Mark Bonokoski
Mark Bonokoski is a veteran conservative newspaper columnist and commentator. He was most recently senior communications advisor and speechwriter for former federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt, but returned to writing political columns for Sun Media following the 2015 federal election. He was also former communications director to Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader Tim Hudak. Previously, he was a Canadian conservative editor, and broadcaster primarily associated, until 2013, with Sun Media/QMI.
Bonokoski is a graduate of Ryerson University's journalism programme. He worked as a general assignment reporter with the Calgary Herald and then the Windsor Star before joining the Toronto Sun in 1974.[1] He was promoted to columnist in 1977 and has served in various capacities with the Sun and its parent companies in the ensuing decades. He was Sun Media's European Bureau Chief from 1988 to 1991, based in London, England. In 1991, he was appointed editor of the Ottawa Sun and then became the paper's publisher and CEO in 1997. In 2000, he returned to writing as national affairs columnist for Sun Media and then returned to the Toronto Sun as a columnist in 2002. In 2010 he was appointed National Editorial Writer for the Sun chain of newspapers.[2] In 2011, he also became a regular contributor on the chain's all-news channel, the Sun News Network, appearing regularly as a commentator or substitute host on various programmes. After a round of layoffs at Sun Media July 2013, Bonokoski's contract with Sun Media was terminated. His final column appeared July 20, 2013.[3]
His freelance work has appeared in Maclean's and Reader's Digest.[1]
Bonokoski is also a fishing and outdoor enthusiast and contributes commentaries to Outdoor Journal Radio. He also provided weekly commentaries to the Haliburton Broadcasting Group network of Moose-FM radio stations in Ontario's cottage country.[1] under their sale to a Western Canadian chain. He has also been an instructor at Ryerson University's School of Journalism.[1] Bonokoski won a National Newspaper Award for column writing in 2004.[1]
Political activity
Bonokoski attempted to enter politics in the 2000 federal election when he sought the nomination of the Canadian Alliance party in Ottawa West—Nepean but was defeated as some party members felt he was too moderate. In 2013, he was appointed Director of Communications for Tim Hudak who was Leader of the Opposition Progressive Conservatives in Ontario until the party's defeat in the 2014 provincial election.[4]
