Next Campaign Summit 2024: A Groundbreaking Success in Modern Political Campaigning, Innovation, and Technology.
September 12, 2024, Toronto, ON – The inaugural Next Campaign Summit, Canada’s first non-partisan event focused on political campaigning, innovation, and modern technology, took place today at Hotel X in Toronto with resounding success.
The summit brought together over 300 attendees representing a broad spectrum of political affiliations, leading campaign strategists, political advisors, advocacy and non-profits, government relations and lobby firms, tech platforms, political vendors, consultants, corporations, and government officials. With more than 35 expert speakers, thought leaders, and changemakers from across Canada and beyond, the event exceeded expectations by selling out at over 200% of the initially planned capacity. Attendees were immersed in a full day of modern strategies, technological insights, innovative approaches to campaigning, and unparalleled networking opportunities.
Highlights of the Next Campaign Summit 2024
The summit featured a diverse lineup of influential speakers who are reshaping political campaigning and advocacy through modern technology and innovative strategies. Key speakers included:
- Jeff Ballingall, President, Mobilize Media Group and prominent Conservative digital strategist
- Gerald Butts, Vice Chairman, Eurasia Group and former Principal Secretary to PM Justin Trudeau
- Nick Kouvalis, leading Conservative political strategist and consultant
- Zain Velji, Partner, Northweather, and Co-Director of Naheed Nenshi’s NDP Leadership Campaign
- Shachi Kurl, President, Angus Reid Institute
- Fred DeLorey, Partner, NorthStar Public Affairs, and National Campaign Manager, Conservative Party of Canada (2021 General Election)
- Anne McGrath, Principal Secretary to NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and National Director of the NDP (2018-2024)
- Jeremy Broadhurst, National Campaign Director, Liberal Party of Canada
- Josh Matlow, Councillor, City of Toronto
- Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and MPP for Guelph
- Dave Clark, Deputy Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Official Opposition Leader and Ontario NDP Campaign Director
Speakers from across Canada—including Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and more—along with experts from the US, enriched the summit by sharing insights on the evolving landscape of political campaigns, data-driven strategies, and the increasing impact of digital tools in modern advocacy.
Engaging Content and Cutting-Edge Discussions
The summit provided an unparalleled platform to explore how modern technology and innovative methods are transforming political campaigning and advocacy. Key sessions covered:
- Shaping the Future: The Next Federal Election
- Ontario Votes: Key Trends and Insights for the Next Provincial Election
- Online Advertising and the Future of Political Digital Marketing
- Targeting with Precision: Using Data to Connect with Canadian Voters
- Influence and Impact: Leveraging Social Media for Political Victory
- AI in Action: Shaping the Future of Canadian Politics
With over 15 sessions, including sponsor presentations on groundbreaking campaign management tools, organic video strategies, Deep Fakes and campaigns, advocacy management tools, and the future of digital marketing in politics, the event was a first-of-its-kind in Canada, highlighting the vital intersection of political campaigning, technology, and innovation.
Support from Leading Sponsors
The event’s success was amplified by the support of over 20 sponsors, including Environics Analytics, Microsoft, YouTube, PoliTraQ, TikTok, TD, Spark Advocacy, Qomon, Liaison Strategies, and others. The event was founded and presented by Harneet Singh, Principal of EOK Consults, Brett Thalmann, Founding Partner of Nexus Strategic Consultants, and Hasneet Singh Punia, CEO of Armer Consulting.
“The Next Campaign Summit 2024 has set a new benchmark for political discourse in Canada by bridging the gap between technology, innovation and political strategy. We are thrilled with the response from our attendees and speakers, and it reinforces the need for a non-partisan platform that fosters dialogue, learning, and collaboration across the political spectrum” said Harneet Singh, co-founder of the Next Campaign Summit.
A Look Ahead
Given the overwhelming response and significant impact of this year’s summit, plans are already underway for future events by the team behind the Next Campaign Summit. Attendees and the broader public can expect more updates soon.
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