Compass Rose

Today @globeandmail has named Compass Rose one of Canada’s top women-led businesses. We celebrate this powerful recognition with our team, clients and partners who continue to raise the bar and have helped build a firm rooted in collaboration and community. Thank you. Our founding ethos, set a decade ago by founder @JacquieLaRocque, remains clear: putting Canadians at the centre of decisions, debates and solutions, and showing legislators and policymakers, regardless of who is in government, that they, and Canadian businesses, share more common ground than often assumed. This recognition reflects our sustained evolution and innovation under the leadership of Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Director @MarciSurkes — shaping our strategy and market presence and reinforcing a culture grounded in insight and impact. As we look to the next decade of helping leaders advance some of Canada’s most complex policy, regulatory and communications challenges, we look forward to how the #uncommoncommongood will shape what comes next. theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-m…

Aujourd’hui @globeandmail a nommé Compass Rose parmi les meilleures entreprises canadiennes dirigées par des femmes. On souligne cette reconnaissance avec celles et ceux qui la rendent possible — notre équipe, nos clients et nos partenaires. Vous avez aidé à bâtir ce que Compass Rose est aujourd’hui. Merci. Depuis une décennie le bien commun est au cœur de notre approche, principe fondateur défini il y a dix ans par notre fondatrice @JacquieLaRocque : placer les Canadiens au cœur des décisions et rapprocher les perspectives — en montrant aux décideurs, peu importe le gouvernement au pouvoir, que les gouvernements et les entreprises canadiennes ont souvent plus en commun qu’on ne le croit. Cette reconnaissance reflète aussi le parcours de Compass Rose, porté notamment par le leadership de notre Cheffe de la stratégie et Directrice générale, @MarciSurkes, qui contribue directement à notre impact. Pour la suite, on reste concentrés sur l’essentiel : accompagner des leaders sur des enjeux complexes et faire avancer des solutions concrètes. Le #biencommunvuautrement continuera de guider ce qui vient. theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-m…

March marks World Kidney Day, a moment to raise awareness, but also to continue the conversation beyond a single day. @kidneycanada recently released its National Strategic Framework for Chronic Kidney Disease, marking an important step toward a more proactive, resilient approach to kidney care, with a focus on prevention and early intervention. Compass Rose is proud to be part of the Living Donor Circle of Excellence, which recognizes organizations that support employees who choose to become living organ donors through policies like wage replacement during recovery. Living donors make a life-changing impact, and reducing financial barriers helps ensure they can focus on healing. Learn more: kidney.ca/framework kidney.ca/Living-Donor-C… #CommonGoodCommunity #KidneyHealth #CdnHealth #PublicHealth

In The Logic’s The Big Read, Marci Surkes reflects on what sets Janice Charette apart after decades at the centre of Canada’s most complex moments. “You can imagine the number of personalities around a table at cabinet …" Surkes says. "There’s very little over the course of decades of service that she has not experienced in terms of bombast.” That kind of experience isn’t theoretical. It’s built over years of navigating pressure, personalities, and high-stakes decisions at the centre of government. As Canada heads into a critical period in its relationship with the United States, that depth of judgment and steadiness will matter. tinyurl.com/4kvhyxes #CdnPoli #PublicService #CanUS

A proud moment for the Compass Rose team. Congratulations to Digital Government and Procurement Practice Lead Kelly Hutchinson, Lead Public Affairs Counsellor Kathleen Walsh, and Founder Jacquie LaRocque for being named to @TheHillTimes Top 100 Lobbyists of 2026. This recognition reflects the dedication, insight, and care they bring to their work as they help clients navigate Canada’s evolving public policy landscape. Proud to see their leadership and impact recognized. Very well deserved! 👏 #HillTimes #Top100Lobbyists #GovernmentRelations #PublicPolicy

At Compass Rose, we believe strong sectors are built through collaboration, diverse perspectives, and supporting the next generation of leaders. Events like WiDS play an important role in bringing people together to celebrate women and their progress, and continue pushing the conversation forward. Great to see so many leaders from across Canada’s defence and security community gathered this morning for the @WiDS_Canada Breakfast Awards. Thank you to the WiDS team for organizing such an inspiring event, and congratulations to this year’s award recipients! We are proud to support this community and the important work being done across Canada’s defence and security ecosystem. #WiDS #WomenInDefence #DefenceAndSecurity #CDNDefence

Ahead of International Women’s Day, our Compass Rose team hosted a clothing drive in support of @DFSOttawa, donating professional attire and accessories to women and gender diverse individuals entering or re-entering the workforce. Dress for Success empowers people with the clothing, tools, and confidence to achieve economic independence. We’re proud to continue supporting their important work and grateful for everyone’s generous contributions! You can learn more about the local chapter here: ottawa.dressforsuccess.org #IWD2026 #CommonGoodCommunity #Ottawa

Compass Rose is hiring a Public Affairs Coordinator! This early-career role is ideal for someone interested in learning more about public policy, Canadian public affairs, digital government and procurement. You’ll support our team through research, media monitoring, stakeholder mapping, and client work while gaining experience navigating Canada’s public policy landscape. Learn more and apply: tinyurl.com/y4dfa2x6 #CdnPoli #DigitalGovernment #Procurement #Ottawa

At Compass Rose, community is at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’re proud to once again support the 2026 @WiDS_Canada Awards Breakfast. WiDS is more than a professional network. It is a community of leaders, practitioners, and emerging voices committed to advancing opportunity, mentorship, and meaningful dialogue across Canada’s defence and security sector. By bringing people together across disciplines and generations, WiDS helps ensure diverse perspectives help shape the future of national security. We believe progress happens when communities invest in one another. Supporting WiDS and this event is one way we contribute to a stronger, more connected sector where collaboration and leadership can thrive. We look forward to the breakfast with this incredible community and to celebrating the individuals whose leadership continues to move the sector forward. #Community #Leadership #Defence #Security #WomenInLeadership

Canada is shaped by those who can imagine a better future and build the support to make it real. That's why we run campaigns. To mobilize Canadians and inspire action. Check out our full suite of campaign and creative services on our new Campaigns & Creative website. campaignsandcreative.ca Our team is here to help you mobilize Canadians and advocate for you.

#SPOTTED: Our very own Michael Edwards was featured in @obj_news' “People on the Move” and in @PoliticoOttawa as we launch our new Campaigns and Creative practice. Led by Michael, this new agency integrates strategy, branding, marketing, websites, social media, and video, all grounded in deep public policy expertise. We are built to help clients shape narrative, drive influence, and show up with clarity when it matters most. Compass Rose is proud to be expanding in a way that reflects where our industry is headed. Strong counsel remains at our core, but creative capability is now essential to leadership in public affairs. Read more in the Ottawa Business Journal here: tinyurl.com/3dnvztjy Explore our expansion and what Campaigns & Creative can do here: campaignsandcreative.ca #Ottawa #PublicAffairs #DigitalMedia #Communications #Campaigns #Policy

We are proud to continue our partnership with Équipe de Compétition Edelweiss, an organization that plays a meaningful role in introducing young athletes to the joy, discipline and confidence that sport can bring. With the 2026 Winter Olympics wrapped and the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games underway next week, it’s inspiring to imagine where these experiences could lead. The races at Edelweiss could be the first chapter in a journey that reaches the world stage. For now, we are simply proud to support the children, coaches and families that make it all possible! To learn more about Équipe de Compétition Edelweiss visit: competitionedelweiss.com #CommonGoodCommunity #WinterOlympics

Nous sommes ravis d'accueillir Michael Edwards chez Compass Rose pour lancer notre nouvelle agence Campaigns & Creative. Michael est un stratège numérique et directeur création primé qui compte plus de 15 ans d'expérience dans le secteur des affaires publiques, où il a façonné la culture, le discours et l'influence. Il a fondé Adrenaline Digital, première agence canadienne spécialisée dans les affaires publiques numériques, qui a ensuite été rachetée. Son travail a été reconnu à l'échelle internationale, notamment par les Reed Awards qui lui ont décerné les prix de la meilleure campagne internationale et de la meilleure entreprise internationale. L'agence Campagnes et création de Compass Rose combine stratégie, image de marque, marketing, sites Web, médias sociaux et vidéo. Nous sommes ravis de collaborer avec nos clients en les aidant à transformer leurs idées en mouvements et leurs messages en élan. Découvrez ce que Campaigns & Creative peut faire pour vous : campaigns.compassrosegroup.org/fr

We’re excited to welcome Michael Edwards to Compass Rose to launch our new Campaigns & Creative agency. Michael is an award-winning digital strategist and creative director with more than 15 years shaping culture, narrative, and influence in public affairs. He founded Adrenaline Digital, Canada’s first dedicated digital public affairs agency, which was later acquired. His work has been recognized internationally, including Reed Awards for Best International Campaign and Best International Firm. Our full-suite Campaigns & Creative agency within Compass Rose blends strategy, branding, marketing, websites, social media, and video. We are excited to share and work with clients by helping them turn ideas into movements and messages into momentum. Check out what Campaigns & Creative can do for you: campaigns.compassrosegroup.org

Recent signs of cooperation between Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Prime Minister Mark Carney suggest both parties are willing to accelerate progress on trade and economic issues. However, political observers say a stronger foundation of trust may be required to move forward on other stalled elements of the government’s legislative agenda. @GMilner recently told Jesse Cnockaert of @TheHillTimes that Conservatives accusing the Liberals of being difficult, and Liberals calling Conservatives obstructionist, “is a reflection of the minority Parliament that we sit in.” "[The Liberals] still need the support of at least a couple members from across the aisle to move legislation through, and they need the support of another party from the committee perspective of moving things through committee. I believe that both parties are genuine in their frustration with each other—maybe a little bit earlier in the session than is traditional—but both parties are trying to deliver for their constituencies,” he notes. You can read the full interview here: tinyurl.com/6tzvyf6c #CdnPoli #Legislation

As Canadians reflect on who we are and how we show up in the world, the arts play an essential role in our identity. This morning, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation has announced the 2026 recipients of Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts. The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards recognize artists and volunteers whose work shapes our cultural identity at home and abroad. Their contributions reflect the depth and diversity of Canada, connecting communities, bridging generations, and carrying stories forward. This year, the show will be held on June 6, 2026, at the National Arts Centre. Compass Rose is proud to continue serving as a communications partner, helping share these stories across the country and beyond. Congratulations to this year’s recipients on this well-deserved recognition! ggpaa.ca/home.aspx #GGPPAs #GGAwards #CanadianCulture 📸Photo credits: Tonya Williams | Alan Weissman; James Cameron | John Russo; Susan Benson | David Borrowman; Sylvain Émard | Camille Gladu-Drouin; Sae Hoon (Stan) Chung | Beckett Chung; Daniel Lavoie | Valérie Paquette; Barbara Hannigan | Ari Magg

.@MarciSurkes was on @CPAC_TV’s @PTP_CPAC this week. The panel discussed the government’s new vehicle emissions and EV strategy, the prospect of an early election, and focused on what actually moves a government toward the polls. “They have made significant changes to the senior ranks in the public service," she said. "They are shifting around machinery in order to be able to implement the agenda, and as soon as there is a little more meat on the bone in terms of tangible results, then we could be into election territory.” A smart reminder that it’s not polling alone that triggers elections, but more often a proof of delivery. #CdnPoli