Biography – Michel Bédard

Mr. Michel Bédard is a bilingual legal counsel who has trained and practised in both Canadian common law and civil law. He holds bachelor’s degrees in civil and common law from McGill University; a Master of Laws degree from the Université de Montréal; and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Ottawa. He has over 15 years of experience working directly with parliamentary committees, members of Parliament and senior parliamentary officials.

A member of the bars of both Ontario and Quebec, Mr. Bédard began his career with the Parliament of Canada as an analyst, constitutional and parliamentary affairs, with the Parliamentary Information and Research Service of the Library of Parliament in 2006.

Since 2014, Mr. Bédard has worked in successive posts within the Senate and House of Commons. He first held the post of Parliamentary Counsel within the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel (OLCPC) of the Senate of Canada in 2014, providing legal and legislative advice and services to the Senate, committees, senators and the Senate Administration. In 2018, he moved to the post of Assistant Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel within the same organization. From 2018 to 2019, he was also in charge of the Senate OLCPC on an interim basis.

In 2019, Mr. Bédard started a new role in the House of Commons OLCPC Legal Services as Deputy Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, and remained in that role until he was chosen to take on the post of Interim Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel in June, 2022.