Chief of Staff to former Quebec premiers Robert Bourassa and Daniel Johnson (1989 to 1994)

Concordia University

What surprised you the most about your time in government?

My biggest surprise was the complexity of handling issues in government. The things that you try to accomplish in one area have repercussions in other areas and there are always competing interests to deal with. It's a little like trying to land a 747 on a very small runway.

What are you most proud of in terms of your contributions there?

I was responsible for the in-house management of the legislation that brought back the use of English on Quebec commercial signs. I also played an important role with the family patrimony legislation that dealt with family assets in the wake of a divorce or separation. We helped protect women who had previously been left in a vulnerable state and it might be the most progressive law of its kind in North America.

What issue/situation do you wish you could have had another crack at?

The Oka Crisis comes to mind. The government of Quebec perhaps didn't do all its homework on that one. Our antenna could have been sharper. Of course, this is 18 years later and I'm looking back with 20/20 hindsight. The crisis didn't end up solving much, but we did do our best to protect lives.

Who is your political hero?

My biggest hero in politics is Bobby Kennedy. Martin Luther King was the greatest societal leader I've seen in my lifetime.

What did you admire the most about the premiers you worked with?

Their integrity. Their complete devotion to public service. They were very selfless in how they did things.

What is your favourite movie/TV show about politics?

My favourite political movie was All the President's Men. The Candidate was a good movie as well.

What do you say to people who are cynical about politicians and their motivations?

Get involved. Rather than just sit back and be critical, see if you can make a difference. Barack Obama comes from a generation that could be expected to be very cynical about politics. After being the president of the Harvard Law Review he could have just graduated from Harvard and made a pile of money. Instead, he got involved in community work and politics.

What current issue do you think politicians should spend more time focusing on?

Politicians should spend more time trying to unify people. Whether you are a small "c" conservative or a liberal, whether you are a federalist or a sovereigntist, we all have much more in common than what separates us from one another. We need politicians who can remind us of that. The result would be better public policy and less cynicism about politics.

Did your time at McGill prepare you in any way for life in government?

I did my master's degree in political science at McGill and what struck me was the view of the world that you experienced there. At McGill, you didn't just focus on local issues. The approach at McGill was to put issues into a wider perspective.

John Parisella is the president of BCP and BCP Consultants, firms that specialize in communications, strategic planning and public relations. He is also the special communications adviser to the president of Concordia University and an author whose next book will offer a primer in French on the upcoming U.S. presidential election.