Allan Gregg

Allan Gregg (born January 14, 1962) is a Canadian pollster, political advisor, television interviewer and pundit.

Gregg was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He was the eldest child in his family which consisted of four boys and one girl. Gregg graduated from Harry Ainlay High School at the second top of his class with honors. Gregg then went on to study political science at the University of Alberta and Carleton University in Ottawa. He briefly served as a professor while working on his PhD, but abandoned his studies due to the birth of his first child in 1975.

Gregg has long been involved in Canadian politics, but decided to travel south of the border to work with Republican Party pollster Richard Wirthlin, and learned much from him. He then returned to Canada in the late 1970s. He first came to national attention as the national campaign secretary of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada successful effort in the 1979 federal election.

Soon after that campaign, Gregg founded Decima Research, a joint polling/public relations firm. The company became the Conservative party's polling firm, and Gregg played an important role in the 1984 election when the PC Party was led by Brian Mulroney. With the Conservative victory, Decima Research and Gregg entered the halls of power, and he was frequently at Prime Minister Mulroney's side. Decima and Gregg worked for the federal Tories, operated in many provincial elections, and expanded worldwide, participating in over forty-five elections on three continents.

Gregg was an unusual-looking figure in Canadian politics, and especially in the Tory party. He adopted a unique style including gold earrings, bright red shoes, long hair, and a great deal of leather clothing. He founded a record label, The Song Corp., and was co-manager of the Tragically Hip. He also served a five-year stint as president of the Toronto International Film Festival.

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