Latest news with #MarcAndréBlanchard
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carney names former UN ambassador Blanchard as chief of staff
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his permanent chief of staff on Sunday, appointing Marc-André Blanchard, Canada's former ambassador to the United Nations, to one of the most powerful posts in Canadian politics. Meanwhile, two sources not authorized to speak publicly about the appointments before they are formally announced say that former attorney general David Lametti has been hired as Carney's principal secretary — the top political aide position in the PMO. Blanchard served as Canada's permanent representative at the UN between 2016 and 2020. He most recently served as the executive vice-president for CDPQ Global, a Quebec-based investment firm. "Marc-André has a long and distinguished career as one of Canada's most accomplished builders, legal experts, executives, public servants, and diplomats," Carney said in a statement announcing the appointment. Carney made the announcement on social media and said Blanchard will start in July once former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino's time as interim chief of staff comes to an end. The prime minister said Mendicino has his "continued appreciation" for his service. Carney said last month that Mendicino originally agreed to stay on through the new government's transition period, but that term extended into the summer. Lametti was first elected in 2015, when the Liberals last formed a majority government, and was appointed justice minister and attorney general in 2019. While in that role, Lametti introduced legislation to expand the eligibility for medical assistance in dying and was a key figure during the government's response to the convoy protests and implementation of the Emergencies Act. Lametti was shuffled out of cabinet in July 2023 and resigned as an MP in January 2024. More recently, Lametti became a political ally of Carney — even attending the prime minister's first swearing in back in March alongside Mendicino. This report was first published by The Canadian Pres on June 1, 2025. David Baxter, The Canadian Press
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Marc-André Blanchard leaves CDPQ to serve Canada
MONTRÉAL, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - CDPQ acknowledges the significant contribution of Marc-André Blanchard, Executive Vice-President and Head of CDPQ Global and Global Head of Sustainability, who announced today his departure to take on the role of Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Mark Carney. Arriving at CDPQ in 2020, Marc-André Blanchard has profoundly impacted the organization. A former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations and a recognized leader in the private sector, he has leveraged his expertise to serve CDPQ's international ambitions and sustainable development strategy. Under his leadership, CDPQ Global was established to support its investment teams on the ground through high-level relations with governments and partners worldwide in order to assist Québec companies in their globalization and to position CDPQ as a preferred investment partner internationally. In 2022, Marc-André Blanchard also took over the leadership of the Sustainability team, where he played a decisive role. Under his direction, CDPQ adopted an ambitious approach to the energy transition and promoted its global leadership on sustainability issues in major international forums, achieving significant progress. CDPQ recently reached and surpassed its climate targets and was recognized last year as the world's leading pension fund for governance, sustainability, and resilience by Global SWF, a benchmark in the industry. Marc-André Blanchard leaves behind a strong and experienced team ready to execute the vision he has developed. 'CDPQ is an exceptional organization, and it has been an honour to serve Québec and the six million Quebecers it represents. I leave knowing there is a strong, committed and innovative team that will continue to raise the bar and showcase CDPQ on the international stage. Answering the call to serve my country is a decision I make with humility and enthusiasm,' said Marc-André Blanchard. 'Marc-André has definitely left his mark on CDPQ. Thanks to his leadership, we have transformed from an organization present in the world to a truly united and globally recognized organization. Additionally, we have raised our ambition in sustainable investment, which is now a hallmark of the institution. Marc-André has always been driven by a deep desire to serve the public, and we thank him for his significant contribution to CDPQ as well as for the skilled team he has built. We wish him every success in his new role,' said Charles Emond, President and CEO of CDPQ. ABOUT CDPQ At CDPQ, we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at December 31, 2024, CDPQ's net assets totalled CAD 473 billion. For more information, visit consult our LinkedIn or Instagram pages, or follow us on X. CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries. For more information MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM + 1 514 847-5493 [email protected] SOURCE CDPQ
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Mark Carney chooses former UN ambassador Marc-André Blanchard as his chief of staff
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Sunday afternoon he's selected former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations Marc-André Blanchard as his chief of staff. Blanchard will begin the job in July, replacing former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino. "Marc-André has a long and distinguished career as one of Canada's most accomplished builders, legal experts, executives, public servants, and diplomats including serving as Canada's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations," Carney said in a social media post. Blanchard served as Canada's ambassador to the UN from 2016 to 2020. He currently works as executive vice-president of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which manages public pension plans and insurance programs in the province. He'll replace former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino, who took on the role after Carney won the Liberal leadership race in March. Sources told CBC News at the time that the former Liberal MP would be in his new role only temporarily. Opposition parties heavily scrutinized Carney's choice to hire Mendicino at the time, both for his time in cabinet and his stance on the Middle East.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Marc-André Blanchard leaves CDPQ to serve Canada
MONTRÉAL, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - CDPQ acknowledges the significant contribution of Marc-André Blanchard, Executive Vice-President and Head of CDPQ Global and Global Head of Sustainability, who announced today his departure to take on the role of Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Mark Carney. Arriving at CDPQ in 2020, Marc-André Blanchard has profoundly impacted the organization. A former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations and a recognized leader in the private sector, he has leveraged his expertise to serve CDPQ's international ambitions and sustainable development strategy. Under his leadership, CDPQ Global was established to support its investment teams on the ground through high-level relations with governments and partners worldwide in order to assist Québec companies in their globalization and to position CDPQ as a preferred investment partner internationally. In 2022, Marc-André Blanchard also took over the leadership of the Sustainability team, where he played a decisive role. Under his direction, CDPQ adopted an ambitious approach to the energy transition and promoted its global leadership on sustainability issues in major international forums, achieving significant progress. CDPQ recently reached and surpassed its climate targets and was recognized last year as the world's leading pension fund for governance, sustainability, and resilience by Global SWF, a benchmark in the industry. Marc-André Blanchard leaves behind a strong and experienced team ready to execute the vision he has developed. "CDPQ is an exceptional organization, and it has been an honour to serve Québec and the six million Quebecers it represents. I leave knowing there is a strong, committed and innovative team that will continue to raise the bar and showcase CDPQ on the international stage. Answering the call to serve my country is a decision I make with humility and enthusiasm," said Marc-André Blanchard. "Marc-André has definitely left his mark on CDPQ. Thanks to his leadership, we have transformed from an organization present in the world to a truly united and globally recognized organization. Additionally, we have raised our ambition in sustainable investment, which is now a hallmark of the institution. Marc-André has always been driven by a deep desire to serve the public, and we thank him for his significant contribution to CDPQ as well as for the skilled team he has built. We wish him every success in his new role," said Charles Emond, President and CEO of CDPQ. ABOUT CDPQ At CDPQ, we invest constructively to generate sustainable returns over the long term. As a global investment group managing funds for public pension and insurance plans, we work alongside our partners to build enterprises that drive performance and progress. We are active in the major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. As at December 31, 2024, CDPQ's net assets totalled CAD 473 billion. For more information, visit consult our LinkedIn or Instagram pages, or follow us on X. CDPQ is a registered trademark owned by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and licensed for use by its subsidiaries. For more information MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM + 1 514 847-5493 medias@ SOURCE CDPQ View original content:
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Carney selects former UN ambassador Marc André Blanchard as chief of staff
Prime Minister Mark Carney has selected former United Nations ambassador Marc André Blanchard as his permanent chief of staff as the new Liberal government undertakes massive reform of the economy, two sources say. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the two sources who were not authorized to discuss internal government staffing. Former justice minister David Lametti will also take over as principal secretary, replacing Tom Pitfield, who helped run the Liberal election campaign and was filling in on an interim basis. Mr. Blanchard, a prominent Quebec lawyer, is widely respected for his competence and level-headed judgment. He had served as Canada's ambassador to the UN from 2016-2020. He replaces former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino who was interim Chief of Staff but plans to run for Mayor of Toronto next year. The position of permanent chief of staff is one of the most important jobs in politics. A chief of staff provides stability, particularly for a government with a new leader and an ambitious agenda. The individual has great influence over ministers, caucus and the bureaucracy, as both a motivator and an enforcer of government policy. Mr. Carney has an ambitious agenda, promising the largest transformation to the Canadian economy since the Second World War. The new government has been pushing to reposition Canada with the goal of diversifying trade after an election campaign in which tension with the United States was a central issue. Mr. Carney will meet provincial and territorial premiers Monday to discussing ways to fast-track the construction of housing and major nation-building projects. Mr. Blanchard brings extensive experience on U.S. trade as the government is carrying out high level but secret negotiations with the Trump administration to lessen the impact of U.S. tariffs. He sat on Canada's North American Free Trade Agreement Council from 2017-2020. Currently he serves as executive vice president and head of CDPQ Global and Global head of Sustainability. Senator Percy Downe, who served as chief of staff to former prime minister Jean Chrétien, said the position is an extension of the prime minister. 'So when they pick up the phone and call somebody, they are not calling for a chat. They are calling for a specific purpose, which is to move the government's agenda, to correct any errors that a minister may have made and to get them back on track on what the prime minister ran on in the election,' he said. Mr. Lametti, who was at Oxford University with Mr. Carney, will handle much of the political and policy agenda as principal secretary. The appointment of the two top advisers will provide stability and a direction for the government and allow Mr. Carney to fill out senior jobs in the Prime Minister's Office.
