In 2006, the Toronto Star chose Charlie Angus as one of the ten most effective opposition members of Parliament. He was also named as the Best Constituency Representative Member of Parliament by Maclean's Magazine. The award is voted on by MP's from all parties in the House of Commons. Angus is the spokesperson for broadcast, public works and treasury boaerd issues for the New Democratic Party.

He is well known across Canada as a passionate spokesman for working people. As a writer, broadcaster and musician he has championed the resource-dependent communities of the north. The late Peter Gzowski referred to Charlie Angus as the "poet laureate of Northern Ontario."

Angus was born in Timmins, Ontario in November, 1962, a child of gold-miners who had emigrated to the north from Scotland and Cape Breton. During the 1980s, Charlie and his wife Brit Griffin ran a Catholic Worker house for homeless people in downtown Toronto. In 1990 they moved to Cobalt, Ontario to raise their children.

Angus has been active in a number of musical projects -including the punk DIY pioneers L’etranger and the nationally-recognized Grievous Angels. The group has garnered a number of Juno nominations and other awards.

In 1999 he was honoured by Sudbury's Festival Boreal with a special award for his "Outstanding Contribution to Northern Culture." Angus has been the recipient of numerous Canadian Church Press awards for his writing. He has been a regular contributor to CBC, TVO and national newspapers. He has published four books on the mining culture of the north. His fifth book– “Cage Call”, a photo documentary with photographer Louie Palu – was released this year as part of an award from Portland-based PhotoLucida.

Angus has made a national name for himself for the fight he led over the crisis ridden Cree community of Kashechewan. Angus has a strong background in First Nation development issues. He was a development officer and negotiator for the Algonquin Nation in Quebec. He worked with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake on their co-management plan for their traditional territory. Charlie Angus was a major organizer in the fight to stop the Adams Mine dump and the battle to stop toxic waste imports into the region. He is committed to preserving the vitality of northern resource-based communities. He served as a trustee for the Northeast District Catholic School Board.

Charlie Angus is married to Brit Griffin. They have three daughters: Mariah, Siobhan and Lola.