Margaret Biggs

Chairperson at International Development Research Centre

Margaret served as President of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) from 2008-2013, where she oversaw Canada's international development and humanitarian assistance efforts worldwide. Previously, Margaret served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet and Assistant Secretary, Priorities and Planning, in the Privy Council Office (Government of Canada). Margaret has represented Canada in numerous international fora and she has served as Canada’s Alternate Governor to the World Bank, as International Executive Co-Chair of the China Council on International Cooperation on Environment and Development, and on the Board of Governors for IDRC. In 2015 she co-led the report “Towards 2030: Building Canada’s Engagement on Global Sustainable Development” (Centre for International Policy Studies) with John W. McArthur. Currently, Margaret is the Matthews Fellow on Global Public Policy at Queen’s University; Chair of the International Advisory Committee of UNU’s Institute on Water, Environment and Health; and she sits on the Board of World University Services Canada. Margaret is a graduate of the University of British Columbia and the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.

Timeline

  • Chairperson

    Current role