Audrey O’Brien is Clerk Emeritus of the House of Commons. She served from 2005 to 2015 as the first woman and the eleventh clerk of the House since Confederation. In 2015, she was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada for her contributions in the administration of the House of Commons. Her career as a parliamentary public servant spanned more than 30 years, serving seven speakers and members of 10 Parliaments. She worked with Commonwealth parliaments, notably as secretary to the Conference of Commonwealth Speakers.

During her tenure, Ms. O’Brien was the senior adviser on parliamentary procedure and practice to the speaker of the House of Commons, the House and its committees. She was the secretary to the Board of Internal Economy, the all-party body responsible for setting policy and budgets for the support of members in their parliamentary functions. She chaired the Clerk’s Management Group, a committee of the six senior managers; together they provided the range of expertise required to support the institution in procedure, law, security, facilities and service management, finance, human resources and technology.

Ms. O’Brien is co-editor of the second edition of House of Commons Procedure and Practice.

Ms. O’Brien is a member of the Order of Canada.