{{Short description|Chief of Staff of the Canadian Prime Minister}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ray Novak | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|LVO|size=100%}} | alt = | caption = | office = 14th Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister | term_start = May 19, 2013 | term_end = November 4, 2015 | deputy = Jenni Byrne<br />Joanne McNamara | prime_minister = Stephen Harper | predecessor = Nigel Wright | successor = Katie Telford | office2 = Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister | term_start2 = 2008 | term_end2 = 2013 | prime_minister2 = Stephen Harper | predecessor2 = Francis Fox | successor2 = Gerald Butts | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|03|30}} | birth_place = | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|Month DD, YYYY|Month DD, YYYY}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | citizenship = | party = Conservative Party | other_party = Canadian Alliance, Reform Party | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | parents = | alma_mater = University of Western Ontario<br />University of Calgary | occupation = | profession = | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio = | signature = | signature_alt = | website = | footnotes = | blank1 = | data1 = | blank2 = | data2 = | blank3 = | data3 = | blank4 = | data4 = | blank5 = | data5 = }} '''Raymond Novak''' (born March 30, 1977)<ref name=meetcbc>[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/meet-ray-novak-the-pm-s-new-chief-of-staff-1.1309103 "Meet Ray Novak, the PM's new chief of staff"]. CBC News, May 19, 2013.</ref> is a Canadian political strategist, who was appointed as Stephen Harper's fourth Chief of Staff on May 19, 2013, following the dismissal of Nigel Wright.<ref name=globe>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-chief-of-staff-ray-novak-has-long-ties-to-harper/article12023016/ "New chief of staff Ray Novak has long ties to Harper"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', May 19, 2013.</ref> He was the 14th person to serve as Chief of Staff since the creation of the position. He served in the role until November 4, 2015 following the defeat of the Harper government.
Educated in political science at the University of Western Ontario and the University of Calgary,<ref name=meetcbc /> Novak first entered politics as an intern in the offices of Preston Manning and Rob Anders.<ref name=meetcbc /> He was later a researcher for the National Citizens Coalition while Stephen Harper was leading the organization.<ref name=meetcbc /> When Harper moved into Stornoway,<ref name=Citizen>{{cite news|last1=Sibley|first1=Robert|title=Spotlight on Ray Novak, PMO chief who lived above Harper's garage|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/spotlight-on-ray-novak-pmo-chief-who-lived-above-harpers-garage|accessdate=19 August 2015|work=Ottawa Citizen|date=18 August 2015}}</ref> Novak lived rent-free in an apartment above the official residence's garage.<ref name=meetcbc />
Ray Novak was employed in the Prime Minister's Office since Harper's entry in 2006, undertaking several roles.<ref name=Citizen/>
He is personal friends with Kory Teneycke and Jenni Byrne, all of whom were close advisors to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The three met while working for the Reform Party of Canada during the 1997 Canadian federal election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harper's enforcer: Meet Jenni Byrne, the most powerful woman in Ottawa |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/meet-the-woman-driving-harpers-re-election-campaign/article24699535 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail|date=29 May 2015 }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Novak, Ray}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Chiefs of staff of the Canadian Prime Minister's Office Category:Canadian political consultants Category:University of Western Ontario alumni Category:University of Calgary alumni Category:Canadian monarchists Category:Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order
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