The Honourable Christian Paradis is a former Member of the Parliament of Canada for Mégantic-L’Érable (2006-2015), and Cabinet Minister of Public Works and Government Services, Natural Resources, Industry and International Development and La Francophonie (2007-2015). During his years in office, he was responsible for very important files in Canada, and, from a global standpoint, he played an integral role in evolving blended finance for international development.
 
Mr. Paradis did not seek a fourth mandate, as he joined GardaWorld in January 2016 as Senior Vice President, Strategic Development, Security Services. His mission is primarily to promote the benefits of public-private partnerships regarding security services in Canada. When implemented with rigor and common sense, outsourcing is equally capable of making a significant contribution to public services.
 
Mr. Paradis graduated from the University of Sherbrooke in civil law and holds a graduate degree in corporate law from Université Laval. He is a member of the Quebec Bar (1997-present), a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada (2007-present), and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).
 
A member of the Boards of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Canada, Canada World Youth, and the Canadian Wildlife Foundation, Mr. Paradis is also the co-founder of Global Development Solutions Canada Inc., an organization facilitating social impact investments in frontier and emerging markets.