Senior public servant Nathalie Drouin named national security adviser to PM

Veteran public servant Nathalie Drouin has been named national security and intelligence adviser to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Drouin, deputy clerk of the Privy Council since August 2021, will retain that title when she takes on the new role Jan. 27.

She becomes adviser as the Liberal government ponders significant reform of the legislation governing Canada’s spy service to better address security threats.

Drouin was deputy minister of justice from 2017 to 2021.

As deputy Privy Council clerk, Drouin testified in November 2022 at the inquiry into the invocation of the Emergencies Act in response to protests that paralyzed downtown Ottawa and choked key border points.

Drouin replaces the retiring Jody Thomas, who became security adviser two years ago after serving as deputy minister of national defence.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2024.