January 21, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada
The Government of Canada is committed to appointing highly qualified candidates able to best serve the interests of Canadians.
In keeping with this commitment, Finance Minister Bill Morneau today announced the appointment of Marie Lemay as Master of the Royal Canadian Mint for a period of five years.
Ms. Lemay recently served as Deputy Minister and Deputy Receiver General for Canada at Public Services and Procurement Canada, where she provided expert advice and support to the Minister, and undertook the day-to-day management of the Department. Ms. Lemay has held several senior leadership government positions, and has extensive experience managing human resources and organizational budgets.
This appointment was made under the Government of Canada's new approach to Governor in Council appointments. This approach supports open, transparent and merit-based selection processes that strive for gender parity and reflect Canada's diversity, to support Ministers in making appointment recommendations for positions within their portfolio by providing them with information and referrals.
Biographical Notes
Marie Lemay, P.Eng., ing.
Marie Lemay has an extensive background in public policy and has served in senior government leadership positions for the past 20 years.
From 2016 to 2019, she served as Deputy Minister and Deputy Receiver General for Canada at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), managing 12,000 employees and a $6 billion budget. PSPC oversees one of the largest and most diverse portfolios of real estate in the country and is the Government of Canada's real property expert. As Deputy Minister, Ms. Lemay has provided Ministers with expert advice and support, and undertaken the day-to-day management of the Department.
Prior to this position, Ms. Lemay served as Deputy Minister and President of the Canada Economic Development Agency for Quebec Regions (CED). CED promotes the long-term economic development of the regions of Quebec by giving special attention to those areas where slow economic growth is prevalent or where opportunities for productive employment are inadequate.
In 2012, she was Associate Deputy Minister at Infrastructure Canada, the main department responsible for federal efforts to enhance Canada's public infrastructure.
From January 2008 to 2012, Ms. Lemay was the CEO of the National Capital Commission, where she led a change in culture to one of openness and transparency, including by leading through the transition to the first public Board meetings.
Ms. Lemay is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and of Professional Engineers Ontario, as well as a Fellow of Engineers Canada. She is a member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and has served on several boards.
"I wish to congratulate Ms. Lemay on her appointment as Master of the Royal Canadian Mint. Her background in public policy and substantial experience in providing strategic advice and making decisions on complex and sensitive issues make her an ideal fit for this important role. I am certain that the Mint will benefit from the breadth of her expertise, and I wish her great success in her new position."
- Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance
Quick facts
As the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, the Master of the Mint reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for providing leadership and direction in all aspects of the Corporation's activities, business performance, and strategic development. The Board of Directors is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Finance.
The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins.
It is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale.
