Brian Tanguay completed a BA in French and Political Science at McMaster University, after which he spent a year in France as a lecturer in English at the Université de Paris X – Nanterre and a student at the Institut d’études politiques. He received a PhD in Political Science from Carleton University in 1990.

Prior to joining the department of political science at Wilfrid Laurier University in January 1988, Brian taught full-time for 1 year at Trent University and was a sessional lecturer at both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. In October 2010, he was a visiting scholar in the Centre for Canadian Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

In 1995, Brian was invited to comment on the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada’s draft report to Parliament.

In 1990-91, Brian and Barry Kay drafted a research report on the election activities of interest groups for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing (the Lortie Commission).

In 2003-2004, Brian worked for the Law Commission of Canada as the lead author of Voting Counts: Electoral Reform for Canada, a 200 page report that was submitted to the federal Minister of Justice in March 2004 recommending Mixed Member proportional representation.

In 2005, Brian was invited as an expert witness to appear before select committees of both the Ontario and Quebec provincial governments to comment on proposed legislation on electoral reform.