An expert in Canadian politics and public policy, Dr. Marc Zanoni is passionate about judicial politics, policy frameworks, and constitutional law. His research applies policy frameworks to assess court influence on public policy outcomes and the democratic implications for Canada’s parliamentary government.
Originally from Lethbridge, Marc pursued his Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Guelph, which he completed in February 2026. Marc’s dissertation used a mixed-methods approach to explore court influence in the Charter era across specific federal social policy areas, including assisted suicide, tobacco, disability, hate speech, obscenity, and sex work. Key case studies examined Canadian federal electoral and cannabis policy to determine whether court involvement changed policies through rights framing and by capturing the attention of other policy actors. The dissertation finds judges are the main policy contributors in at least some issue areas, and litigation can produce distinctive policy contributions.
In his current research, Dr. Zanoni is applying the concepts of political trust and leadership to judicial politics, and also to election law. In terms of teaching, he has taught/is teaching courses about law and politics, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and an introduction to democratic leadership. Through his research and teaching, Marc advocates for multidisciplinary approaches and critical perspectives that deepen our understanding of decision-making, public trust, leadership, and Canadian governance.
In his free time, he enjoys staying active and partner dancing, including salsa and ballroom-style dance.