Federal Politics
Dr. Julie Simmons – Canadian politics, federal-provincial relations
Dr. Julie Simmons focuses on Canadian politics, including federal -provincial relations, federalism, party politics and electoral politics. She has spoken about the recent Ontario election, the Liberal leadership race and the possibility of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state.
Simmons is a professor in the Department of Political Science at the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences.
Dr. Matthew Hayday – Canadian political history, federal-provincial relations
Dr. Matthew Hayday is a historian whose work focuses on post-1945 Canadian political history, particularly issues related to English-French relations, national identity, and social movements. He is currently writing a biography of former Progressive Conservative prime minister Joe Clark and the evolution of conservative politics and parties from the 1950s to the early 2000s.
He has recently spoken to media about the challenges or party leaders who do not hold seats in a legislature, as well as Canada’s nationalism resurgence.
Hayday is a professor in the Department of History in the College of Arts.
Tariffs and Trade
Dr. Sylvanus Afesorgbor – International trade, U.S. tariffs
Dr. Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor studies international trade, political economy, economic sanctions and globalization and has spoken recently on the possible effects of U.S. tariffs on international trade.
He is a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics at the Ontario Agricultural College.
Dr. Mike von Massow – Food economy, buying Canadian
Dr. Mike von Massow studies food economics and the performance of food value chains. He has recently discussed buying Canadian products at the grocery store and what’s impacting the cost of eggs.
He is a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics at the Ontario Agricultural College.
Dr. Abdallah Elsayed – Tariffs on automotive industry
Dr. Abdallah Elsayed conducts research on materials and manufacturing in the transportation sector, including new materials for emerging powertrain (hybrid, electric, fuel cell) applications. He can discuss the impact tariffs have on the cost of automotive parts, since they often cross borders multiple times in the manufacturing process.
Elsayed is a professor in the School of Engineering at the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
Environment
Dr. Ze’ev Gedalof – Climate change, environment
Dr. Ze’ev Gedalof is the director of the Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics Research (CEDaR) laboratory, with a research focus on climate change in Canada. He has spoken about the surge in wildfires in recent years, including how these weather events are changing how people live their lives.
He is a professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences.
Housing
Dr. Diana Mok – Housing market, home ownership
Dr. Diana Mok studies housing market dynamics with insights relevant to policymakers, urban planners and real estate professionals. She has spoken about tariff threats and their effects on the housing market. She has also discussed how rising home costs could lead to Canadians reevaluating the goal of homeownership.
She is a professor in the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies at the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.
Cybersecurity
Dr. Ali Dehghantanha – Cybersecurity, foreign interference
Dr. Ali Dehghantanha is the director of U of G’s Cyber Science Lab, focused on research and training in cybersecurity. He has recently commented on cyberattacks on school boards and privacy issues surrounding generative AI programs like DeepSeek AI. He is available to discuss cybersecurity risks during election campaigns and the risk of foreign interference.
He is a professor in the School of Computer Science at the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.