Minister St-Onge announces appointment of Paul Genest as Chair of the National Gallery of Canada Board of Trustees
News release
GATINEAU, May 29, 2024
The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced the appointment of Paul Genest as Chair of the National Gallery of Canada Board of Trustees today. This appointment is the result of a rigorous, open, transparent and merit-based selection process conducted by the Governor in Council.
Throughout his career, Genest has held senior positions in the government, academic, business and non-profit sectors. Since 2016, he has been Senior Vice-President of Power Corporation of Canada.
Genest has held a number of leadership roles in the Ontario government as a deputy minister, overseeing major portfolios including Intergovernmental Affairs and Francophone Affairs. He was also the deputy minister responsible for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games in Toronto.
In his academic career, Genest was Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Union College in Schenectady, New York and Adjunct Professor at York University's Glendon College. He also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Ontario Universities.
An active volunteer, Genest is a member of the Business/Arts Board of Directors and, until recently, was Vice Chair of the National Gallery of Canada Foundation. In addition, he chairs the Board of Directors of the Nature Conservancy of Canada - Ontario Region and actively contributes to the boards of the Rideau Hall Foundation and the Coalition for a Better Future.
Genest was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ottawa in June 2022.
The National Gallery of Canada is a Crown corporation in the Canadian Heritage Portfolio.
Quotes
"The National Gallery of Canada plays a vital role in promoting and preserving the visual arts in this country. Paul Genest will rely on his leadership and extensive management experience to chair the Board of Trustees with great success. His ability to guide strategic projects and his dedication to the arts will enhance the Gallery's influence and growth. I’d like to express my warm thanks to Françoise E. Lyon for her leadership and commitment as Chair of the National Gallery of Canada Board of Trustees over the past five years."
– The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Quick facts
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The National Gallery of Canada, founded in Ottawa in 1880, has played a key role in preserving Canadian culture for more than a century. The Gallery, which includes works from antiquity to the present day, has one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art in the world, as well as masterworks from numerous other artistic traditions. With a mandate to share the visual arts with Canadians, the Gallery works with artists and arts organizations across the country and around the world to share our collective story through art.
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Canada's national museums are governed by the Museums Act, which was passed into law in 1990. Under the Act, the minister appoints a chair of the Board of Trustees to hold office for a maximum of four years, with the approval of the Governor in Council.
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All appointment opportunities for the 16 organizations in the Canadian Heritage Portfolio are posted as they become available on the Governor in Council appointments website. Those interested can apply online.
Associated links
Contacts
For more information (media only), please contact:
Ariane Joazard-Bélizaire
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
ariane.joazard-belizaire@pch.gc.ca
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
1-819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca