Who Is Marc-André Blanchard, Carney’s New Chief of Staff

Former United Nations ambassador Marc-André Blanchard will step into the role of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s chief of staff, assuming one of the most powerful positions in Ottawa.

Carney had not named someone to the position since being sworn-in as prime minister on March 14. Former Liberal MP and public safety minister Marco Mendicino has been filling the role in the interim.

Blanchard will begin his new role in July, Carney said in a June 1 social media post, calling him “one of Canada’s most accomplished builders, legal experts, executives, public servants, and diplomats.”

Duties of the chief of staff include overseeing the office of the highest seat of power in the country, controlling access to the prime minister, and handling various issues and determining which matters the prime minister should address, as well as acting as a liaison to cabinet ministers.

Katie Telford had served in the role for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the length of his tenure.

Blanchard most recently served as executive vice-president at CDPQ, Quebec’s institutional investment arm. He was specifically in charge of CDPQ’s international operations and sustainability practices.

Carney and Blanchard share a similar profile on many counts. While Carney is an economist and Blanchard is a lawyer, they both have high-level public service experience, they have both chaired multiple boards, and have both worked at the United Nations.

Before joining CDPQ in 2020, Blanchard served as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, a position he was appointed to by Trudeau in 2016.

He played a role similar to that of Carney at the international organization, when the prime minister served as the U.N.’s special envoy for climate action and finance, focusing on mobilizing capital markets to invest in low carbon enterprises.

“I’m a very pro-market kind of guy, but I believe that we need to make sure that capital is better aligned with sustainable development,” Blanchard said in October 2019 during a forum of the Canadian Association of International Development Professionals (CAIDP).

Speaking in his capacity as ambassador to the U.N., he told the forum he agrees with the idea that capitalism needs a “reset” as the world faces challenges from inequalities and climate change.

Blanchard said that when he arrived at the United Nations, then-secretary general Ban Ki-Moon told him that because of his experience in the private sector, he could help the U.N. finance its Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “I was very happy [with] that discussion,” he said, adding he set out to work on that task.

Corporate Background

The United Nations is not the only entity where Carney and Blanchard share a past.

Carney was chair of investment firm Brookfield Assets Management before entering politics. The firm announced in fall 2024 it had raised $2.4 billion for a climate investment vehicle, the Catalytic Transition Fund (CTF), for which CDPQ was also an investment partner.

In a related statement at the time, Carney said CDPQ’s involvement underscored a “unique combination of the major commercial opportunity and the climate imperative.” Blanchard said the “energy transition is key to creating lasting value.”

The CDPQ, which manages Quebec’s pension fund, has a strong focus on investment principles of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and aims to reach net-zero by 2050.

Blanchard will leave the climate-focused CDPQ for a Prime Minister’s Office where climate ambitions are still present, but are currently competing with the changing political climate.

The climate alliance established by Carney during his time with the U.N. has unravelled following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump and the arrival of his tariffs, which have sparked economic nationalism in Canada.

The current focus of the national dialogue is not solely achieving net-zero carbon emissions, but rather on how Canada can harness its economic potential by launching major projects. Carney has not openly touted oil and gas, but his term for it, “conventional energy,” is part of the government’s agenda to make Canada an “energy superpower.”

While Carney left the corporate boards he was involved with when he entered politics, including those of Brookfield, payment processor Stripe, and Bloomberg LP’s, Blanchard continued to hold leadership roles with several organizations.

Blanchard was appointed in 2023 to lead the Blended Finance Task Force of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, launched by King Charles III. Blanchard is also co-chair of the U.N. Foundation board of directors and the administrator of the board of directors of Mila, Quebec’s artificial intelligence institute.

Blanchard was chairman and CEO of prominent Montreal law firm McCarthy Tétreault prior to being appointed ambassador to the U.N. Former top politicians joined the firm after leaving office, such as former Quebec premier Jean Charest in 2013 and former federal minister John Manley in 2004.

Blanchard completed his law degree at Université de Montréal and subsequently obtained a Master’s in law at the London School of Economics. He also holds two Master’s degrees from Columbia University in New York City, in public administration and international affairs.