Clerk and Deputy Clerk bios

Mr. Michael Sabia was named the 26th Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet on July 7, 2025.

Prior to becoming Clerk, Mr. Sabia served as the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Hydro‑Québec since 2023. He previously served as Canada’s Deputy Minister of Finance from 2020 to 2023.

Mr. Sabia’s other notable roles include Chair of the Board of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, as well as Director of the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, in 2020.

He was previously President and CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) – a role he served in from 2009 until 2020. During his tenure, he led the rebuilding of the CDPQ into a global financial institution.

Prior to joining the CDPQ, Mr. Sabia was CEO of Bell Canada Enterprises and CFO of Canadian National Railway. He began his career in the federal public service, serving principally in the Department of Finance Canada and the Privy Council Office, where he was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans).

In addition to serving on government advisory groups in Canada, he has participated in a number of international initiatives, including the United Nations Net Zero Alliance and as Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s working group on infrastructure and development.

In 2017, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Message to the public service from Michael Sabia, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet

Effective January 27, 2024, Nathalie G. Drouin, Ad. E., was named Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister. Nathalie served as Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet from August 23, 2021, to January 26, 2024.  

Prior to joining the Privy Council Office, Nathalie was Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada from June 2017 to August 2021. She previously served as Senior Associate Deputy Minister of the Department of Justice of Canada from September 2016 to June 2017.

From September 2012 to September 2016, Nathalie was Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General for the Government of Quebec.

In addition, she held a number of positions within the Autorité des marchés financiers, including Director of Legal Affairs and Director General of Market Supervision and Legal Affairs.

Nathalie G. Drouin holds a bachelor’s degree in law and a post-graduate diploma in business administration, both from Université Laval. She has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1992.

Effective January 12, 2026, Isabelle Mondou was appointed Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and Associate Secretary to the Cabinet.

Prior to her appointment as Deputy Clerk, Isabelle Mondou held several senior leadership roles across the public service. She joined the Department of Canadian Heritage on October 22, 2018, as Associate Deputy Minister and, after being on assignment at the Privy Council Office as Deputy Minister for the COVID-19 Response (Communications) from April 2020 to April 2021, became Deputy Minister of Canadian Heritage on May 3, 2021.

On September 19, 2016, Isabelle was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet (Priorities and Planning) at the Privy Council Office. Prior to that, she was legal counsel to the Clerk of the Privy Council and Assistant Secretary (Democratic Reform).

Isabelle joined Canada’s public service in 1994 as an employee of the Department of Revenue. She has held a wide range of positions, including in the Intergovernmental Affairs, Machinery of Government and Senior Personnel sections at the Privy Council Office.

Isabelle has a Bachelor of Law degree (1989) and a Master of Law degree (1994) from the Université de Montréal. She was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1990. She practised law in the private sector, with a focus on administrative, environmental and municipal law.

Isabelle is originally from the Laurentian region and has lived in Ottawa since 1996.

She is the mother of two children.