“All it takes is one column to pull you in. Rich in humour, overflowing in ideas. This is Jaime Watt at his candid best.”

The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, PC, CC, GOQ —18th prime minister of Canada

Just as they do on those television cooking contests when the bell rings and the contestants’ hands go up, at four o’clock on Friday afternoon, the column is filed—ready or not—to the columnist’s horror, discomfort, or self-satisfaction.

Regardless, one exigent and unrelenting thought remains: what you wish you’d said. Such is the life of a weekly newspaper columnist. Unable to ignore the urge any longer, in What I Wish I Said: Confessions of a Columnist, author Jaime Watt has collected forty-eight of his most eye-opening, illuminating, and provocative Toronto Star columns and with humour, candour, and wit, he’s responded to each with what he wishes he’d said.

The collection also features contributions from former senator and columnist André Pratte and from journalist and former editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star Michael Cooke. Widely regarded as Canada’s leading high-stakes communications strategist and the architect of groundbreaking campaigns that transformed politics with their boldness and creativity, Watt brings his insight to bear on some of the most vexing and consequential issues in Canadian life by reappraising his past work.

Across six topical subject areas—civil liberties and human rights, portraits of leaders, the Liberal Party in power, the Conservative Party in opposition, the Donald Trump presidency, and the COVID-19 crisis—this subtle yet accessible collection offers a distinctive look at recent times. Whether he got it right or wrong, Watt pulls no punches when it comes to critiquing—and at times lambasting—his past columns.

Revisiting his best and worst takes, Watt and his co-author Breen Wilkinson look at what might have been said in the columns he has been writing for more than seven years. And as he does, Watt challenges with new perspectives and ideas, inviting readers to consider what they wish they might have said, to consider how their points of views, and even their values, may have changed with time.

Jaime Watt is the Executive Chairman of Navigator and Founder of the Canadian Centre for the Purpose of the Corporation. He specializes in complex public strategy issues, serving both domestic and international clients in the corporate, professional services, not-for-profit, and political leaders at all three levels of government across Canada.

Currently, Jaime is the Chancellor of OCAD University. He also serves on the board of the University Health Network, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, CANFAR, and the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

He is a past president or chair of OCAD University, the Canadian Club of Toronto, the Albany Club, Casey House, Literary Review of Canada, Canadians for Equal Marriage, Canadian Human Rights Campaign and Canadian Human Rights Trust, among others. Additionally, he is a past director or governor of many organizations, including the St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation.

He is an adjunct faculty member of the Directors Education Program, jointly developed and administered by the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) and the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Deeply involved with efforts to promote equality and human rights issues, he was the inaugural recipient of Egale’s Lifetime Achievement Award and has been awarded the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals for service to the community.

A highly regarded speaker, Jaime often appears as a public affairs commentator in the media. He is a regular contributor to all CBC platforms across Canada. He also writes a weekly column for The Toronto Star.

Jaime Watt's profile page

The Honorable André Pratte has enjoyed a successful career as a journalist spanning nearly 40 years. Most of this time, he worked for La Presse, Canada’s foremost French language newspaper. From 2001 to 2015, he was the paper’s Chief Editorial Writer and was part of the company’s management team.In 2016,  André was appointed to the Senate as an independent Senator. Disappointed by the partisanship that still dominated the Senate, he resigned from this position in 2019.In 2022, André received an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts.  Earlier in his career, he had studied economics at McGill University and received a B.A. in political science from the Université de Montréal.Besides his journalism career, André wrote several books on history, the media and politics, including a biography of Wilfrid Laurier. He has spent years reflecting on issues such as crisis management, the media’s role in society, the social license to operate, businesses’ purpose, economic development, the exploitation of Canada’s immense natural resources, and climate change.André also sits on the boards of The Lighthouse – Children and Families and of the Paul Gérin-Lajoie Foundation.

Andre Pratte's profile page

Michael Cooke's profile page

Breen Wilkinson is a Consultant at Navigator with over six years of experience at Queen’s Park in strategic communications and engagement.

Before joining Navigator, Breen was Senior Advisor, Research and Communications, at the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (LGO) where he served as the office’s lead writer, managing speechwriting and correspondence operations.

Additionally, during his time at the LGO, Breen led a wide range of impactful projects and events, including international goodwill missions, policy symposia, the production of an art exhibition, and constitutional ceremonies.

Breen holds a master’s degree in English literature from McGill University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and English literature from the University of Toronto.
Passionate about the literary arts, Breen has presented his scholarship on modern theatre at the annual MMLA Convention, written a published play, and recently completed a novel at the Humber College School for Writers.

Breen Wilkinson's profile page

"In our time of information overload, Jaime offers thoughtful consideration. His even-keeled perspective stands out from the stridency that too often characterizes today's commentary."

24th Premier of Ontario

“Very infrequently in life do we get the chance to ‘do over’ something from our past. Jaime Watt has created this opportunity and all of us benefit. I love that we can hear Jaime thinking about what he got right and what he didn’t. Maybe he will set a precedent for other columnists and the whole world of political opinion would be the better for that!” The Honourable Kathleen Wynne —25th premier of Ontario

“More than most, a Jaime Watt column requires you to read between the lines. He’s in the know on so much that never gets published, so I look for the hints and clues to what lies beneath.”

Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail