Public Affairs

Team

On a daily basis, PASG's consultants interact with opinion leaders, policymakers and decision-makers at the most senior levels of government and industry. On an equally regular basis, the members of the PASG team are consulted by politicians, senior bureaucrats, media and other commentators on issues of local, regional, national and international interest.

Robert M. Mill, President

Bob Mill's leadership of the Public Affairs Strategy Group is defined by over 30 years of experience at senior levels of government and corporate Canada. He is highly regarded in both sectors for his commitment to excellence and his understanding of public policy and the legislative process. He has served as executive assistant to four federal cabinet ministers from 1971 until 1983, when he joined the private sector, and has earned experience and knowledge in a number of areas of economic and social policy development. From 1983 to 1988 he directed the Ottawa government relations office of the Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers Association of Canada. He then joined ABB, one of the world's largest engineering/manufacturing companies, where he served as Vice-President, Corporate Communications and Vice-President, Government Relations. From 1994 until joining the Public Affairs Strategy Group in 2000, Bob was a senior partner in an Ottawa-based government relations firm serving many leading Canadian and multi-national corporations, industry associations and not-for-profit organizations. Through his work, Bob has established an extensive network and a solid reputation in the government relations/public affairs community and within business and government circles. He has been involved in significant developments in numerous fields including electrical and electronic engineering, research and development, international trade, transportation, security, information technology, agriculture, health, environment, and energy. Fluently bilingual, he has studied history and political science at St. Joseph's University in New Brunswick and the University of Ottawa.

Pierre Leger, Consultant

Pierre Leger has served in senior positions with Telefilm Canada, the Montreal Grand Prix and Via Rail Canada. He joined PASG in 2005 following more than six years as a senior aide to the Minister at the Ministries of Finance, Industry and Foreign Affairs & International Trade. During that time, Pierre managed dossiers in such areas as Economic Development (including Technology Partnerships Canada where he was a member of the departmental team), the Canadian Space Agency, Business Development Bank of Canada, the National Research Council and the Canadian Tourism Commission. At Industry Canada, Pierre was responsible for numerous files in key industry sectors such as aerospace, pharmaceutical and telecommunications. At Foreign Affairs, he advised the Minister on matters relating to Africa and European affairs, prioritizing issues and providing advice on domestic implications of various policy options. Pierre also managed files in federal/provincial relations, human rights, NATO, OSCE and G-7/8 and was part of the core team who designed Canada's response to 9/11. Pierre Leger boasts an unparalleled knowledge of the federal and Québec governments coupled with major involvement in the international trade, cultural and sport sectors. He divides his time between Ottawa, Montréal and Québec City.

Brian Baker, Executive Counsel, Business Development

From the time he joined the Foreign Service in 1970, Brian worked overseas for almost twenty years. He was posted to the Canadian Mission to the United Nations in New York, to India, Israel, Sweden, and Australia, and finally as Canada's Ambassador to Denmark from 1995-1999. As a Trade Commissioner, much of his time abroad was devoted to encouraging foreign corporations to increase their investment in Canada and counseling Canadian firms on how to crack the international markets. The latter frequently involved negotiations with foreign governments in an effort to overcome barriers to the export of Canadian goods and services. In recent years during assignments back in Ottawa, Brian was responsible for a variety of trade policy issues, many related particularly to the forestry, mining and chemical sectors. He represented Canada in international multilateral organizations such as the OECD, GATT, several commodity organizations and the European Union. He was also charged with developing the major consultation process between Canadian industry and the federal and provincial governments on international business development. Brian holds a Bachelor of Forestry from the University of Toronto, a Master of Science from the State University of New York, and a Master of Science (Forestry) from Syracuse University.

George Miller, Senior Associate

In addition to an extensive management background in the chemical industry, George has 25 years' experience in identifying and managing natural resources and environmental issues, including service as a senior government executive and as head of a major industry association. George worked in the federal government as Assistant Deputy Minister and chief policy advisor to successive Natural Resources ministers. For 13 years, he served as President of the Mining Association of Canada. During this period, he led his industry in a number of innovative and highly successful public affairs and government relations initiatives. He chaired several ministerial advisory bodies and represented Canada in international negotiations in the fields of trade, environment and natural resources policy. He holds degrees in engineering and chemistry from Queen's University and a PhD from Oxford.

Gilles Dupont, P.ENG., M.ENG., CD, Senior Counsel

Gilles Dupont joined the Public Affairs Strategy Group in Ottawa as Senior Counsel in May 2003, bringing with him more than forty years of experience in the high technology sector gained in both military and industry settings. Most recently, Gilles served as President of AMS Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of American Management Systems (AMS) Inc., a global IT services provider. Gilles has been Chairman and CEO of the AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association) Canada, since 2000. He was elected to the Board of Directors of AFCEA International in 2000 and was subsequently appointed to the AFCEA Executive Committee in 2001. In 1993, Gilles joined DMR Ottawa as Director Business Development (DND Weapons Systems) and was promoted to Executive Director Government Business Unit in 1996. In 1997, he moved to the LGS Group Inc. where he developed a Delivery Management methodology, which is the function of delivering the contracted engagements to customers. In 1999, he was appointed Vice President Delivery Management and Operations for the Ottawa Region. Gilles retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1987 to establish his own company, SADA Computer Engineering Ltd., which specialized in control systems for snowmaking equipment. After selling SADA to ADGA Systems International, an engineering firm, he joined the firm as Vice President Engineering and later served as VP Business Development, VP Strategic Planning, VP R&D and VP Military Systems. In his most recent assignment with ADGA, Gilles managed international contracts with NATO and NORAD and sub-contracts with Hughes Aircraft of California. Gilles spent twenty-seven years in uniform starting at le Collège Militaire Royal de St-Jean in 1961, graduating from the Royal Military College in Kingston with a civil engineering degree in 1966. While in the Canadian Forces, he obtained a Master of Electrical Engineering degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and Telecommunications. He has also completed all the requisites for his PhD in engineering.