Kennedy Stewart

Biography

Dr. Kennedy Stewart (BA Acadia, MA SFU, PhD LSE) is an associate professor at the SFU School of Public Policy and Director of the SFU Centre for Public Policy Research. He is a former Member of Parliament (2011-2018) and Mayor of Vancouver (2018-2022). A political scientist, Dr. Stewart’s teaching and research interests include democratic governance, public policy theory and practice, leadership, and cities.

While an MP, Dr. Stewart was official opposition critic for Science and Technology, led opposition to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, and brought electronic petitioning to the House of Commons. As mayor, he led an organization with a $1.7 Billion operating budget through the COVID-19 pandemic, moved forward reconciliation efforts, secured over $1 Billion in social housing investment, oversaw the adoption of the Broadway Plan, and led the push to decriminalize drugs in British Columbia.

He has taught at six universities including the LSE, University College, and Birkbeck College at the University of London. His publications include articles in Party Politics, Public Administration Review, and Canadian Public Policy as well as Turning Parliament Inside Out: Practical ideas for Reforming Canada's Democracy edited with Conservative MP Michael Chong and Former Liberal MP Scott Simms. His latest book is entitled Decrim: How We Decriminalized Drugs in British Columbia.

Research Interests: 

• Democratic Governance, Public Policy Theory and Practice, Leadership, and Cities.