Paul Tellier
Encyclopedia
Paul Mathias Tellier, PC
, CC
(born 1939) is a Canadian
businessman and former public servant. Born in Joliette, Quebec
, Tellier was educated at Laval University and the University of Oxford
.
portfolios and culminating as the nation's top civil servant from August 12, 1985 to June 30, 1992, when he was Clerk of the Privy Council
, in the Privy Council Office of Canada
, during Brian Mulroney's
administration. Mulroney reduced Tellier's role as Clerk between 1986 and 1989, when he appointed Dalton Camp
as his personal Deputy Minister
.
In 1992, Tellier left the civil service and was appointed by Mulroney as President and CEO of the Crown corporation, CN Rail
. Tellier was a driving force behind the successful privatization
of the company in 1995 and was widely seen as being the principal instigator behind CN's purchase of Illinois Central
, which saw the company expand its focus from an exclusively east-west orientation into a north-south one. As such it was one of the first companies to reap the benefits of North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA). Following a failed bid to merge CN with BNSF Railway
in 2000, Tellier led CN Rail
through the purchase and integration of Wisconsin Central
. He also was responsible for hiring a management team and focused on making CN a "scheduled" freight railway, largely by promoting former Illinois Central president, Hunter Harrison, to a vice-president position at CN.
In January 2003, Tellier stepped down from CN, (Harrison assumed the presidency of the company) to take a three-year posting as the President and CEO of Bombardier. This was largely seen in the Canadian business community as an attempt by Bombardier to turn itself around following several lacklustre years of growth in the aerospace and passenger rail vehicle markets. Tellier oversaw Bombardier and sold its recreational vehicle production to the Beaudoin
family, Bombardier's majority shareholders. Tellier also made several major cuts in the workforce and attempted to adjust and refocus the company on its core business activities. On December 13, 2004, it was announced that Tellier was leaving Bombardier, after he told the company that he did not want to stay for the full three years of his contract. Tellier also serves as an executive on the board of directors
of Bell Canada
and Rio Tinto Alcan.
In 1992, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
. In 2004, the second St. Clair Tunnel
was named in his honor.
Since November 2006, Paul Tellier has served as joint chairman on the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Public Service of Canada. This Committee gives advice to the Prime Minister and the Clerk of the Privy Council on the renewal of the Public Service, with the objective of shaping it into an institution geared to excellence, distinguished by highly-engaged and highly-skilled people performing critical tasks with professionalism and efficiency.
In October 2007, he was appointed by Prime Minister Harper to a panel responsible for reviewing Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, CC
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 1939) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman and former public servant. Born in Joliette, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Tellier was educated at Laval University and the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Biography
Tellier entered Canada's civil service in the 1970s. He rose through the ranks of the federal bureaucracy through several high-profile deputy ministerDeputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
portfolios and culminating as the nation's top civil servant from August 12, 1985 to June 30, 1992, when he was Clerk of the Privy Council
Clerk of the Privy Council (Canada)
The Clerk of the Privy Council is the senior civil servant in the Canadian government. The Title and Office is in fact "Clerk of the Privy Council and the Secretary to the Cabinet"...
, in the Privy Council Office of Canada
Privy Council Office (Canada)
In Canada the Privy Council Office is the secretariat of the federal cabinet, providing officially non-partisan advice and support to the Prime Minister and leadership, coordination, and support to the departments and agencies of the government...
, during Brian Mulroney's
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
administration. Mulroney reduced Tellier's role as Clerk between 1986 and 1989, when he appointed Dalton Camp
Dalton Camp
Dalton Kingsley Camp, PC, OC was a Canadian journalist, politician, political strategist and commentator and supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. Despite having never been elected to a seat in the House of Commons, he was a prominent and influential politician and a popular...
as his personal Deputy Minister
Deputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
.
In 1992, Tellier left the civil service and was appointed by Mulroney as President and CEO of the Crown corporation, CN Rail
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
. Tellier was a driving force behind the successful privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of the company in 1995 and was widely seen as being the principal instigator behind CN's purchase of Illinois Central
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
, which saw the company expand its focus from an exclusively east-west orientation into a north-south one. As such it was one of the first companies to reap the benefits of North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA). Following a failed bid to merge CN with BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
in 2000, Tellier led CN Rail
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
through the purchase and integration of Wisconsin Central
Wisconsin Central Transportation
Wisconsin Central Ltd. is a railroad subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway. At one time, its parent Wisconsin Central Transportation Corporation owned or operated railroads in the United States, Canada , the United Kingdom , New Zealand , and Australia .- Overview...
. He also was responsible for hiring a management team and focused on making CN a "scheduled" freight railway, largely by promoting former Illinois Central president, Hunter Harrison, to a vice-president position at CN.
In January 2003, Tellier stepped down from CN, (Harrison assumed the presidency of the company) to take a three-year posting as the President and CEO of Bombardier. This was largely seen in the Canadian business community as an attempt by Bombardier to turn itself around following several lacklustre years of growth in the aerospace and passenger rail vehicle markets. Tellier oversaw Bombardier and sold its recreational vehicle production to the Beaudoin
Laurent Beaudoin
Laurent Beaudoin, is a Canadian businessman.-Biography:Born in Laurier Station, Quebec, the son-in-law of Joseph Armand Bombardier, Beaudoin joined Bombardier Limited in 1963. He became Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bombardier Inc. in 1979...
family, Bombardier's majority shareholders. Tellier also made several major cuts in the workforce and attempted to adjust and refocus the company on its core business activities. On December 13, 2004, it was announced that Tellier was leaving Bombardier, after he told the company that he did not want to stay for the full three years of his contract. Tellier also serves as an executive on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
and Rio Tinto Alcan.
In 1992, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. In 2004, the second St. Clair Tunnel
St. Clair Tunnel
The St. Clair Tunnel is the name for two separate rail tunnels which were built under the St. Clair River between Sarnia, Ontario and Port Huron, Michigan. It was the first full-size subaqueous tunnel built in North America. -First tunnel :The St. Clair Tunnel Company opened the first tunnel in...
was named in his honor.
Since November 2006, Paul Tellier has served as joint chairman on the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Public Service of Canada. This Committee gives advice to the Prime Minister and the Clerk of the Privy Council on the renewal of the Public Service, with the objective of shaping it into an institution geared to excellence, distinguished by highly-engaged and highly-skilled people performing critical tasks with professionalism and efficiency.
In October 2007, he was appointed by Prime Minister Harper to a panel responsible for reviewing Canada's mission in Afghanistan.