Bennett Jones
Michael Kergin is a Senior Advisor to Bennett Jones LLP. He provides strategic advice to clients on international affairs, particularly Canada-US relations. He has over forty years of experience in the Federal Government of Canada. Michael is a former Canadian Ambassador to the United States (2000-2005) and to the Republic of Cuba (1986-1989). He was the foreign and defence policy advisor to Prime Minister Chretien, the equivalent of the National Security Advisor in the United States. His overseas assignments included three postings to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, to the Canadian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, and to Canadian Embassies in Cameroon and Chile.
After leaving government service, Michael founded the consulting firm Intermestic Consulting Inc. He was appointed as a Special Advisor to the Premier of Ontario for Border Management, with particular responsibility for developing a policy on the Windsor-Detroit bridge. Subsequently, he acted as the negotiator for Ontario in the Canada-US softwood lumber dispute. He also served as the Canadian Commissioner on the Honduran Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Michael participates in public policy panels on international affairs and on the future of North America relations. He is a regular commentator in the media.