Anne McGrath

Who is Anne McGrath?

Anne McGrath is the National Director of the New Democratic Party, the Official Opposition party of Canada.

She was formerly chief of staff to Jack Layton, the late leader of the NDP. As Chief of Staff to Jack Layton, she is credited with professionalizing caucus operations and co-designing Layton’s historic breakthrough to Official Opposition status. She has since remained as Chief of Staff to New Democratic Party interim leader Nycole Turmel and the Federal NDP Caucus. She was also president of the party from 2006 to 2009; she was elected on September 10, 2006 at the party's convention in Quebec City and her term ended on August 16, 2009 when Peggy Nash was elected president at the party's convention in Halifax. Before that, she had been Director of Operations for the NDP federal caucus.

She is a frequent commentator on national media broadcasts and has been identified as one of the 100 most influential people in government and politics in Ottawa. Previously, she was an activist in the labour, student and women's movements and had been employed by CUPE National as Director of Equality and as executive assistant to CUPE's national president Judy Darcy, and by Oxfam Canada.