Charles Beer is currently a Principal with Counsel Public Affairs located in Toronto. Counsel provides strategic advice to a wide range of public and private sector clients as well as to the non-profit sector.

From October 2003 until September 2004 Charles served as Chief of Staff to the Honourable George Smitherman, Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long Term Care. From May 1998 to July 2003 he was the President and CEO of the Canadian Executive Service Organization. CESO is a Canadian, not-for-profit organization founded in 1967. CESO’s purpose is to transfer Canadian expertise to both private and public sector organizations in developing nations, in emerging market economics of Europe and the former Soviet Union and in Canadian Aboriginal communities.

Prior to joining CESO, Charles spent 23 years in the Ontario government, serving from 1987 to 1995, as a member of the provincial parliament. During this time, he was Minister of Community and Social Services and Minister responsible for Francophone Affairs.

He was also Chair, parliamentary assistant or critic for a number of ministries and legislative committees. Charles also served in senior level positions in ministries relating to citizenship, culture and recreation, intergovernmental affairs, and treasury and economics, and was executive director of the office of the leader of the official opposition from 1977 to 1981; assistant headmaster and teacher at Pickering College from 1981 to 1986 and founding executive director of the Canadian Education Standards Institute, 1986-87 and executive director of the Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres, 1996-98. He currently sits on a number of boards relating to health, education, and energy.

Charles and his wife, Mary Anna, a retired teacher, live in Newmarket. They have a daughter Stephanie (husband Sean) and a son, Greg (wife Tania) and two granddaughters, Grace and Hannah.