Put Yves Giroux as the new Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) term end September 2, 2025. This conclusion represents the close of an important seven-year mandate. Giroux went to LinkedIn to share the news of his departure. He concluded by saying that it has been a “true honour” to be able to serve in this capacity. As Giroux’s term wound down, he was left hanging on the question of his successor. This dearth of information only served to emphasize the secrecy that shrouded the appointment process.
The appointment of a new PBO requires the approval of both the House of Commons and the Senate. With this approval, the PBO is guaranteed for a complete seven-year duration. The good news is that the government has acted by appointing an interim PBO through an order-in-council. This action does much to help ensure a continued transition of leadership. Our new PBO, Jacques, will officially start the job on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
Jacques returns to the post with his extensive experience including stints in both the council and the state legislature. His deep and diverse resume includes senior level positions at a number of other major universities. These are the Privy Council Office, Finance Canada, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and the Bank of Canada. Before being appointed PBO, Jacques was director general of economic and fiscal analysis for the office. His deep and diverse experience uniquely qualifies him to step into the responsibilities that come with this important position.
As Jacques takes over this important post, he will have plenty of immediate challenges to contend with. His most urgent challenge is to look at, and cut, the federal government’s inflated budget. It is scheduled to be introduced in the next few months. This is no small responsibility. It demands third party review of all government financial proposals and ensures openness and accountability in fiscal policy making.
