The Executive team

Alexander Jeglic, Procurement Ombud

Mr. Alexander Jeglic has been re-appointed as Procurement Ombud for a five-year term.

Alex is a lawyer by background and previously served as General Counsel for Private-Public Partnerships Canada Inc., a federal Crown Corporation, where he was involved in the procurement processes for large infrastructure projects. He also held positions of increased responsibility in the United States and Canada including at the Canadian Commercial Corporation as Senior Legal Counsel and the Australian Trade Commission as Business Development Manager and International Trade Advisor in Washington (DC). Throughout Alex’s legal and professional career, he has focused primarily on procurement, contracting and dispute resolution which has served him well as Procurement Ombud.

Alex graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts (Law), with a concentration in Business Law, in 2000. In 2001, he completed the Cornell Law School Paris Summer Institute program in international and comparative law and in 2003 completed a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in Chicago, Illinois with a certificate in International Law.

Alex has also taught procurement law at Carleton University for several years. Alex and his wife Shelley have four children, Xavier, Gabriella, Julianna and Oliver.

David Rabinovitch, Deputy Procurement Ombud

David Rabinovitch has been a member of the Federal Public Service since 1998, and has over 30 years of private and public sector experience leading and managing teams.

Prior to joining the public sector, he lived and worked in the Kansai region of Japan for 5 years, first teaching English as a second language, and then founding a small company that developed curriculum and provided training to Japanese business executives in preparation for overseas postings.

Upon returning to Canada, David obtained Civil and Common Law degrees from McGill University in Montréal, and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1998. Since joining the Federal Public Service, he has specialized in the areas of investment analysis, policy development, client service, financial management, strategic and business planning, and communications.

David previously worked at the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) as the Director of Communications and Corporate Management, prior to joining the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as Senior Director of National Portfolio Strategy. He rejoined OPO as Deputy Procurement Ombud in April 2017.

Margherita Finn, Director, Procurement Inquiries and Reviews

Margherita Finn is the Director of Procurement Inquiries and Reviews at the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) responsible for carrying out reviews of complaints regarding the award or administration of a contract and for reviewing the practices of departments for acquiring goods and services. Being a certified mediator, she also helps resolve issues between the government and suppliers when issues arise during the administration of a contract through OPO’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services.

Margherita has been a dedicated public servant for over 30 years, holding various positions at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). Margherita spent over 15 years buying goods and services and selling ammunition and aircrafts to foreign governments. She was a senior Risk Analyst to PSPC's first Chief Risk Officer, and a principal auditor in the Office of Audit and Evaluation.

Prior to joining OPO in April 2014, Margherita was the Director of the Special Investigations Directorate, responsible for conducting administrative investigations into allegations of wrongdoing, impropriety and mismanagement at PSPC.

Derek Mersereau, Director, Quality Assurance and Risk Management

Derek Mersereau has been a member of the federal public service since 2002, and has over 15 years' experience in internal audit and evaluation in various departments, including Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Privy Council Office and the Department of Justice.

He joined OPO in April 2017 as a Procurement Review Manager and was appointed Director of Quality Assurance and Risk Management in February 2024. In this role, he is dedicated to enhancing the integrity and efficiency of federal procurement, motivated by his belief that these improvements can have a direct and significant impact on stakeholders.

Derek is also a certified mediator, a skill he utilizes to provide alternative dispute resolution between suppliers and federal departments.

Derek's academic background includes a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations, and an MBA with a concentration in Finance both from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Outside of his professional life, Derek enjoys staying active through kayaking, running, biking, and skiing.

Mireille Lafortune, acting Director, Communications and Corporate Management

Mireille Lafortune has been a committed member of the federal public service since 2005, amassing extensive experience in all facets of corporate management.

Prior to joining the Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) in July 2024, she served as a Strategic Advisor to the Director General, leading the Acquisitions Program Transformation Sector under the AP Procurement branch  at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC).

Since 2017, Mireille has demonstrated her leadership abilities, successfully guiding teams at both the Public Health Agency of Canada and PSPC. Trained in Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Facilitation with a Third-Party Neutral (TPN) Approach, Mireille has applied this skill both in the workplace and in her past volunteer role as a mediator.

Outside of her professional life, Mireille enjoys reading and staying active through Karate.