The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon,
Former Clerk of the Privy Council (1994-1999)

The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, P.C.
Clerk of the Privy Council and
Secretary to the Cabinet
March 28, 1994 to January 17, 1999
Appointed Member of the Queen's Privy Council
December 14, 1998

Biographical Notes

Jocelyne Bourgon served as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet from March 28, 1994, to January 17, 1999. She became the 17th Clerk and the first woman to hold this position.

Ms. Bourgon studied science and management at the University of Ottawa and the University of Montreal. In 1974, she joined the Public Service of Canada, where she organized several First Ministers’ conferences on the Canadian economy and played a key role in the organization of the First Ministers’ meetings leading to the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. After being appointed to the rank of deputy minister in 1989, Ms. Bourgon was the official in charge of constitutional negotiations, which led to the Charlottetown Accord in 1992. She served as President of the Canadian International Development Agency and Deputy Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs. From 1999 to 2003 Ms. Bourgon served as President of the Canadian Centre for Management Development where her actions led to the creation of the Canada School of Public Service. In recognition of her work, she was named President Emeritus. In 2003, Ms. Bourgon was appointed Canada’s Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

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