Public Safety Canada Deputies

Tricia Geddes, Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada

Tricia Geddes was appointed Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada effective October 31, 2024.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Geddes held the role of Associate Deputy Minister of Public Safety as of June 2022.

Before joining the department, Ms. Geddes was the Deputy Director, Policy and Strategic Partnerships (DDP) at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) since April 2020. As DDP, she was responsible for key partnerships in the areas of strategic policy development, foreign relations, external review and compliance, communications, academic outreach and stakeholder engagement, as well as litigation and disclosure.

She also supported the Director and the Minister of Public Safety in their accountability for the overall operational activities of the Service, and ensured CSIS was accountable, transparent, and attuned to the strategic interests of the Government of Canada.

Ms. Geddes joined CSIS in 2014 as the Director General of Policy and Foreign Relations and then served as an Assistant Director, beginning in 2017. Previously, she held positions with the Canadian Armed Forces as Associate Director of Staff for the Strategic Joint Staff, as well as with the Privy Council Office in a number of analyst positions.

Ms. Geddes graduated from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) with a combined degree in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Studies.

Jeffery Hutchinson, Associate Deputy Minister, Emergency Preparedness, Public Safety Canada

Jeffery Hutchinson was appointed Associate Deputy Minister (Emergency Management) of Public Safety Canada, effective December 9, 2024.

From 2019 to 2024, Mr. Hutchinson served in various capacities at the Privy Council Office, including most recently as the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference. Mr. Hutchinson served as the Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard from 2017 to 2019. He had previously held the position of Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Shipbuilding, from 2015 to 2017.

Before his time with the Canadian Coast Guard, Mr. Hutchinson was Executive Director at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Earlier in his career, he served as Executive Director at the Indian Residential Schools Adjudication Secretariat; as General Counsel in the Resolution Branch of the Department of Justice Canada; and as General Counsel and Head of Legal Services at Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada.

Mr. Hutchinson holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario (now Western University). He believes in an innovative, effective, and efficient public service with a strong sense of mission and a strong sense of its core values.

Daniel Mills, Associate Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada

Daniel Mills was appointed Associate Deputy Minister of Public Safety Canada, effective December 2, 2024. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Mills held the position of Assistant Deputy Minister of Enterprise IT Procurement and Corporate Services Branch at Shared Services Canada (SSC). He brings with him a wide range of knowledge and leadership skills that he has gained over the years in various senior management roles. Mr. Mills is known for his innovative approach to get things done and his proximity to his staff. Over the course of several years, Mr. Mills occupied the positions of Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Service Delivery at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Management and Chief Financial Officer. He has also served as Director General of Financial Management and Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Director General of Financial Operations, as well as Director of Accounting Operations all within IRCC.

Mr. Mills has served as a public servant with the federal government since 1994. Aside from his past responsibilities at SSC and IRCC, he has occupied several positions at the Department of Natural Resources Canada, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the Public Service Labour Relations Board.

Mr. Mills is a chartered professional accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in business administration with a specialization in accounting from the University of Sherbrooke. He is also a graduate of the Government of Canada's Career Assignment Program (Educational Component Direxion).

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