Carney names Hydro-Quebec's Michael Sabia as new top bureaucrat
Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced Michael Sabia, a longtime business leader and senior bureaucrat, as the country's new top bureaucrat starting next month.
Sabia has been named Clerk of the Privy Council Office, the department that is responsible for supporting the Prime Minister's Office and which plays a central role in turning government priorities into actionable policies for bureaucrats to implement.
In a statement, the role is also described one that will 'advise the Prime Minister and elected government officials in managing the country, from an objective, non-partisan, public policy perspective.'
1:28
Danielle Smith urges feds to commit to Alberta energy superpower promise
Sabia is currently the president of Hydro-Quebec. He will replace John Hannaford as Clerk of the Privy Council, with Hannaford now retiring, according to the press release.
Story continues below advertisement
Carney referred to Hannaford's role in helping the new government to transition as being 'invaluable.'
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Carney said Sabia's leadership will play a 'key role' in helping Canada to become 'the strongest economy in the G7,' and added that 'Canada's exemplary public service – with Mr. Sabia at the helm – will advance nation-building projects, catalyze enormous private investment to drive growth, and deliver the change Canadians want and deserve.'
Prior to his role at Hydro-Quebec, Sabia served as Canada's deputy minister of finance, director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and held senior leadership, CEO and president roles respectively at Bell Canada Enterprises and at Canadian National Railway.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
3 hours ago
- Global News
Iranian Canadians and others watch and worry after U.S. strikes on nuclear sites
Iranian Canadians and Jewish groups turned worried eyes to the Middle East on Sunday, as U.S. strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites raised fears of escalating violence. Nimâ Machouf, a member of a Montreal Iranian women's association, said family members in Iran are living 'from one bomb to another.' 'I'm very worried because this will only accelerate the violence in the region,' she said in a phone interview. 'It will further aggravate the problem and take us further away from peace.' Machouf, who is also an epidemiologist and former NDP candidate, believes the strikes will only hurt the people who are fighting to free themselves from Iran's repressive regime. Attacks from other countries means that Iran's people 'are not protected by their government, nor protected by others, by the international community,' she said. 'So people feel abandoned by everyone, everywhere.' Story continues below advertisement 0:50 Iran's UN envoy accuses Netanyahu of 'hijacking' U.S. foreign policy The United States inserted itself in Israel's war against Iran early Sunday as it launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Police in Toronto and Vancouver have published messages on social media platform X, confirming an increase in police presence in both cities while authorities monitor the situation in the Middle East. The Toronto police post said that more police presence 'can be expected wherever necessary,' while Vancouver police said more officers and resources will be deployed to 'certain places of worships, cultural and community centres, and diplomatic buildings.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Conflicts in the Middle East are thousands of kilometres away, but they reverberate closely in our diverse community and impact many peoples' sense of safety,' the post from Vancouver police said, adding that more officers have also been deployed to make sure protests 'remain lawful.' Story continues below advertisement 'We're listening to local faith leaders and community representatives from countries impacted by the conflicts … Our priority is your safety.' Prime Minister Mark Carney wrote on social media that U.S. military action was designed to alleviate the 'grave threat' Iran's nuclear program represents to international security. 'Canada has been consistently clear that Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,' he wrote. 1:42 Israel says world should 'thank' U.S. after strikes on Iranian nuclear sites But Carney said the situation in the Middle East was 'highly volatile,' and urged the parties to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution. The interim president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs described Iran's nuclear program on Sunday as a 'grave danger to global peace and security.' 'Eliminating this threat is an essential step toward achieving a safer Middle East and a more secure and peaceful world,' wrote Noah Shack, who urged the federal government to 'stand strong against the Iranian threat.' Story continues below advertisement Kaveh Shahrooz, a lawyer and a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, said many Iranians are worried about the impact the U.S. decision will have on civilians. 'I think there's quite a bit of (concern) simply because there's a lot of unknowns,' he said. Shahrooz said Iran's regime offers virtually no protection to its own citizens in the form of air raid sirens or shelters, and internet has been cut off. 'So there's a lot of fear about what we will find out once internet connection is restored and we're able to talk to our families again,' he said. Shahrooz said feelings among Canada's Iranian diaspora vary, from anger at the strikes to support for U.S. actions. 'Among the people who are not supportive of Iran's regime, I think there are some who are cheering and who are saying this was long overdue,' he said. 'And they're happy to see the Iranian regime's nuclear program effectively dismantled and to see that regime humiliated.' On the other hand, Machouf called any suggestion that Israel will 'liberate' Iran's people a 'masquerade' and said regime change must come from within. Gur Tsabar, a spokesperson with Jews Say No to Genocide, said a rally called 'Hands Off Iran' was organized for Sunday afternoon in Toronto to demand sanctions on Israel and a two-way arms embargo. He described recent Israeli and American actions in Iran as 'beyond disturbing.' Story continues below advertisement Tsabar said the rally scheduled for Sunday afternoon is co-organized by 16 groups, including the Iranian Canadian Congress, Palestinian Youth Movement, Jews Say No to Genocide and a number of labour unions.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Peel Pub closes suddenly after 60 Years, leaving staff and performers in the dark
After more than 60 years, Montreal's Peel Pub abruptly closed due to bankruptcy, leaving staff unpaid and performers scrambling for new venues. After more than 60 years, Peel Pub in downtown Montreal has suddenly shut its doors. On June 20, a bankruptcy notice went up on the locked front door. Clients and staff were caught off guard by the news. Erik Intrevado has two sisters who worked at the downtown mainstay for more than a decade and were notified by text of the closure. Intrevado produced the weekly comedy night at the pub and had no idea an insolvency notice would be posted. 'Coming in without the permission of the trustee is guilty of an offense and basically breaking and entering,' says Intrevado, reading the notice on the locked front door of the pub. When he heard about the closure, he came to collect his gear, but he was out of luck. 'Maybe a few hundred dollars a year, a microphone, speakers, some cables, power bar.' Intrevado says comedy night was doing well, but Peel Pub was on the decline. Raby, who didn't want his family name used, has friends who worked at the pub. He came by to take a photo of the notice on the door. Raby also pointed out the terrasse wasn't installed for this summer season — a sign, he says, staff took as a sign the end was near. 'They don't get paid on time. He refused to pay them as well for their hours. And who clocked in for the Grand Prix weekend. So there's a lot of people who still have money, tips stuck in here. Completely dead silence from the owner. Just kind of disappointing,' says Raby. Ongoing construction also affected summer business, according to Dave Laanemets of McLean's Pub next door. 'Having the street closed at the intersection has been really bad for business. It hurts us. If no one's going up and down the street, no one's walking up or down the street. And it's not good. If the street was closed for a festival, that's a different story — then people have a reason to be here.' CTV News contacted Peel Pub owner Sami Jmaiel several times and did not get a response. Meanwhile, Intrevado says he's looking for a new venue to host comedy night — but lots of people, like his sisters, are looking for backpay and a job. 'I think that's where the real problem is, is what is going to be the process for everyone who's affected by this.'
Canada News.Net
7 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
NATO summit to ditch Ukraine meeting Politico
The upcoming gathering of the US-led bloc will reportedly have a reduced agenda and issue no long communiques An upcoming NATO leaders summit in the Netherlands will have a shortened schedule, with the focus on Ukraine drastically reduced, Politico reported on Saturday, citing five people familiar with the matter. The summit, set to be held in the World Forum in The Hague from June 24 to 25, will only feature two main events - a welcome dinner at the Dutch royal family's castle and a single meeting of the North Atlantic Council instead of the usual two or three, according to Politico. There also will not be a meeting of NATO's Ukraine Council. Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky has been only invited to attend the welcome dinner, and it still remains unclear whether he will come, the outlet noted. The sources suggested the abbreviated schedule was a concession to the US and President Donald Trump in particular, who has repeatedly shown impatience with and shunned multilateral gatherings of a ceremonial nature. NATO officials reportedly pared down the agenda after the G7 debacle, when Trump abruptly left the summit in Canada halfway through the two-day program. He also reportedly opposed a draft joint statement on the Ukraine conflict, and the summit ultimately ended without one. The upcoming gathering is expected to yield no lengthy joint communique, with the bloc likely to produce only short statements on new commitments. Cuts to the agenda have also been attributed to a need to minimize the risk of derailing the main event of the summit, where members are expected to pledge to hike defense spending to 5% GDP. Trump has long demanded that NATO countries spend more on defense, and the new commitment will be regarded as a big "win" by the US president, the sources suggested. "He has to get credit for the 5% - that's why we're having the summit," a European defense official told Politico. "Everything else is being streamlined to minimize risk."
