Conservative Order Paper question ‘king’ Colin Thackeray crowned 2026 Top Political Staffer

Conservative MP Todd Doherty’s ‘instrumental’ Michael Bailey, and the PMO’s ‘parliamentary affairs assassin’ Kate Legault-Meek also scored top spots in several categories in The Hill Times’ rejuvenated Top Political Staffers survey.

The top three political staffers according to The Hill Times’ 2026 survey are: Colin Thackeray, centre, senior adviser to the Conservative House Leader; Michael Bailey, left, legislative assistant to Conservative MP Todd Doherty; and Kate Legault-Meek, the PMO’s director of parliamentary affairs.The Hill Times photograph by Cynthia Münster, file photograph, and courtesy of LinkedIn

Feature

BY STUART BENSON

September 16, 2026

A new era in Canadian politics and a whole new slate of staffers since 2024 means a new face at the top of The Hill Times’ rebooted and rejuvenated—but just as terrific—Top Political Staffers survey as Colin Thackeray, the longtime senior advi...

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