Alex Himelfarb, 
Former Clerk of the Privy Council (2002-2006)

Alex Himelfarb
Clerk of the Privy Council
and Secretary to the Cabinet
May 13, 2002 to March 5, 2006

Biographical Notes

Alex Himelfarb served as Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet from May 13, 2002, to March 5, 2006.

Mr. Himelfarb graduated from the University of Toronto where he obtained a Ph.D. in Sociology. Before joining the Public Service, he was a professor of sociology at the University of New Brunswick from 1972 to 1981. During this period, he undertook an Executive Interchange with the Department of Justice as Head of the Unified Family Court Project from 1979 to 1981. Mr. Himelfarb joined the Public Service in 1981 with the Department of the Solicitor General. He held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, including Director General, Planning and Management Branch with the Department of the Solicitor General; Executive Director of the National Parole Board; Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, Social Policy Development with the Privy Council Office; and Associate Secretary of the Treasury Board. While serving at Treasury Board, he also headed the federal Task Force on the Social Union. In June 1999, Mr. Himelfarb became Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage, a position he held until his appointment as Clerk of the Privy Council in 2002. He was appointed Canadian Ambassador to Italy in June 2006.

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