Deputy Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada

Michelle d'Auray

On October 12, 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the appointment of Michelle d’Auray as Deputy Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, effective November 12, 2012.

Previous to that, Ms. d’Auray held the post of Secretary of the Treasury Board, and was also Chief Human Resources Officer at the Secretariat.

Ms. d’Auray was Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Oceans from August 2007 to July 2009, where she was responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada's scientific, ecological, social and economic interests in oceans and fresh waters. She also served as President of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for Quebec Regions (EDC) for three years. During her mandate at EDC, she worked on the development and the implementation of a law that created EDC, reformulated the strategic orientations and revised the programs.

Ms. d’Auray has held numerous management positions in various federal departments and agencies, including the Treasury Board Secretariat, where she headed the Government On-Line Service Improvement initiative, and Canadian Heritage, where, as Assistant Deputy Minister of Strategic Management, she was responsible for planning, policy coordination and research, international and intergovernmental affairs, and public affairs.

As well, Ms. d’Auray was Director of the Government of Canada’s Task Force on Electronic Commerce at Industry Canada, and led the department’s Communications Division (1996–1997), set up and headed the Privy Council of Canada’s Intergovernmental Communications Secretariat (1994–1996), and directed the National Film Board of Canada’s Corporate Affairs, Distribution and Communications Division (1990–1994).

Prior to joining the Public Service, Ms. d’Auray headed Canada’s largest lobby group for cultural industries and the arts (1985–1990), which was responsible for introducing new copyright legislation, broadcasting legislation and revised tax treatment of artists. She has also worked on a number of public policy task forces on Canada’s economic and social unions, and on the country’s cultural policy.