Biography - Neil Yeates

Neil Yeates served as Deputy Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (now Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) from 2009 until 2013. Prior to taking on this role, Mr. Yeates served as Associate Deputy Minister at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, as well as Assistant Deputy Minister at both Health Canada and Industry Canada.

Following his retirement in 2013, Mr. Yeates was named Vice-Chair of the Trans Canada Trail Board of Directors. He has volunteered his time to several non-profit organizations, including universities and health boards, aboriginal organizations and a wide variety of human services non-governmental organizations. He also served on the board of a federal crown corporation (Canadian Commercial Corp) and briefly on a national health services board (Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation).

In February 2017, Mr. Yeates was appointed as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada to work with departments and agencies toward the stabilization of the Government of Canada’s new pay system.

Mr. Yeates first joined the Government of Canada from the Government of Saskatchewan in 2004. In his 20-year career with the Government of Saskatchewan, he held a variety of Deputy Minister positions including with the Department of Learning, the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Learning and Skills Training, and the Department of Corrections and Public Safety. Further, he also held Assistant Deputy Minister positions in the departments of Health, Social Services and Finance.

Mr. Yeates holds a B.A. (Honours) in Political Science and History from Queen’s University and an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Regina.