Althia Raj

Speaker Bio

Althia Raj is a multiple award-winning journalist, frequently ranked as one of the top 100 most influential people in Canadian politics by The Hill Times since 2015. She is currently a national columnist with the Toronto Star; the host/producer of the podcast, It’s Political; and a regular weekly panelist on CBC’s At Issue panel. Having worked at the heart of Canadian politics for nearly two decades, Raj shares a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of Ottawa, the state of politics, and what it means for her audience.

Prior to joining the Star, Althia was The Huffington Post Canada’s senior editorial manager and its Ottawa bureau chief from the news site’s inception in 2011 until its closure in March 2021. At HuffPost, Althia oversaw political coverage of Parliament Hill and of the National Assembly in Quebec City. She has also worked as a national reporter for Postmedia News and QMI/Sun Media, as well as a producer for CTV and CBC Radio’s “The House.”

Althia is the recipient of several journalism awards. She received the 2021 National Newspaper Awards’ John Wesley Dafoe Award for Politics in 2021, and was a finalist for the same prestigious award again in 2023. She has also received several digital media awards for her multi-media election coverage. Her podcast “It’s Political” was nominated for an international Ambies award in 2023.

Althia has been called upon to moderate several leaders’ debates: as co-moderator of the 2022 Ontario election debate, a co-moderator of the 2019 federal election debate, the Ontario PC leadership debate in 2018, and a federal NDP leadership debate in 2017.

Althia is a former parliamentary intern. A graduate of McGill University, she serves on the Board of Trustees of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. She volunteers on the board of the Ottawa Art Gallery and is a past chair of the board of directors of apt613.ca, an award-winning not-for-profit arts and culture blog she co-founded in 2008.

Speaker Topics

Navigating Canada's Evolving Political Landscape: Insights from Althia Raj

Althia Raj, a distinguished national columnist for the Toronto Star, host of the “It’s Political” podcast, brings a wealth of experience in Canadian political journalism. In her keynotes, she can delve into the dynamic shifts within Canada’s political arena, focusing on recent developments and the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies on Canada, and the challenges posed by foreign interference in domestic affairs.

Drawing from her recent analyses and interviews, including discussions with key political figures and experts as a weekly panelist on CBC’s At Issue panel, Althia can speak to the factors influencing Canada’s democracy today and offer perspectives on how citizens and leaders can respond to these challenges and what they can do to strengthen democracy. Audiences will leave with a deeper understanding of the forces at play and actionable insights on how to navigate the future.

Testimonials

Althia was fantastic! She provided a great keynote, was generous with her time, answered questions with enthusiasm and humour, and was extremely engaged and accessible. Would recommend her very highly!

Althia Raj helped Grain Farmers of Ontario make our first-ever virtual March Classic a resounding success. Her insights into the Canadian political landscape were timely, clever, and thought-provoking. Our attendees appreciated her candor and intelligence during a live Q&A session. Ms. Raj was professional, smart, and funny, and her approach appealed to our very varied demographics. I would highly recommend her for any professional event.

Althia was the star attraction of a recent CEO-level client session. She provided the kind of thoughtful engaging, plugged-in political analysis that has become her trademark. Our clients were bowled over by her insights and delighted by her sense of humour. Hers is one of those rare talents that can both attract and maintain interest – in our case for a full 90 minute virtual presentation. She spoke seamlessly in both official languages, too.