Chow is a former Canadian politician who served as federal New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for Trinity-Spadina from 2006–2014, and Toronto city councillor from 1991 to 2005. Chow is the widow of former NDP and Opposition Leader Jack Layton; they were married from 1988 until his death from cancer in 2011. She was a candidate in the 2014 Toronto mayoral election, where she placed third behind winner John Tory and runner-up Doug Ford.
Chow won the Trinity—Spadina riding for the New Democratic Party on January 23, 2006, becoming a member of the House of Commons of Canada. In 2011, she was re-elected in her riding for her third straight win. She speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and English. In May 2012, Chow was named one of the top 25 Canadian immigrants in Canada by Canadian Immigrant magazine. Chow's personal memoir, titled My Journey, was published January 21, 2014. Chow resigned her seat in parliament on March 12, 2014, to run in the 2014 Toronto mayoral election. Following her mayoral election loss, Chow became a distinguished visiting professor at Ryerson University from 2015 to 2018.

Paul McLaughlin is a magazine writer, broadcaster and playwright. McLaughlin was born in Scotland and moved to Ottawa, Canada, at age 7. He studied at Carleton University and began his career in journalism in 1973. He spent ten years with the CBC as a producer and freelance broadcaster. His work has been published in most major Canadian magazines and newspapers, including the Globe & Mail, the Financial Post, Saturday Night, Canadian Business, and others. He has written four books, including How to Interview (originally titled Asking Questions: The Art of the Media Interview), and has worked extensively as an interview trainer for both corporate and journalistic clients. His plays have aired on CBC radio and been performed onstage at the Toronto Fringe Festival. He won the Canadian national playwrighting competition for his play Whole-in-One and has been awarded several industry awards for his journalistic writing. McLaughlin is a part-time journalism instructor at Ryerson University, and has taught courses in journalism and professional writing at Carleton University, Algonquin College, and York University.