The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government Distinguished Speaker Series Presents
Canada’s Sovereignty Moment: Navigating Through an Unprecedented Period of Change
The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, PC, OC
November 17, 2026
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Mulroney Hall 2030
The Mulroney Institute is pleased to welcome The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, PC, OC, as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. Canada is facing a sovereignty moment. Under threat from outside and pressures from within, Canada needs to find its way to successfully navigate through an unprecedented period of change. Mme Bourgon, former Clerk of the Privy Council and author of the memoir A Public Servant’s Voice, argues that unity is the essential asset to ensure Canada’s continued success, and unity must be defended. Her talk will discuss Canada’s need to ensure its future economic sovereignty, protect its fiscal sovereignty, and to draw on the strengths the Canadian federation has to offer to build a better future.
All are welcome.
The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, PC, OC
The Honourable Jocelyne Bourgon, PC, OC, is the Founding President of Public Governance International, President Emeritus of the Canada School of Public Service, and Project Leader of the New Synthesis Initiative.
Madame Bourgon has had a distinguished career in the Canadian Public Service where she led the Public Service of Canada through some of its most important reforms since the 1940s. These positions include Canadian Ambassador to the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2003–07), Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet (1994–99), Queen’s Privy Council of Canada (1998-present), and Deputy Minister in various departments: Transport, Canadian International Development Agency, Consumer and Corporate Affairs, and the Canadian Center for Management Development.
Madame Bourgon has vast international experience. She served as President of the UN Committee of Experts in Public Administration and President of the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration & Management.
Madame Bourgon is the recipient of six honorary degrees. She was summoned to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada in 1998. She is also a member of the Order of Canada and Knight of the National Order of Merit of the Republic of France. In 2023, her continued work on public administration earned her the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration’s O.P. Dwivedi Award.
Madame Bourgon has published extensively on the subject of public administration. She is the author of A New Synthesis of Public Administration: Serving in the 21st Century (2011), The New Synthesis of Public Administration Fieldbook (2017), and A Public Servant’s Voice (2026).