 As Clerk of the Privy Council he was automatically a member of the Advisory Council to the Order of Canada.On March 18, 2019, Wernick announced that he would be retiring from his position as the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to Cabinet and unable to serve during the upcoming election.The SNC-Lavalin affair influenced his early retirement and he had informed Prime Minister Trudeau of his decision on Monday morning.