Susan Smith
A principal at Bluesky Strategy Group, Susan Smith has been providing private sector and public sector clients with strategic communications, public affairs and media relations advice and coaching for more than 17 years.
From the film and television sector to First Nations, health care and science and clean technology and political issues, Susan has advised CEO’s, Cabinet Ministers, leaders of organizations and officials on how to creatively and effectively craft and present their messages to achieve their communications goals. Susan’s clients have included government departments, national associations, businesses, government-funded organizations and local organizations in sectors including health care, aboriginal affairs, environment, agricultural, film and television and not-for-profit. These include: Rx and D, the Canadian Television Fund, the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, Telefilm Canada, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, the Assembly of First Nations, Music in Canada, the Canadian Construction Association, Terra-Choice/Eco-Logo, the Canadian International Hockey Academy, the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, the National Capital Commission Ombudsman and the Canadian Heart Health Strategy and Action Plan.
Prior to the founding of Bluesky Strategy Group, Susan worked in senior communications capacities with several other national public relations firms, including heading her own practice in Calgary. She also served as the Communications Advisor to the Federal Minister of Transport and the Minister of Human Resources Development.
Susan is a co-Founder of Canada 2020, Canada’s newest Progressive Centre, whose outputs include a June 2006 launch conference with held in Mont Tremblant, QC that featured Vice-President Al Gore, economist Jeffrey Sachs and other prominent speakers. Since 2006, Susan and Canada 2020 have brought leading thought leaders to Canada including Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Salman Rushdie, Wired Magazine’s Chris Anderson, author Tim Flannery, former US Treasury Secretary Bob Rubin, historian and author Niall Ferguson, Chinese economist Fan Gang, African economist Dambisa Moyo and John Podesta. Susan is active in all aspects of Canada 2020 conference planning and execution. www.canada2020.ca
A frequent political commentator and pundit, Susan has appeared regularly on CBC News Network, CTV New Channel Net, CPAC, as well as radio and print throughout the country. She is a regular member of Evan Solomon’s Power Panel on CBC’s Power and Politics.
She is a bilingual graduate of Queen’s University, and a Senator’s hockey fan.