Dr. André Bernard is an anesthesiologist with Nova Scotia Health and associate head of the Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. A seasoned governance leader, he has served as board chair of Doctors Nova Scotia (2016–2024) and the Medical Society of Prince Edward Island (2020–2021, 2024–present). He also sits on the Medicus Pension Plan administrative board and is a senator at Dalhousie University. Within the CMA, he has held multiple leadership roles, including serving on its board, as its representative to the World Medical Association and most recently as chair of the CMA Governance Committee.
Dr. Bernard holds a Doctor of Medicine from Dalhousie University and a Master of Science in Health Policy, Planning and Financing from the London School of Economics and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. His contributions to medicine and governance have been recognized with several awards, including the CMA Award for Young Leaders and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
As a gay man, a husband and a person living with chronic illness, Dr. Bernard is deeply committed to fostering inclusion and belonging in medical leadership. His lived experiences — growing up in a small Cape Breton community, navigating health care as both a physician and a patient, and leading efforts to advance equity in governance — shape his approach to leadership. He is passionate about reconciliation, justice and ensuring all voices are heard in shaping the future of medicine in Canada.