Edited and written by Max Bell School MPP students and Professor Andrew Potter, student newsletter provides short, accessible op-eds, interviews, and briefings looking at policy making both here in Canada and at a global level.
The newsletter explores innovative approaches to policy and lifts up conversations that deserve to be amplified.
The Bell was started in 2020 with the onset of COVID-19 while the world began to see just how complicated creating good policy truly was. The pandemic has since re-shaped the way we approach policy, especially now that we're nearing post-pandemic recovery.
The Bell showcases these lessons and looks forward to what is needed to support a just, equal, and inclusive society. Meanwhile, other long-standing policy issues have also remained unresolved. These include rising national debt, an aging population, severe gaps in social protection, and governance of the big tech giants.
Chief Editor
Andrew Potter
is an associate professor (professional) at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. A former journalist, between 2011 and 2016 Andrew Potter was managing editor and then editor in chief of the Ottawa Citizen, and from 2006 to 2011 he was a public affairs columnist for Maclean's Magazine. He is also a former Director of the Â鶹AV Institute for the Study of Canada. Potter is the author of The Authenticity Hoax: How We Get Lost Finding Ourselves, and the co-author, with Joseph Heath, of the best-selling book The Rebel Sell: Why the Culture Can't be Jammed.
2024-2025 Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief
GabrielÌý(he/him) is the Editor-in-Chief ofÌýThe BellÌýfrom Toronto, Ontario. He wrote for the Brown Political Review as a staff writer while pursuing his undergraduate degree at Brown University. He has since written for several online publications, including his own blog. While working at UNICEF, he contributed to human interest stories in English and French. He is excited to bring a fresh perspective and more French content toÌýThe BellÌýas the Editor in Chief.
Managing Editor
KiranÌý(he/him) is theÌýManaging EditorÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe BellÌýand an MPP Candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. He is excited to leadÌýThe BellwetherÌýteam this year! AtÌýThe Bell, Kiran is especially interested in telling stories about labour and indigenous policy. Prior to joining Max Bell Kiran worked in the federal public service.
Production EditorÌý
SethÌý(he/him) is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and aÌýProduction EditorÌý²¹³ÙÌýThe Bell. He is a chemical engineer with experience in environmental analytical chemistry, water research, and tailings treatment & management. His interests include international affairs and issues at the nexus of engineering, environment, and policy.
Production Editor
NicksonÌýis aÌýProduction EditorÌý²¹³ÙÌýThe Bell. As a dedicated human rights advocate, he has spent over three years supporting political & torture victims in Uganda, helping them recover from trauma and rebuild their livelihoods. With a strong educational foundation in law from Makerere University Law School, Nickson brings expertise in administration, advocacy, activism, research, and alternative dispute resolution to the community of those among whom have crossed the lethal strike involved in the pursuit of social justice.
Deputy Editor
IsabellaÌýis aÌýDeputy EditorÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe Bell.ÌýBorn on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, she is an economist and professional in Government and Public Affairs from the Universidad de los Andes. Before joining Max Bell, she worked as a project assistant to the President of the Universidad de los Andes, where she implemented strategic improvement projects and managed communication between the president's office, students, and parents.
Deputy Editor
HuseinÌýis an MPP Candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and aÌýDeputy EditorÌý²¹³ÙÌýThe Bell. With a strong background in Land Management and over five years of professional experience in land administration and government, Pumaya has played a key role in revising Ghana's National Land Policy and contributing to drafting the Regulations for the Land Act of Ghana. Before joining Max Bell, he led the secretariat of the Ghana Land Sector Multi Stakeholder Platform, where he fostered dialogue between the government and customary stakeholders in Ghana's land sector.
Deputy Editor
Kevin HaynesÌýis a student at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and aÌýDeputy EditorÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe Bell.
Deputy Editor
Michael Black
MichaelÌýis aÌýDeputy EditorÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe Bell. He grew up in Paris and later moved to Montreal to study Political Science and History at Â鶹AV. After his studies, he went on to work as a Monitoring & Evaluation Officer for Civipol, where he contributed to an EU-funded project focused on combating money laundering across Africa. With a strong background in political analysis and international development, Michael is excited to pursue a Master’s in Public Policy at the Max Bell school to develop his skills and contribute to innovative policies that strengthen international cooperation and improve governance.
Deputy Editor
JacobÌý(he/him) isÌýDeputy EditorÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe BellÌýand a public policy nerd passionate about land use policy, immigration and refugees, and international diplomacy. He has a background in municipal politics and NGO work. He studied in the Department of Peace, Conflict and Justice studies at UofT. Jacob aspires to be wrong often and be right an increasing amount over time. Current podcast recommendation: Good On Paper with Jerusalem Demsas.
Deputy Editor
Cyrus Nagra
CyrusÌýis a recent graduate receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of Ottawa as aÌýDeputy EditorÌý´Ú´Ç°ùÌýThe Bell. He has gained some work experience in both the financial services and legal sectors. First with a small wealth management family practice in Toronto and more recently at RBC, assisting with the merger of the domestic operations of HSBC. He has also held contract work in the legal department of the fin-tech startup HelloBrigit.
Communications Manager
AlÌý(he/they) is aÌýCommunications ManagerÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe BellÌýand a double graduate from the University of Toronto. During his studies, he earned the prestigious University of Toronto Student Leadership Award and graduated from the Doctor of Pharmacy program as a U of T Global Scholar, and Valedictorian. With an innate interest in the intersections of policy and health systems, Al enters the MPP program as a McCall MacBain Scholar, striving to optimize healthcare access for marginalized groups through policy-driven interventions.
Communications Manager
AngelinaÌýis one of theÌýCommunications ManagersÌý´Ç´ÚÌýThe Bell.ÌýShe is from Albuquerque, United States and joins Max Bell after working as a Program Coordinator at World Learning. As a Program Coordinator, she supported the implementation of a virtual exchange program for high school students in the Middle East, North Africa and the United States. Angelina holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from American University’s School of International Service.
2023-2024 Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief
Teodora was the Editor-in-Chief for The Bell as well as a Master of Public Policy candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy. Teodora has a diverse academic and professional background, with experience in public affairs and lobbying for clean technology and energy clients, organizing political campaigns, as well as professional writing for nonprofits and foundations. Teodora is keen to apply her wide-ranging expertise to deliver multi-disciplinary, factual and engaging pieces at The Bell alongside her capable and talented team. Some of the key policy challenges Teodora is interested in reporting on at The Bell this year include environmental and energy policy, global affairs, Canadian politics and social justice.
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Production Manager
Emily is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and a Production Manager at the Bell. She has a background in political science and economics with interests in international trade, global governance, and climate justice.
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Production Manager
Maeve is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and a Production Manager at the Bell. With an academic background in political science, her interests include foreign policy and education innovation.
Assistant Editor
Chloe is a MPP candidate at the Max Bell School for Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. She has a background in Economics and International Development Studies, and spent 2 years working in Mergers and Acquisitions advisory. Chloe is interested in public-private partnerships specifically for sustainable development, and education policy and innovation.
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Assistant Editor
Sean is an MPP Candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. With four years of experience in the federal public service, he is interested in public service transformation, Canada's immigration policy, and sustainable solutions to economic inequality.
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Assistant Editor
Anita is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. She is currently a Manager, Privacy Policy at Transport Canada, and has experience in various federal government departments and in a crown corporation in the Access to Information and Privacy field. As a pioneering female leader within the Government of Canada, Anita is resolute in advancing equity and impartiality within institutional frameworks. Amid the evolving global landscape driven by disruptive technologies such as generative AI and cryptocurrencies, she envisions a future founded on just principles, and safeguarding individual and collective well-being.
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Assistant Editor
Soomin is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. With a background in leading advocacy efforts on domestic and international climate policies, Soomin brings expertise in environmental justice, climate finance, domestic social policies, and politics of international negotiations.
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Assistant Editor
Colleen is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. With experience in the not-for-profit sector and the federal public service, Colleen is especially interested in advancing gender equality, as well as social and environmental justice.
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Assistant Editor
Michael is from London, United Kingdom. He has worked as a Participation and Communities manager for Barking and Dagenham Council in London, engaging directly with local residents, community partners and elected officials. Michael is passionate about education policy and has good experience in participation and engagement work, but is excited about being able to study such topics as global macroeconomics and budgeting and fiscal policy in all of their complexity.
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Assistant Editor
Ian is a MPP candidate at the Max Bell School for Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. Ian has worked at various levels of government in Canada and the United States, in provincial, municipal and legislative environments. Ian is interested in bilateral cooperation and divergence, urbanism and the public realm, and is passionate about reading and literacy.
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Assistant Editor
Asha is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and an Assistant Editor at The Bell. She previously coordinated the relaunch of award-winning foreign policy publication, Open Canada, and helped oversee its editorial operations. With a professional background in media, finance, and the non-profit sector, Asha is interested in exploring policy issues at the intersection of human rights, democratic reform, and data protection.
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Assistant Editor
Krystina, an aspiring MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, also holds the esteemed role of Assistant Editor at The Bell. With a strong academic foundation in Criminology and Psychology, she brings over three years of diverse experience gained in both the non-profit sector and the esteemed Federal Public Service. Krystina is passionate about championing human rights causes, promoting gender equality, and advocating for meaningful law and legislative reforms.
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Social Media Manager
Leona is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and a Social Media Manager at The Bell, with a wealth of experience in social media operations and she is also a TikTok blogger.
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Social Media Manager
Francis is a member of the Social Media team. He has a background in Development Planning. He is passionate about public policy, urban and regional planning, data science and project management. He intends to leverage his skills to develop data-driven policies and programs that address social and economic inequalities, promote sustainable development, and improve public service delivery.
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2022-2023 Editorial Team
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Editor
Gianna is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy andÌýCo-EditorÌýof The Bell. Her interests include global affairs and political communications.
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Editor
Aftab is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy andÌýCo-EditorÌýof The Bell. With over 100 published commentaries for two leading Bangladeshi media outlets and as a Canadian banking professional, Aftab’s interests lie in foreign affairs, public service delivery and policy innovation in finance and economics.
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Assistant Editor
Nicole is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and anÌýAssistant EditorÌýat The Bell. With a background in law and finance, Nicole is excited to learn more about how the two intersect with public policy and especially with healthcare and taxation to progress policies in local communities.
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Assistant Editor
Elisa is an MPP Candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and anÌýAssistant EditorÌýat The Bell, with prior experience in the non-profit field, the Ontario public service, and the Parliament of Canada. Elisa is especially interesting in global and educational policy.
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Assistant Editor
Sokhema is an MPP candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and anÌýAssistant EditorÌýat The Bell, with previous experience as a Staff Writer for the Catalyst Newsletter and Economic Intern at the UNDP. Her interests include issues pertaining to the Global South, and viewing issues of social justice with an EDI (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) lens.
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Marketing & Analytics Manager
Imani is an MPP Candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and theÌýMarketing and Analytics ManagerÌýat The Bell. With professional experience as a management consultant, her interests include public sector transformation, economic policy and innovation in policy design.
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Production Manager
Jack is an MPP Candidate at the Max Bell School of Public Policy and aÌýProduction ManagerÌýat The Bell, after previously being a Junior Research Fellow at the NATO Association of Canada. His research interests include Canadian foreign policy, US politics, and international security. Jack hopes to contribute to the conversation around great power competition and emerging threats.
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Production Manager
Hayley is a cooperative master's candidate at Johns Hopkins SAIS (Masters of International Affairs) and Â鶹AV’s Max Bell School of Public Policy (Master of Public Policy), and aÌýProduction ManagerÌýat The Bell. Previously, she was an AmeriCorps member with San Francisco Unified School District and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru. In the future, she would like to work on international policy and conflict resolution.
2021-2022 Editorial Team
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Editor
Phaedra de Saint-Rome
Ìýis a research assistant at the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, and her past professional experiences have included working in the Canadian House of Commons, at a variety of foundations, the United Nations, and her own digital media company. She is a dual Finnish-Canadian and is interested in the challenges and opportunities of policymaking at the global level, with a particular focus on digital technologies and geopolitics, platform governance, mis-/dis-information, and everything in between.
Editor
Jaclyn Victor
Ìýhas been serving with the Royal Canadian Navy (Reserve) since 2017 as a Naval Warfare Officer where she's worked in both administrative and technical roles. She has also spent time working as a researcher on the Canadian Election Misinformation Project, as well as in digital content. Having lived in Winnipeg, Calgary, and Montreal, her policy interests are varied but are generally centered around Canadian defence policy.
Editor
Jason Kreutz
has extensive community-based leadership and research experience spanning multiple disciplines and is passionate about exploring how evidence-based policy can uplift and empower communities. His interests are broad, including but not limited to economic, health, and foreign policy. Jason's investment in these policy areas is rooted in his desire to spur systemic change and create inclusive institutions that better meet the needs of underserved and marginalized communities
Editor
Shweta Menon
Ìýhails from India and has worked as a journalist for both broadcast and print media, reporting on the injustices faced by people due to the inordinate delays of the Justice Delivery System. She has also worked as a Research Associate with a Member of Parliament in India which has given her an insight into the policy-making process of India. Apart from working on policies that would make people less ‘irrelevant’ post the advent of Artificial Intelligence, Shweta would like to specialise in making these policies gender inclusive.
2020-2021 Editorial Team
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Editor
Mariel Aramburu
Ìýhas several years of experience working in the public service for a Canadian province in cross-ministry, international, and intergovernmental files. She has also spent time in Washington, D.C. with the Inter-American Dialogue and in Panama with the United Nations World Food Programme. Mariel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Development Studies from Â鶹AV. She is a Mexican immigrant and a first-generation Canadian.
Editor
Emily Nickerson
Ìýhas spent several years working for Canadian non-profits in areas of international development, extractives, economic development, transparency, and inclusive decision-making. Emily’s passionate about promoting sustainable, inclusive growth, and ensuring that natural resources are well governed. Emily holds a degree in Water Resources Engineering at the University of Guelph and currently lives in Toronto.
