Count on Me

In Count on Me, Peter Bissonnette, writing with Lucy Lynskey, shares an engaging and inspiring account of a life and career shaped by resilience, determination, and an instinct for solving problems. From his chaotic and unconventional upbringing to his rise as president of one of Canada’s most influential telecommunications companies, Bissonnette’s journey proves that the path to success is rarely straight or predictable. Candid, insightful, and deeply reflective, Count on Me reveals how life’s sharpest detours can shape its strongest leaders.

Among the book’s most compelling passages are those recounting Bissonnette’s early life. Instead of defining or limiting him, those difficult circumstances cultivated qualities that would become crucial throughout his career. In one harrowing experience as a young boy, Bissonnette was stuffed into a crate and left to fend for himself, remaining locked inside for hours before anyone came looking for him. Frequently made to feel like a burden by his exhausted parents, he learned to adapt, think on his feet, and search for solutions when the path forward was not obvious. That natural instinct for problem-solving would eventually become one of his greatest strengths. Together, Bissonnette and Lynskey recount these difficult experiences with candour and perspective, finding a silver lining where many would only see pain.

His impressive career at Shaw Communications, where he served as president, further illustrates the value of perseverance. Over decades with the company, Bissonnette navigated changing responsibilities, difficult decisions, professional setbacks, and unexpected opportunities for growth. His progression demonstrates that leadership is not simply the product of education, titles, or a carefully plotted career path. It develops through experience—especially during periods of uncertainty and through the willingness to keep moving when circumstances refuse to unfold as planned. With honesty and hard-won wisdom, Bissonnette shows readers what it takes to lead through uncertainty and emerge stronger.

That hard-won perspective forms the emotional core of Count on Me. Bissonnette powerfully demonstrates how conflict and hardship can become catalysts for opportunity and growth. From enduring his parents’ emotional neglect to being kicked out of a seminary, every setback influenced how he would eventually lead with compassion and connect with others in all areas of his life. Woven with Irish lore and spiritual reflections, Bissonnette considers how experiences that initially appear to close one door can quietly redirect a life. Detours and disappointments may feel like failures in the moment, yet they often yield lessons and opportunities whose value becomes visible only with time.

Bissonnette’s story broadens our understanding of what a successful leader looks like—and where leadership is learned. His approach was shaped by the challenges he confronted, the relationships he nurtured, the problems he learned to solve, and the compassion he carried forward. Thoughtful and encouraging, Count on Me shows that success depends less on following a perfect path than on building strong relationships, adapting to change, and finding the courage to continue when the road ahead shifts.

—CANREADS BOOK REVIEW

Published by Vine Leaves Press

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