsworld's 'Politics', and has appeared on ROB-TV, CBC Television and Radio, and Canada AM, where he comments on trends and issues relevant to the political and media arenas. He has also written columns and book reviews for The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, MacLean's Magazine and Policy Options.
Patrick has important connections in the cultural, business and political community. He has advised the Canada Council, the CBC, Vision TV, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association. He has served on the Board of the Toronto Arts Council and is currently the Vice Chair of the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. He was Chair of the Toronto Preservation Board and is also on the board of the Digital Opportunity Trust.
He lives in King City, paints landscapes and makes twig furniture.
Sandra Buckler
Sandra Buckler has 19 years of experience in communications and public affairs with private and public sectors in Canada, the United States and internationally.
She most recently served as the Director of Communications to the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper. She held that position from February 2006, until she stepped down in July, 2008. In that role, she was responsible for overall communications planning and implementation for the Government of Canada, including the development of strategies, crafting of messages and coordinating the execution of Government communications. She managed a central staff of 15 professionals and provided advice and support to over 25 senior communications officers throughout the government. She also provided communications counsel to the Prime Minister, to members of the Cabinet and Members of Parliament.
Before accepting the position of Director of Communications, she was a vice president with GPC, a national public affairs company, where she provided communications counsel and public affairs advice to various clients, including De Beers Canada, Bombardier, Coca Cola and Rogers.
Before joining GPC, Ms. Buckler was Manager, Strategic Initiatives, High Speed Rail North America for Bombardier Transportation. In this role, she was responsible for the division’s stakeholder and communications programs contributing to the successful selection of Bombardier and their partner Fluor, to establish high speed rail service in the state of Florida.
Ms. Buckler’s other private sector experience includes a senior position with an international company serving the mining industry – suppliers and buyers where she was responsible for directing the global communications program on five continents. The role included responsibility for global media and public relations, event coordination, and crisis communications.
Prior to her entry into the private sector, Mr. Buckler served in the federal and provincial levels of government. Specifically, she served as an advisor to three Ministers of Defense, holding various positions, including Special Advisor for Ontario, Press Secretary, and ultimately, Legislative Assistant and Senior Policy Advisor. In addition, she has been politically active in numerous Conservative Leadership and election campaigns federally, in Ontario and British Columbia.
Ms. Buckler is from Hamilton, Ontario. She holds an Honours BA in Political Science from McMaster University, located in her hometown. She is married to Navy Captain Richard Gravel and they reside in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - the nation’s capital.
Pamela McDonald
Pamela McDonald is a versatile and highly resourceful government relations and public affairs specialist with the ability to identify emerging issues, provide strategic advice, plan, implement and evaluate effective government relations strategies. With over twenty years experience in the field of public affairs, she contributes a proven record of achievement in high-level relationship building, issues management, problem solving, communications planning, media relations and quality control to the StewartGossage team.
Well respected throughout B.C. and nationally, Pamela is best known for her for ten years of service with the Federal Government as Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister for B.C. In that role, she provided counsel on current and emerging issues in the province by developing strong working relationships with key business and industry leaders, senior elected officials and bureaucrats at all government levels. Pamela has built solid relationships with opinion leaders in Prince Rupert, having managed a number of issues related to the shipment of commodities via rail through the Port of Prince Rupert. As well, Pamela has a strong network of contacts in the rail industry, specifically with CN, who she assisted with issues management during her term in government. Pamela has also played a pivotal role with key stakeholders leading up to the successful announcements of key infrastructure projects including the Canada Line project, the expanded Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, Kicking Horse Canyon and the move of the Canadian Tourism Commission to Vancouver.
As Senior Director Public and Community Affairs for TELUS with responsibility for TELUS’ public affairs and philanthropic activities nationally, Pamela liaised with governments at all three levels on key files for TELUS – specifically, the Bell Canada takeover discussions, Telecommunications Policy Review Panel, Net Neutrality and Wireless Spectrum. She also worked closely with the TELUS executive leadership team in the strategic planning and leveraging of TELUS issues and activities nationally.
Prior to her role at TELUS, Pamela was the Director of Public Affairs and Community Relations for Bell Canada in B.C., responsible for all community affairs activities in BC as well as supporting other corporate marketing activities related to sponsorships and Olympics.