Monique Smith

Monique Smith is a consultant working on strengthening democratic institutions in various parts of the world partnering with a variety of international NGO’s and providing strategic advice to Canadian clients on Canada/US relations. Monique Smith was appointed Ontario’s first Representative in Washington, DC in September 2013.

Prior to serving in Washington, Monique led Premier Kathleen Wynne’s transition team in Ontario and successfully assisted the new Wynne government through its first six months in office at Queen’s Park. She had previously served as Ontario’s Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Government House Leader, Minister of Tourism and Minister of Revenue. During her first four years of elected office, she served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, with particular responsibility for Long-Term Care.

Before being elected in 2003, Monique served as Executive Director of the Association of Canadian Publishers (ACP) and as Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Ontario Legislature, Dalton McGuinty. Monique began her professional career practicing labour and employment law at McCarthy Tétrault, a national law firm, in their Toronto office.

A strong advocate for Ontario's interests, Monique was the first person to hold the Washington post in the Canadian Embassy, a post she held until July 2018. She sat on the Premier’s Committee on Ontario-U.S. Economic and Trade Relations and co-chaired the Ontario-US Engagement Strategy with the Deputy Ministers of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs. She has presented at international conferences on government transitions, Canada/US relations and strengthening democracies. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of government, parliamentary structure, diplomacy, and trade to her work.