Toronto is entering another defining political moment. With the next mayoral race already taking shape, voters, city-builders, community leaders, and business voices are asking what kind of leadership Canada’s largest city needs now. 

From Queen’s Park to Parliament Hill, questions of affordability, infrastructure, immigration, wildfires, taxation, trade, and public trust are shaping political landscape at all three levels of government. 

At the same time, Canada’s political agenda is becoming more complex: the future of the USMCA agreement, renewed debates about Canada’s economic sovereignty, Global political shifts, and questions about the durability of Canada’s National Unity, are all adding new dimensions to how parties, leaders, and voters think about the year ahead. 

Against this backdrop, the Empire Club of Canada brings together some of the country’s most seasoned political observers and strategists for a fast-paced evening of insight, candour, and analysis — exploring the campaigns, policy choices, public moods, and strategic calculations that are shaping municipal, provincial, and federal politics. 

Join Kory Teneycke, one of Canada’s most influential conservative strategists, Cofounder and CEO Rubicon Strategy Inc.; Peter Donolo, veteran Liberal strategist and communications advisor; Jordan Leichnitz, Canada Director, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung; and Robert Benzie, Queen’s Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star, for a lively conversation on the campaigns, personalities, policies, and power shifts that will shape the city, the province, and the country. 

Kicking off this event will be renowned pollster Nik Nanos, Chief Data Scientist and Founder, Nanos Research to provide special remarks and a presentation outlining polling data — and more importantly — incites on the mood of the Toronto, Ontario and Canadian electorate. 

Mark your calendars for September 29, 2026!  Join us for an unforgettable evening of passed canapés, drinks, and a vibrant atmosphere designed to inspire and connect. 

This is an Empire Nights event, proudly presented by the Empire Club of Canada.