About
Our mission
Canadian Affairs publishes fearless and independent journalism that tackles today’s toughest social challenges, empowering Canadians with the insights needed to shape a thriving tomorrow.
We are focused on creating an exceptional news experience for our readers — offering concise, curated and impactful journalism in a sleek, digital format. We ask readers who value this experience to pay for it by becoming subscribers.
Canadian Affairs was founded by Lauren Heuser in 2023. It is wholly owned by Lauren and has no outside investors. Canadian Affairs is a Qualified Canadian Journalism Organization, which means subscribers are eligible to claim a digital news subscription tax credit and our organization receives a labour journalism tax credit.
Our team
Our team is based across Canada. Our journalists welcome story ideas, tips and suggestions. You can find their contact information below.
Our staff and freelance journalists are expected to adhere to our Editorial Policy.
Publisher & Editor
Lauren Heuser founded Canadian Affairs in 2023. Her previous roles include chief strategy officer of a Paris-based news service for young people, deputy section editor at the National Post and corporate lawyer at a global law firm. She holds a JD from the University of Toronto and an MBA from INSEAD and is a graduate of the University of Toronto Fellowship in Global Journalism. Lauren was a nominee for the 2023 National Newspaper Award for Editorial Writing, for editorials produced in Canadian Affairs’ first six months of operation. More by Lauren Heuser
Chief Financial Officer & Editor-at-Large
Chetan Raina has more than 20 years of finance, investing and operations experience. He is the chief executive officer of YCharOS, a public-interest antibody characterization company, and was formerly managing director at Good Hill Partners LP, an investment fund in Connecticut. Chetan has a CFA and an engineering degree from the University of Toronto. More by Chetan Raina
Reporter
Hadassah Alencar is a bilingual journalist based near Montreal. She is a graduate of Concordia University’s journalism program, where she worked as a teaching assistant and became editor-in-chief of The Concordian newspaper. Prior to pursuing her journalism degree, Hadassah freelanced for numerous publications. More by Hadassah Alencar
Reporter
Sam Forster is an Edmonton-based journalist whose writing has appeared in The Spectator, the National Post, UnHerd and other outlets. He is the author of Americosis: A Nation’s Dysfunction Observed from Public Transit (Sutherland House, 2024). Sam previously lived in Argentina where he wrote for The Buenos Aires Times. He holds a BA from the University of Alberta and a MA from the University of Toronto. More by Sam Forster
Reporter
Meagan Gillmore is an Ottawa-based reporter with a decade of journalism experience. Meagan got her start as a general assignment reporter at The Yukon News. She has freelanced for the CBC, The Toronto Star, Broadview, Chatelaine, Toronto Life and The Walrus and contributed reporting to Accessible Media Inc. since 2016. She has been nominated for a Digital Publishing Award and a National
Magazine Award and is a recipient of the Corcoran Award. She holds a master of journalism degree from Carleton University. More by Meagan Gillmore
Reporter
Alexandra Keeler is a Toronto-based reporter focused on covering mental health, drugs and addiction, crime and social issues. Alexandra has more than a decade of freelance writing experience. More by Alexandra Keeler
Religion & Development Aid Reporter
John Longhurst is a freelance religion and development aid reporter and columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press. He has been involved in journalism and communications for over 40 years, including as president of Canadian Church Press. In 2021, he received the Manitoba Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Inter-Religious Understanding for his work at the Free Press. In 2024, he was named a member of the Order of Canada. More by John Longhurst
Energy & Natural Resources Reporter
James Walsh has 15 years of experience advising executives on domestic and global energy markets and policy. He has worked across Canada, the United States and Europe and is currently based in Atlantic Canada. He holds a MBA from Queen’s University, a business degree from St. Francis Xavier University and a CPA, and is a graduate of the University of Toronto Fellowship in Global Journalism. His journalism focuses on energy and resource issues, particularly their intersection with government policy. More by James Walsh
Crosswords Creator
Jonathan Bitidis is Canadian Affairs’ crosswords creator. Jonathan has enjoyed solving all types of puzzles for as long as he can remember. At some point, that transformed into a love of creating puzzles for others. He teaches at University of Toronto Schools in Toronto. More by Jon Bitidis
Partnerships
Canadian Affairs is the official media partner of the Institute for Religion, Culture and Societal Futures at the University of Waterloo and St. Jerome’s University. The institute publishes research on religion, spirituality and emerging forms of belief and practice in Canada. As its media partner, Canadian Affairs publishes reported journalism summarizing the institute’s key research findings.
Canadian Affairs is also a proud media partner of the Dalla Lana Fellowship in Journalism and Health Impact at the University of Toronto. Canadian Affairs publishes content produced by the program’s journalism fellows.
