Mark Marissen

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Mark Allan Marissen (born 1966, in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada) is a senior strategist for the Liberal Party of Canada, and founding partner of the communications firm Burrard Communications Inc.

Marissen graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, and also attended Simon Fraser University.

Marissen has a long record of involvement in the Liberal Party, including serving as the party's National Youth Director in the early 1990s, and as an organizer for the national Liberal campaign during the 1993 federal election under Liberal Leader Jean Chrétien. Subsequently, Marissen became a political advisor to then cabinet minister David Anderson during his tenures as Minister of National Revenue, Minister of Transport, and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

Marissen was the British Columbia Campaign Chair for Paul Martin's successful bid to for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada and then served as the Liberal Party of Canada's British Columbia Campaign Co-chair for the 2004 and 2006 general elections.

In 2006 Marissen served as the National Campaign Manager for Stéphane Dion's successful campaign to become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. It was a come-from-behind victory which many observers viewed as an historic upset. The vote took place at the 2006 leadership convention in Montreal on December 2nd, 2006.

On December 22nd, 2006 Mr. Dion appointed Mr. Marissen and Nancy Girard as National Campaign Co-Chairs for the Liberal campaign in the next federal election.

Marissen resides in Vancouver, British Columbia and is married to former British Columbia Deputy Premier Christy Clark. They have one child; Hamish Marissen-Clark.