In February 2022, Michael Sousa became the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Policy Sector at Justice Canada.

Michael joined the Department of Justice in 2001 with what was then Citizenship and Immigration Legal Services Unit (LSU), where he worked on litigation coordination and preparing the client for the implementation of the new Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. With the events of 9/11 and the creation of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Michael was part of the original group that established the new agency’s LSU.

After assisting the CBSA in its new role, Michael was Special Advisor to Public Safety, Defence and Immigration Portfolio (PSDI) Assistant Deputy Minister’s office where he supported various projects, including the implementation of the Special Advocates Program with Justice Canada’s Programs Branch. Soon after, Michael joined the Environment Canada LSU as Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel, where he spent five years, including acting as Executive Director when the Environment Canada LSU merged with those of Parks Canada and the Canada Environmental Assessment Agency.

In 2015, Michael moved to the LSU at Public Safety, where he spent two years working with colleagues in the unit and the Public Safety Portfolio to support the Minister of Public Safety, notably with Bill C-59, the National Security Act. Michael’s most recent assignment was as Executive Director of the Department of National Defence LSU and Legal Advisor to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces for four and a half years.