Jocelyne Bourgon Visiting Scholar Initiative

In keeping with its mission to build a learning culture within the federal public service, the Canada School of Public Service has established the Jocelyne Bourgon Visiting Scholar Initiative as a way to recognize academic knowledge and expertise, foster fresh ideas, and offer an external perspective on priority issues within the Government of Canada.

Background

The naming of this initiative honours the immense contributions of the Honourable Madame Jocelyne Bourgon P.C., O.C., President Emeritus of the Canada School of Public Service and former Clerk of the Privy Council (1994–1999), and serves to recognize her extraordinary work in the Canadian and international public sectors.

The recipient of six honorary degrees, Madame Bourgon was summoned to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada in 1998. A member of the Order of Canada and a Knight of the National Order of Merit of the Republic of France, Madame Bourgon embodies excellence in public service.

Benefits and intent

The gathering of information from varied perspectives helps to spur reflection and adaptation towards meeting the present and future needs of Canadians.

The Jocelyne Bourgon Visiting Scholar Initiative supports the needs of an equipped public service. By inviting visiting scholars, the Canada School of Public Service is able to continue delivering quality and cutting-edge learning content, while building stronger links and partnerships with academia.

The initiative further benefits the visiting scholars themselves who will gain valuable experience by working for the federal government, including through accessing new knowledge and expertise, data sources, networking opportunities, and hands-on practice regarding how their host department and the federal government operate. Visiting scholars may also benefit from an elevated profile within the government and the public administration communities, and the opportunity to imprint their unique knowledge legacy across the federal public service.

List of visiting scholars

Ian Stedman (2024–2025) Ian Stedman is an Associate Professor of Canadian Public Law and Governance and the Graduate Program Director in the School of Public Policy and Administration in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies at York University. Further to his BA and MA in Philosophy, Ian earned an undergraduate Certificate in Ethics (Western) and a graduate Diploma in Value Theory and Applied Ethics (York).
Jonathan Craft (2023–2024) Jonathan Craft, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. He specializes in comparative public policy and administration, policy analysis, and Canadian politics.
Dr. Alasdair Roberts (2022-2023) Dr. Alasdair Roberts, BA, JD, MPP, PhD. is a professor and former director at the School of Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he focuses on problems of governance, law, and public policy.
Dr. Rachel Zellars (2021-2022) Dr. Rachel Zellars, M.A., J.D., Ph.D. is a lawyer, Senior Research Fellow, and Assistant Professor at Saint Mary's University in the Department of Social Justice & Community Studies. Her research and scholarship focus on the history of Black Canada beginning with the American Revolution; slavery in the Maritimes and the lives of enslaved women; and gender violence and transformative justice.