Federal Government Relations
The Government of Canada sets the national policy and regulatory framework. Our trusted advisors engage decision-makers, shape government policy, and drive impact in Ottawa.
Working with the Government of Canada requires trusted advisors with unrivaled experience.
Wellington advisors have served Canadian Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers across all major parties. We drive outcomes for partners, including policy, legislative, and regulatory changes, complex procurement processes, and access to funding programs.
Services
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Strategy Development
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Lobbying
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Public Policy Development
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Political and Legislative Intelligence
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Stakeholder Mapping
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Meet our Federal Advisors
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Zita Astravas
Vice President
Zita is a seasoned public affairs professional with over 15 years serving in senior government and media relations roles at both the federal and provincial levels. She joins Wellington Advocacy after serving in a number of senior leadership roles in the Trudeau government, including as Director of Issues Management and a seasoned Advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Zita has also served as Chief of Staff to the President of the King’s Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, the Minister of Public Safety, and the Minister of National Defence, as well as in senior media relations roles for the Liberal Party of Canada, including during the 2015, 2019, and 2021 election campaigns. At the provincial level, Zita has served in numerous leadership roles under former Liberal Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne, including as Director of Media Relations.
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Andrea van Vugt
Chief Operating Officer & Practice Lead, Trade and Federal
Andrea has more than 20 years of experience working in the public and private sectors, advising some of North America’s largest businesses on bilateral and trilateral trade issues. Andrea was the Foreign Affairs and Trade Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada where she played an instrumental role in the conclusion of the Canada-Europe trade negotiations. Andrea also served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of International Trade where she oversaw the conclusion of trade talks with Ukraine, Israel, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Andrea will navigate complicated transborder activities for your organization, including trade and tariff rules.
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Hon. Wayne Wouters, PC, OC
21st Clerk of the Privy Council and Head of the Canadian Public Service
Wayne Wouters serves as Chair of the Wellington Advocacy Strategic Advisory Board.
He joins Wellington Advocacy with nearly 40 years of distinguished public service at the highest levels, serving Prime Ministers from both governing parties. He served as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet from 2009-2014. In this capacity, Mr. Wouters served as the Chief Executive Officer of Canada’s professional public service and acted as Deputy Minister to Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper. From 2004-2009, Mr. Wouters served as Secretary to the Treasury Board, acting as principal administrator of government programming and expenditure management. Previously, he served as Deputy Minister in several other departments across the public service. On the advice of the Prime Minister Mr. Wouters was appointed by the Governor General as a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada in 2014 and appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017. Mr. Wouters is a sought after advisor to executives and businesses across Canada. He is a Strategic and Policy Advisor at McCarthy Tétrault LLP and holds directorships at BlackBerry Limited, Canadian Utilities Limited, and Foran Mining Corporation.
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Hon. Janice Charette, PC
22nd Clerk of the Privy Council and Head of the Canadian Public Service
The Hon. Janice Charette joins Wellington Advocacy with nearly 40 years of executive leadership experience in the Government of Canada. Most recently, Ms. Charette played a leadership role on the Transition Team for Prime Minister Mark Carney following his victory in the Liberal leadership race and the 2025 federal election.
Previously, Ms. Charette led the Public Service of Canada as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet from 2014-2016 and from 2021-2023, during the governments of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
From 2016 to 2021, Ms. Charette represented Canada as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Earlier in her public service career, she led several senior government departments as Deputy Minister, including Health Canada, Citizenship and Immigration, Human Resources and Skills Development, and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Ms. Charette was appointed to the King’s Privy Council for Canada in September 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and has been awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Kingston University (UK) and Carleton University. She currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Rideau Hall Foundation and as a board member of the Institute for Research in Public Policy.
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Philippe Bolduc
Vice President
Fluently bilingual, Phil brings a strong background in legislative processes and the Canadian regulatory environment. Drawn from his many years as a senior advisor and Chief of Staff on Parliament Hill, his experience includes familiarity with the Cabinet process, communications and issues management. Phil has deep political relationships in both the political and public service realms across Canada. As an expert in parliamentary procedure, Phil brings an unrivaled understanding to the way things work in Ottawa and Québec City.
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Dave Penner
Vice President, Federal
Dave brings more than 30 years of strategic leadership in government relations, stakeholder engagement and public affairs to Wellington Advocacy. His career spans nearly two decades on Parliament Hill, including senior advisory roles to the Prime Minister of Canada, where he served as Director of Appointments. Prior to that, Dave advised multiple Leaders of the Official Opposition, Ministers and Members of Parliament, building deep expertise in federal election strategy and political-campaign leadership.
Before joining Wellington Advocacy, Dave held senior leadership roles at Canada Post, the Canadian Pharmacists Association and Santis Health, where he advanced national advocacy, stakeholder relations and public-policy strategies across the health and public sectors.
At Wellington Advocacy, Dave applies his extensive networks, policy insight and campaign-driven mindset to advise clients and deliver results in Canada’s most complex political and regulatory environments. He remains actively engaged in community service and mentorship, helping to cultivate the next generation of public-affairs leaders.
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Cassandra Almeida
Director
Cassandra is a seasoned government relations professional with over a decade of experience across Ontario and the federal landscape. She has held senior advisory roles with Members of Parliament and served in the Prime Minister’s Office, where she gained firsthand insight into federal government operations and political strategy. With a deep understanding of the machinery of government, Cassandra is adept at navigating complex legislative processes and driving forward transformative policy change. Her experience is complemented by a strong foundation in grassroots politics, having actively contributed to numerous provincial and federal Liberal campaigns. Cassandra brings a strategic, informed perspective to government relations, rooted in both high-level political experience and on-the-ground engagement.
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Jared Maltais
Senior Consultant
Jared brings a decade of experience in and around Parliament Hill to Wellington Advocacy. He has previously served as a Legislative Assistant for the Liberal Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre. Jared has also held numerous leadership roles, including Executive Director for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and Digital Director for the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. He has participated in various political campaigns at all levels of government, including the 2023 Ontario Liberal leadership contest and the 2022 Ottawa mayoral election.
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Tasso Housakos
Senior Consultant
Before joining Wellington Advocacy, Tasso played a pivotal role in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition by spearheading research initiatives and driving forward key policy priorities. He also served as an advisor on Pierre Poilievre’s leadership campaign. With extensive experience advising corporate clients across diverse industries, Tasso has a proven track record in government relations and public affairs, providing actionable insights and effective strategies. Tasso has lent his expertise to numerous federal and provincial election campaigns in Ontario and Quebec. He is fluently bilingual in both English and French.
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Luwam Ghebre
Senior Consultant
Luwam is fully bilingual and brings over a decade of public affairs experience having served as a senior advisor on Parliament Hill – both in government and opposition – and election campaigns. She has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the inner workings and complexities of government and brings experience in developing and implementing communications and stakeholder strategies for senior executives in government, and the private sector. She brings to the role proven leadership in managing client portfolios, project execution, and a passion for emerging market partnerships, especially in Africa.
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Our Impact
We create value
by shaping government policy and public opinion.
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Public Relations
Our advisors leverage unrivaled experience advising Prime Ministers, Provincial Premiers, Cabinet Ministers to advance strategies that shape public opinion and protect brand reputation.
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Digital Advertising and Mobilization
We combine political campaign expertise with advanced digital marketing strategies to mobilize public support for your cause.
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NGO Partnership Development
We build and strengthen connections between businesses, governments, foundations, and NGO’s to advance international development partnerships worldwide.
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Executive Advisory
Chaired by the Honourable Wayne Wouters, PC, OC, former Head of the Canadian Public Service, the Wellington Advocacy Strategic Advisory Board provides partners with strategic and specialized policy counsel.
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Trade Policy and Market Entry
Guiding businesses through Canada’s regulatory landscape, we help international and domestic partners expand into new markets, maintain compliance, and identify growth opportunities.
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