“It’s almost a cliché to say it, but we are living through a period of profound uncertainty and upheaval,” said Graeme Stewart, the new Executive Director of the Master of Public Policy program. 

For Stewart, who was appointed on September 1, that uncertainty underscores the importance of training the next generation of public policy leaders. 

“I believe policy work is a noble calling,” said Stewart. “If I can play even a small role in improving the education of policy professionals and improving the policy space in Canada through the program, I will be thrilled.” 

We sat down with Stewart to talk about his background, what drew him to the program and why public policy is so important.

Tell us about your academic and professional background. 

At first pass, my academic background appears a bit meandering – I have a B.A. (Honours) in Political Studies and Drama from Queen’s University, a MA in Journalism from Western University, an MSc in Political Communication from the London School of Economics and a PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, focused on higher education policy. It all makes sense to me now (I feel like I draw on all these experiences in my day-to-day), but there wasn’t a master plan guiding my studies. 

In my career, I’ve held communications, government relations, and public policy roles both in and outside of government. I’ve worked with student groups, faculty associations, government agencies, the Ontario Public Service and universities. I was the Director of Policy for the Deputy Premier where I worked on OSAP reform and digital government, among other things. I’ve advised university presidents on government relations, communications, strategy and organizational change.  

The through-line in all of this is my deep interest in public policy – coming up with solutions (however imperfect) to complex and important questions about how we live together as a society.  

What are your primary academic and research interests? Are you working on any research now? 

My primary research interests are in the relationship between higher education institutions and the state, and how this relationship gets expressed in policy. Under this umbrella I am interested in the funding of higher education (tuition fees and government grants), accountability structures and institutional autonomy.  

As I step into this new role, I’m also deepening my engagement with research around teaching and learning in public policy programs – exploring in a systematic way how to ensure the best possible student experience and outcomes in these important programs.  

What attracted you to the Public Policy program? What do you think makes it so special? 

I’ve spent a lot of time in the university sector in government and in individual institutions, and I’ve long admired how McMaster has quietly become one of Ontario and Canada’s research powerhouses on the international stage. 

The Master of Public Policy is an innovative program both in terms of content and delivery. It is online-first, which means we’re able to attract and accommodate a diverse cohort who may not have been able to access a program of this type. Public policy is a collaborative exercise, and when we increase the diversity of people working on issues of public concern, I think we get to better outcomes that work for more people.  

A lot of public policy programs have a core curriculum, what we might call the core skills needed to work in the policy space. Students in those programs can then take electives to build some specialized knowledge that they can apply in their careers. Our program also teaches those core skills but also allows students to go deep in an area of specialization – Digital Society or Housing. Our graduates are unique in that they can excel in policy generalist roles but also in situations where expertise is required. Public policy education is a crowded field, and I think this ability to specialize really sets our program apart.  

What excites you most about this position? 

The previous executive director, Vass Bednar, alongside academic director Clifton van der Linden, did an amazing job getting of getting this program off the ground and leaving a real mark on the landscape. I’m excited to build on this foundation to expand the reach and profile of the program across Canada. I’m also excited to strengthen the work-integrated aspects of the program (such as co-op), build our alumni network and launch new executive education options. The possibilities for growth are significant. 

What do you hope students will take away from the program under your leadership? 

On one level, I hope students will take away the skills and expertise they need to start making an impact in municipal, provincial, and federal public services, as well as in the policy space outside of government. And I hope we’ll instill the willingness to be bold, innovate and take risks, because that’s what we need in public policy right now. But beyond that, I hope they’ll take away a sense of pride in their skills and their work, and a deep sense of the responsibility that comes with serving the public interest. Public policy is a story we tell about the kind of world we want to live in, and I hope they will feel confident in contributing to that narrative. Success in public policy requires a delicate balance of humility and ambition that I hope we foster in the program.  

Public policy is a field that responds to real-world challenges. What policy issues do you think are most pressing right now, and how should we help prepare graduates to meet them? 

We’re all living with a sense of precarity, that what we enjoy today may not be around tomorrow. There’s also a sense that a lot of the systems we depend on – healthcare, transportation, education – are struggling to keep up with current and future needs. So, addressing these concerns and building confidence in government and public services is the key challenge for policy professionals entering the workforce today. We need to train our graduates to be flexible, resilient, and really, really good at what they do. And that means possessing the technical skills they need, but also the human ones – empathy, collaboration, and the ability to meet all kinds of people where they are.  

In the United States right now, we’re witnessing the politicization of public services unknown in the post-World War II era. The consequences of this shift will be felt for generations. In Canada, we need to continually demonstrate why a professional public service is important and be the kinds of public servants who build trust in the system. The stakes are too high to fail. 

Outside of academia, what do you like to do? 

I’m an avid cyclist, so you’ll often find my riding around on two wheels pretending I’m going fast. I volunteer with a local charity that fixes up bikes for new Canadians and refugees, which is a lot of fun. I also have two young boys at home, and keeping up with them takes most of my energy. They also help keep me grounded – kids are a good reminder of why public policy matters.