In this month’s episode we are speaking with the Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces, Mario Baril.

In our conversation we talk about the scope of his role, how the Ombudsman’s office can support Military family members, and some of the tools and resources that have been created by his team. Mr. Baril also tells us what he has learned about - and from - Military families since taking on this role in July 2025.

About our Guest:

Mario Baril is a seasoned public service executive and accredited mediator with nearly two decades of leadership experience in advancing organizational health and strategic governance across the Government of Canada.

Mario Baril has served in the executive ranks of the federal public service, holding a variety of senior leadership roles as a member of Senior Executive Management tables. His experience includes providing strategic counsel to Deputy Ministers as Chief of Staff at the Treasury Board Secretariat, advising Ministers’ Offices on strategic and business communications at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), and delivering his leadership vision at the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada.

More recently, in 2018, Mario established the first organizational Ombudsman Office at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), and pursued his passion for healthy workplaces through the delivery of Ombudsman confidential services at Public Services and Procurement Canada from 2022 to 2025.

In March 2025, Mario was appointed by the Governor General in Council—on the recommendation of the Minister of National Defence—as Special Advisor to the Minister and Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, effective July 2, 2025.

Mario is an Accredited Mediator (IMAQ) and a Certified Leadership Coach (Destination Leadership, 2024).

Throughout his career, Mario led numerous departmental and national initiatives aimed at promoting organizational health. He played a key role in establishing a new role and mandate of the Canadian Innovation Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace—a national initiative recognized and highlighted as a success in the 29th Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada. He served on the Advisory Board for the Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace and contributed to the Interdepartmental Committee on Mental Health Performance Measurement at the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Mario holds a master’s degree in public administration from ÉNAP, a bachelor’s degree in social sciences (Economics, Public Policy, and Management) from the University of Ottawa, and a college diploma in journalism.

Outside of his professional life, Mario is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys sailing, swimming, canoeing, cycling, downhill skiing, and trekking in Mont-Tremblant. A passionate traveler, he has explored numerous countries with his wife, Danielle, and their two sons—embracing diverse cultures and forging meaningful connections around the world.

Links:

• Military Benefits Browser https://www.canada.ca/en/ombudsman-national-defence-forces/education-information/caf-members/compensation-benefits/mbb.html
• ABCs of Military Postings https://www.canada.ca/en/ombudsman-national-defence-forces/education-information/caf-members/career/postings/abc-military-postings.html
• English homepage https://www.canada.ca/en/ombudsman-national-defence-forces.html
• French homepage https://www.canada.ca/fr/ombudsman-defense-nationale-forces.html