In Memoriam | Saturday, February 7, 2026
The Earnscliffe community suffered a profound loss with the passing of Elly Alboim.
Elly joined Earnscliffe Strategies following a successful career in journalism, including as CBC parliamentary bureau chief from 1977 to 1993. For more than three decades at Earnscliffe, Elly worked closely with clients, providing strategic counsel to advance their public affairs objectives, never shying away from sharing his perspective, often absent the caveats and hedging that can plague the consulting industry. He took the same approach to advising the numerous politicians, including Premiers and Prime Minsters, who relied on his wisdom and insights.
Despite these two successful careers, he may be best remembered as a teacher, both formally as a member of the Carleton Journalism faculty, and informally as a mentor to all who had the privilege of working alongside him, whether in journalism, consulting, or politics.
Elly leaves behind a remarkable legacy, shaped by decades of commitment to advancing good public policy, elevating political reporting and public dialogue, and teaching, both in the classroom, and outside of it. Colleagues, partners, students, and friends from across his life will feel his loss deeply.
Earnscliffe mourns Elly’s loss and extends our deepest sympathies and condolences to his friends and family.
Elly Alboim leads Earnscliffe’s strategic communications, where he brings almost four decades of experience to his knowledge of public policy, communications and media.
Elly has provided advice on some of the most important issues in recent Canadian history to federal cabinet ministers, departments and agencies, including Environment, Finance, Health, Human Resources Development, Indian and Northern Affairs, Industry, Justice, Heritage (Multiculturalism), Natural Resources and Treasury Board. He provided communications and public opinion research advice for 9 federal and two Ontario budgets and was a senior advisor to Paul Martin during his tenures as Finance Minister and Prime Minister. Over the years, he has also provided communications and media advice to 24 federal government departments and agencies.
He has been active during federal and provincial election campaigns, including membership on election steering committees for Mr. Martin and Kathleen Wynne, the premier of Ontario. He has run debate preparations for Liberal leaders Paul Martin, Stephane Dion, and premiers Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne.
Elly has also advised some of Canada’s leading private sector companies and industry associations including advice on mergers and acquisitions and managing integrated advocacy campaigns. Further, he is an accomplished focus group moderator and interviewer, and has designed and analyzed numerous quantitative research projects. He specializes in elite interview projects on public policy and reputational issues.
Elly worked as a journalist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from September 1970 to September 1993, having acted as the Parliamentary Bureau Chief for CBC Television News and the National Political Editor for the network. He won one Gemini and was nominated for four others for his work in Special Events coverage. Elly is also a tenured Associate Professor of Journalism at Carleton University, having taught there since 1980, as well as having taught at Concordia University’s Graduate Studies Program in the mid-eighties. He also teaches government communications at the Queen’s University School of Policy Studies. He has been a Member of the Board of the Canadian Journalism Foundation and a member of the CJF’s Executive Committee. He has also been a member of the Board of the Institute on Governance. He was a member of the Journal Oversight Committee of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Elly received his B.A. in Honours Sociology from McGill University and his M.Sc. in Journalism from Columbia University.
