Bio
Don Stephenson began his public service career in 1979, working in cultural policy for 10 years at the Department of Communications. He moved into economic policy, at Consumer and Corporate Affairs, Industry Canada and Western Economic Diversification, before returning to cultural policy, as director general of cultural industries, Heritage Canada, where he led the negotiations with the United States on the World Trade Organization (WTO) split-run magazine dispute. He was appointed director general of trade policy at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and served for two years as assistant secretary to the Cabinet, Economic and Regional Development Policy, Privy Council Office. In 2004, he was appointed ambassador to the WTO, serving as chair of the goods negotiations in the Doha Round until 2008. Don returned to become assistant deputy minister, trade policy and negotiations, until his retirement in late 2011, and continued to serve as chief negotiator for the Canada-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement until December 2018. Don lectures frequently on trade policy, trade negotiations and public policy development, and serves as trade and investment adviser to the Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development, a trade‑related technical assistance program delivered under contract for Global Affairs Canada.