Since his June 1999 retirement from provincial politics, Bernard Grandmaître has been appointed member of the Comité consultatif sur les services en français of the City of Ottawa and Commissioner to the Assessment Review Board of Ontario. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ottawa Hospital and a member of the French Language Health Services Network of Eastern Ontario.

Mr. Grandmaître was first elected to the Ontario Legislature to represent the riding of Ottawa East in a by-election in 1984. He was re-elected in 1985, 1987, 1990, and again on June 8, 1995. As a member of the Official Opposition since 1990, Bernard served as Liberal Critic for Intergovernmental Affairs, Government Services and Municipal Affairs. He was Critic for Francophone Affairs, and was also appointed as Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts during his last term in office. Furthermore, he was Vice President of the International Assembly of French-Speaking Parliamentarians (AIPLF), Ontario Branch.

Mr. Grandmaître served as Mister of Municipal Affairs from June 1985 to September 1987, and Minister of Revenue from September 1987 to August 1989. He was also Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs and a member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Policy and Northern Development from June 1985 to August 1989. In addition, Mr. Grandmaître was Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health from October 1989 to September 1990, and a member of the Standing Committees on Social Development and Government Agencies. He also served as a member of the Standing Committee on General Government.

Elected Alderman for the City of Vanier in 1969, he served on City Council for five years and as Mayor of Vanier and Regional Councillor and Member of the Executive Committee for eight years. In 1970 Mr. Grandmaître was the recipient of the Ontario Young Men's Award as one of Ontario's outstanding young persons.

Bernard is a former President of the Vanier Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a life member of l'Institut canadien français, le Centre francophone de Vanier, le Club Richelieu de Vanier, Knights of Columbus, and the Canadian Legion. He is also Founder and Chairman of the Vanier arena which was renamed Bernard Grandmaître Arena in his honour in 1985.

In 1991, he received the Chantelerc Award for his contribution to the Franco-Ontarian community. In 1995, he was awarded I'Odre de la Pléiade, a medal to acknowledge those who have distinguished themselves in the service of the ideals of cooperation and friendship, characteristic of the francophone world community. In 2000, Mr. Grandmaître received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the Laurentian University of Sudbury. In 2006 he became the honorary president of Les Monuments de la Francophonie d'Ottawa. In 2007 a French elementary school was named Bernard Grandmaître.

Prior to entering politics Bernard operated a successful business in Vanier. He is married to Mariette Daoust, they have two sons Marc and Denis and five grandchildren.