Broadcaster Charles Adler calls Gerry Nicholls a “political warrior”, Toronto Sun Money Editor Linda Leatherdale says he’s a “fierce defender of democracy”, John McLaughlin, a top Republican pollster, describes him as a “brilliant strategist”, while the Fraser Institute has dubbed him a “non-partisan ideologue.”

But Gerry is really just a libertarian guy from Windsor who believes in free markets, free speech and free minds.

For more than 22 years, Gerry fought for the values he believes in as a senior executive with the National Citizens Coalition, Canada’s largest organization for the defence of economic and political freedoms, where he was the chief creative force behind the organization’s communication campaigns.

Broadcaster Mike Duffy called him "the brains behind the NCC" and no wonder -- Despite operating with the limited budget of a non-profit corporation, Gerry was able to craft imaginative media strategies that both swayed public opinion and attracted media attention.

Gerry’s political ads were sometimes hard-hitting, sometimes humorous, but always effective.

Some of his notable campaigns included:

• “Trough Day” – Gerry created a series of billboards, newspaper ads and TV spots that helped focus national on the MP gold-plated pension plan. As a result of this campaign, MP pensions became part of the national agenda leading to their partial reform.

• “Tales from the Tax Trough” – Gerry researched, designed and marketed, a series of booklets highlighting government waste. This booklet made front page news and was featured on national TV news and ultimately led to cuts in government spending.

• “Bob Rae Billboards” – Throughout the government of NDP leader Bob Rae, Gerry headed the NCC project group, “Ontarians for Responsible Government”. Among numerous activities this group erected anti-Rae billboards throughout the province. This style of billboard advocacy was imitated nationwide and was featured in Campaigns and Elections magazine.

Besides overseeing and co-coordinating the NCC's overall political and communication strategies, Gerry also acted  as the group’s media spokesman, edited its newsletters and wrote its op-eds, news releases and fundraising letters.  

And in 2001 and 2002 Gerry wrote fundraising letters and ad copy for Stephen Harper during his run for the Canadian Alliance leadership. His fundraising letters raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Harper campaign.

While at the NCC Gerry was lucky enough to work with and learn from first rate American political consultants like John McLaughlin and Arthur Finkelstein. He also worked closely for five years with Stephen Harper, who from 1998 to 2001 was the NCC’s president.

Gerry is no longer associated with the NCC, but he is still speaking out in defence of Canada’s freedoms.

His columns appear regularly in several newspapers including the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, the National Post and in Sun Media papers.

A gifted speaker, Gerry has given presentations to such groups as the Fraser Institute, the Liberty Summer Seminar, the Canadian Constitution Legal Foundation and the Alberta Law Society.

Gerry is a Senior Fellow with the Democracy Institute and serves as a director with the Institute for Liberal Studies.

He currently resides in Oakville as a political exile.