William J. Pristanski

Principal
(613) 569-3200 Ext. 224
pristanski@prospectusassociates.com

Mr. Pristanski left the government of Canada in 1991 to form a government relations consulting firm.

Over the past two decades, he has become one of Canada’s most experienced and highly respected public affairs strategists. He advises a number of North American companies on building positive relationships with governments in Canada, both at the federal and provincial levels.

Over the period of 1983 to 1991, Mr. Pristanski held several senior positions in the Government of Canada. The first four years he served as executive assistant to Prime Minister Mulroney. From 1987 to 1991 he served as Chief of Staff to the Solicitor General, the President of the Treasury Board and the Minister of the Environment. In 1990 and 1991, he chaired the weekly meeting of chiefs of staff to ministers.

His government experience spans central agencies (PMO and Treasury Board) and major line departments (Solicitor General and Environment).

As Chief of Staff to the Minister of the Environment, he spearheaded the policy development and Cabinet approval process for Canada’s Green Plan and the Environmental Assessment Act.

In 2003, he was the chair of the Peter MacKay Leadership Campaign. Later that year he was a senior advisor to Mr. MacKay during the merger negotiations and the subsequent ratification process that formed the new Conservative Party.

During the 2004 and 2006 elections, Mr. Pristanski appeared nightly on Prime Time Politics with Peter Van Dusen on CPAC representing the Conservative Party on the party strategists panel. He is also a regular guest on Mike Duffy’s CountDown program on CTV NewsNet.  During the current election, Pristanski is the Conservative strategist on week-nights at 8 p.m. on the CPAC panel.

Mr. Pristanski, a Sir James Dunn Scholar and DesCartes Fellow, holds an Honours Co-operative degree in Mathematics (Computer Science and Statistics) from the University of Waterloo.

Mr. Pristanski’s community involvement includes:

• founding president of the National Youth Parliament Association,
• former member of the University of Waterloo Senate,
• current director of the Tukulik Foundation,
• member of the board of directors of AmCham Canada,
• vice-chair of the capital fundraising project for St. Paul’s College,
• chair of the Black and White Soirée to raise funds for the National Arts Centre and Opera Lyra,
• member of the board of the Ottawa Art Gallery,
• fundraising chair for the Ottawa Senators AA Major Bantam team.

As well, Mr. Pristanski has run in all twenty-eight Terry Fox Runs. In 2005, he personally raised over $25,000 for the 25th anniversary run.

He is a member of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club and the Rideau Club.