Stevie O’Brien
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Stevie O’Brien is a versatile and accomplished lawyer, government and stakeholder relations leader and public policy specialist with more than a decade of federal and provincial government experience.
Having advised senior politicians and officials at the highest levels of decision-making, including the prime minister, Stevie excels in interpreting mission-critical initiatives through a political lens and facilitating strategic interactions within government and legal ecosystems.
Stevie began her legal career at McMillan as a litigation and dispute resolution associate in Toronto, before transitioning to the public sector. Prior to rejoining McMillan, Stevie served as chief of staff to several cabinet ministers including to two ministers of public services and procurement. She has experience providing strategic political analysis across a complex portfolio encompassing large IT and defense procurements, national procurement modernization and the oversight of multiple Crown Corporations, including Canada Post.
Her most important contributions include providing strategic advice on Canada’s COVID-19 procurement response, including the agreements to secure and roll out $9B of vaccines and $5B of rapid tests, arguably the highest profile and most closely scrutinized purchases in Canadian history.
During her time as Chief of Staff to Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, Stevie was extensively involved in advancing the Government’s legalization and regulation of cannabis, as well as setting foundations and frameworks for the assault weapon ban.
Her experience also includes serving as Director of Parliamentary Affairs and Issues Management to the Minister of Health, legal counsel to the Liberal Party of Canada during the 2021 General Election Campaign and Chief of Staff to the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Stevie is also a Senior Advisor at McMillan Vantage, Canada’s premium public affairs firm strategically affiliated with McMillan LLP.
An in-person seminar aiming to discuss the scope of Bill S-211 and how this new legislation might affect businesses.
Canada imposes new reporting obligations on forced labour, and what it means for Canadian businesses.
Contracting Policy Notice 2023-1 makes the Code of Conduct for Procurement mandatory for all federal procurements and introduces ESG-related responsibilities.
Public Safety Canada, the federal department responsible for national security announced consultations on a foreign influence transparency registry.
Canada's Defence Minister invokes Urgent Operational Requirements in Eastern Europe to buy military hardware using an exceptional procurement mechanism
Potential changes to procurement in Ontario include the operationalization of Supply Ontario and "Buy Ontario" legislation.
Two new standards under Canada's Policy on Green Procurement impose greenhouse gas emissions disclosure obligations on federal departments and contractors.
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