Eddie Goldenberg

Edward Goldenberg (July 31, 1948 – July 9, 2026), was a Canadian lawyer and writer who served as a senior advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien for decades. Described as Chrétien's "Machiavelli", Goldenberg's 2006 memoir, The Way It Works, focused on his time in government.

In 1990, Goldenberg was "co-ordinating the 10 policy groups that have been organized to brief Chrétien on various issues and to write speeches." He worked with Paul Martin, Terrie O'Leary, and Chaviva Hosek "on finalizing the text of the famous Red Book, officially titled Creating Opportunity: The Liberal Plan for Canada."

From 1993 until 2003 he was and chief policy advisor. He was involved with the government when the Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1998 and then signed again in 2002, and later wrote on the matter. He became the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff in 2003. He was a supporter of Bob Rae's bid to become Liberal leader in 2006. In 2019, he was still working with Jean Chretien on diplomatic matters with the People's Republic of China.

Goldenberg's The Way It Works book Goldenberg was the author of The Way It Works, a book about his experiences working with Chrétien. It focuses especially on 1993 until 2003 during Goldenberg's time as Senior Policy Advisor to Chrétien.

Goldenberg's 2006 memoir, The Way It Works, was called by Maclean's "a bluntly realistic endorsement of the Savoie-Simpson thesis with none of the handwringing." The memoir also covers Goldenberg's recollections of the writing process for 'the Red Book, which set the Liberal platform for the 1993 federal election. In 2006, it was a finalist for the Shaughnessy Cohen Award for Political Writing.

Honours Goldenberg was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in the 2013 Canadian honours for "his contributions to public policy in Canada and for his championing of innovation and research excellence." He was also awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2023.

Publishing history Author of The Way It Works

Archives There is an Edward S. Goldenberg fonds at Library and Archives Canada.