Cabinet of Canada
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown
that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system
, forms the government of Canada
. Chaired by the prime minister
, the Cabinet
is a committee of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
and the senior echelon of the Ministry
, the membership of the Cabinet and Ministry often being co-terminal; there are currently five members of the latter who are not also members of the former. The terms cabinet and ministry are sometimes used interchangeably, though this is a subtle inaccuracy that can spark confusion.
For practical reasons, the Cabinet is informally referred to either in relation to the prime minister in charge of it or, more formally, the number of ministries since Confederation
. The cabinet is the Harper Cabinet, which is part of the 28th Ministry.
, formally referred to as Her Majesty's Government
, is defined by the constitution
as the Queen acting on the advice of her Privy Council
; what is technically known as the Queen-in-Council
, or sometimes the Governor-in-Council, referring to the governor general as the Queen's stand-in. However, the Privy Council—composed mostly of former members of parliament, chief justices of the Supreme Court, and other elder statesmen—rarely meets in full; as the stipulations of responsible government
require that those who directly advise
the monarch and governor general on how to exercise the Royal Prerogative
be accountable to the elected House of Commons
, the day-to-day operation of government is guided only by a sub-group of the Privy Council made up of individuals who hold seats in parliament. This body of ministers of the Crown
is the Cabinet, which has come to be the council in the phrase Queen-in-Council.
One of the main duties of the Crown is to appoint as prime minister
the individual most likely to maintain the confidence
of the House of Commons; this is usually the leader of the political party with a majority in that house, but when no party or coalition holds a majority (referred to as a minority parliament
), or similar scenario, the governor general's judgement about the most suitable candidate for prime minister must be brought into play. The prime minister thereafter heads the Cabinet. The Queen is informed by her viceroy of the acceptance of the resignation of a prime minister and the swearing-in of a new ministry, and she remains fully briefed through regular communications from her Canadian ministers and holds audience with them whenever possible.
once half-jokingly listed his occupation as cabinet maker—through a complex selection process; in addition to necessary personal qualifications of the potential ministers, there are also a number of conventions that must be followed. For instance, there is typically a minister from each province in Canada
, ministers from visible minority
groups, female ministers whenever possible, and, while the majority of those chosen to serve as ministers of the Crown are Members of Parliament
, a Cabinet will typically also include at least one senator, especially as a representative of a province or region where the governing party
won few or no ridings. Efforts are further made to indulge interest groups that support the incumbent government and the party's internal politics must be appeased, with Cabinet positions sometimes being a reward for loyal party members. It is not legally necessary for Cabinet members to have a position in parliament; however, if such a person is appointed, he or she will rapidly seek election as a Member of Parliament or will be summoned to the Senate.
As with other Westminster derived governments
, but unlike the United States Cabinet
, the size and structure of the Canadian Cabinet is relatively malleable, the slate of Cabinet positions tending to be substantially restructured periodically, the last major period of realignment occurring between 1993 and 1996. Throughout the 20th century, Cabinets had been expanding in size until the Cabinet chaired by Brian Mulroney
, with a population of 40 ministers. Mulroney's successor, Kim Campbell
, reduced this number, and Jean Chrétien
eliminated approximately 10 members of the ministry from the Cabinet, so that by 1994 there were a total of 23 persons in Cabinet. Under the chairmanship of Paul Martin
, the number increased again to 39, in the vicinity of which it has remained; the Cabinet proper comprises 38 ministers.
Cabinet itself—or full Cabinet—is further divided into committees. The Treasury Board
, overseeing the expenditure of the sovereign's state funds within every department, is one of the most important of these, as is the Priorities and Planning Committee
, often referred to as the inner Cabinet, which is the body that sets the strategic directions for the government, approves key appointments, and ratifies committee memberships. Other Cabinet committees include Operations, Social Affairs, Economic Growth, and Long-Term Prosperity, Foreign Affairs, and Security, and Environment and Energy Security. Each committee is chaired by a senior minister whose own portfolio normally intersects with the mandate of the committee.
Each minister of the Crown is responsible for the general administration of at least one government portfolio, and heads a corresponding ministry or ministries
, known in Canada as departments or agencies
. The most important minister, following the premier, is the Minister of finance
, while other high profile ministries include foreign affairs
, industry
, justice
, and health
. The official order of precedence
does not follow the same pattern, however, with ministers being listed in the order of their appointment to the Privy Council or, if appointed to the Privy Council on the same day, in order of election or appointment to parliament.
Unique positions in Cabinet are those such as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
and President of the Queen's Privy Council
, who have no corresponding department, and some ministers (such as the Minister for International Cooperation) head agencies under the umbrella of a department run by another minister. Further, the prime minister may recommend the governor general appoint to Cabinet some ministers without portfolio
, though this has not been done since 1978, and, unlike in many other Westminster model governments, ministers of state
in Canada are considered full members of Cabinet, rather than of the ministry outside it, which has the effect of making the Canadian Cabinet much larger than its foreign counterparts. These individuals are assigned specific, but temporary, responsibilities on a more ad hoc
basis, fulfilling tasks created and dissolved to suit short-term government priorities from within a department under a full minister of the Crown. Ministers of state may also be named but not specified any particular responsibilities, thus giving them the effective appearance of ministers without portfolio, or be delegated problems or initiatives that cut across departmental boundaries, a situation usually described as having the [situation] file.
Members of the Cabinet receive assistance from both parliamentary secretaries
—who will usually answer, on behalf of a minister, questions in the House of Commons—and deputy ministers
—senior civil servants
assigned to each ministry in order to tender non-partisan advice.
and responsible government
, the ministerial advice tendered is typically binding, though it is important to note that, despite appearances of the contrary, the Royal Prerogative belongs to the Crown, not to any of the ministers, and the royal and viceroyal figures may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis
situations. There are also a few duties which must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent by, the Queen.
As advisors to the sovereign, the Cabinet has significant power in the Canadian system and, as the governing party usually holds a majority of seats in the legislature, almost all bills proposed by the Cabinet are enacted. Combined with a comparatively small proportion of bills originating with individual Members of Parliament, this leads to Cabinet having almost total control over the legislative agenda of the House of Commons. Further, members of various executive agencies, heads of Crown corporations
, and other officials are appointed by the Crown-in-Council, though some of these may be made only by the Governor General-in-Council specifically. Public inquiries and Royal Commissions are also called through a Royal Warrant
issued by the Queen or Governor-in-Council. All Cabinet meetings are held behind closed doors and the minutes are kept confidential for thirty years, Cabinet members being forbidden from discussing what transpires. Decisions made must be unanimous, though this often occurs at the prime minister's direction, and once a decision has been reached, all Cabinet members must publicly support it. If any of these rules are violated, the offending minister is usually removed by the prime minister and, if the disagreement within the Cabinet is strong, a minister may resign, as did John Turner
in 1975, over the subject of wage and price controls, and Michael Chong
in 2006, over nationhood for "the Québécois".
creates a shadow cabinet
, with each member thereof observing and critiquing one or more actual Cabinet portfolios, and offering alternative policies. The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet
comprises members of the largest party not in government (currently the New Democratic Party
) appointed by the Leader of the Opposition
, and is regarded as a "government in waiting". Its members are often, but not always, appointed to a Cabinet post should their party be called to form a government.
There is also a Liberal Party Shadow Cabinet
and a Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet
, which perform similar roles for their respective parties.
won the federal election of 23 January 2006
, though the number of seats held in the 39th parliament
granted the 28th ministry only a minority government, which was sworn-in on 6 February, with Stephen Harper appointed as prime minister. The composition of the Cabinet was subsequently altered on four occasions—27 November 2006, 4 January 2007, 14 August 2007, and 25 June 2008—between then and the next federal election on 14 October 2008
, 19 January 2010, 6 August 2010, January 4, 2011, and May 18, 2011.
Ministers are listed according to the Canadian order of precedence
:
Notes
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, forms the government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. Chaired by the prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
, the Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
is a committee of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
and the senior echelon of the Ministry
Ministry (collective executive)
A ministry refers to a collective body of government ministers headed by a prime minister or premier. Although the term "cabinet" can in some circumstances be a synonym, a ministry can be a broader concept which might include office-holders that do not participate in cabinet meetings...
, the membership of the Cabinet and Ministry often being co-terminal; there are currently five members of the latter who are not also members of the former. The terms cabinet and ministry are sometimes used interchangeably, though this is a subtle inaccuracy that can spark confusion.
For practical reasons, the Cabinet is informally referred to either in relation to the prime minister in charge of it or, more formally, the number of ministries since Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
. The cabinet is the Harper Cabinet, which is part of the 28th Ministry.
Queen-in-Council
The government of CanadaGovernment of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, formally referred to as Her Majesty's Government
Her Majesty's Government (term)
The phrase Her Majesty's Government is a formal term referring to the governments of various jurisdictions within the Commonwealth realms...
, is defined by the constitution
Constitution of Canada
The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions and conventions. It outlines Canada's system of government, as well as the civil rights of all Canadian citizens and those in Canada...
as the Queen acting on the advice of her Privy Council
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
; what is technically known as the Queen-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, or sometimes the Governor-in-Council, referring to the governor general as the Queen's stand-in. However, the Privy Council—composed mostly of former members of parliament, chief justices of the Supreme Court, and other elder statesmen—rarely meets in full; as the stipulations of responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
require that those who directly advise
Advice (constitutional)
Advice, in constitutional law, is formal, usually binding, instruction given by one constitutional officer of state to another. Especially in parliamentary systems of government, Heads of state often act on the basis of advice issued by prime ministers or other government ministers...
the monarch and governor general on how to exercise the Royal Prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
be accountable to the elected House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, the day-to-day operation of government is guided only by a sub-group of the Privy Council made up of individuals who hold seats in parliament. This body of ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
is the Cabinet, which has come to be the council in the phrase Queen-in-Council.
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
the individual most likely to maintain the confidence
Confidence and supply
In a parliamentary democracy confidence and supply are required for a government to hold power. A confidence and supply agreement is an agreement that a minor party or independent member of parliament will support the government in motions of confidence and appropriation votes by voting in favour...
of the House of Commons; this is usually the leader of the political party with a majority in that house, but when no party or coalition holds a majority (referred to as a minority parliament
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
), or similar scenario, the governor general's judgement about the most suitable candidate for prime minister must be brought into play. The prime minister thereafter heads the Cabinet. The Queen is informed by her viceroy of the acceptance of the resignation of a prime minister and the swearing-in of a new ministry, and she remains fully briefed through regular communications from her Canadian ministers and holds audience with them whenever possible.
Selection and structure
The governor general appoints to the Cabinet persons chosen by the prime minister—John A. MacdonaldJohn A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...
once half-jokingly listed his occupation as cabinet maker—through a complex selection process; in addition to necessary personal qualifications of the potential ministers, there are also a number of conventions that must be followed. For instance, there is typically a minister from each province in Canada
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
, ministers from visible minority
Visible minority
A visible minority is a person who is visibly not one of the majority race in a given population.The term is used as a demographic category by Statistics Canada in connection with that country's Employment Equity policies. The qualifier "visible" is important in the Canadian context where...
groups, female ministers whenever possible, and, while the majority of those chosen to serve as ministers of the Crown are Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, a Cabinet will typically also include at least one senator, especially as a representative of a province or region where the governing party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
won few or no ridings. Efforts are further made to indulge interest groups that support the incumbent government and the party's internal politics must be appeased, with Cabinet positions sometimes being a reward for loyal party members. It is not legally necessary for Cabinet members to have a position in parliament; however, if such a person is appointed, he or she will rapidly seek election as a Member of Parliament or will be summoned to the Senate.
As with other Westminster derived governments
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
, but unlike the United States Cabinet
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
, the size and structure of the Canadian Cabinet is relatively malleable, the slate of Cabinet positions tending to be substantially restructured periodically, the last major period of realignment occurring between 1993 and 1996. Throughout the 20th century, Cabinets had been expanding in size until the Cabinet chaired by Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, with a population of 40 ministers. Mulroney's successor, Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell
Avril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer. She served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993...
, reduced this number, and Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
eliminated approximately 10 members of the ministry from the Cabinet, so that by 1994 there were a total of 23 persons in Cabinet. Under the chairmanship of Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, the number increased again to 39, in the vicinity of which it has remained; the Cabinet proper comprises 38 ministers.
Cabinet itself—or full Cabinet—is further divided into committees. The Treasury Board
Treasury Board
The Treasury Board is the Government of Canada's only statutory Cabinet committee and is responsible for the federal civil service much of the operation of the Canadian government. Among its specific duties are negotiating labour agreements with the public service unions and serving as Comptroller...
, overseeing the expenditure of the sovereign's state funds within every department, is one of the most important of these, as is the Priorities and Planning Committee
Priorities and Planning Committee
The Priorities and Planning Committee is a key organ of the Cabinet of Canada. Usually chaired by the Prime Minister of Canada, this committee sets and guides the agenda of the government and in some cases acts for the whole cabinet....
, often referred to as the inner Cabinet, which is the body that sets the strategic directions for the government, approves key appointments, and ratifies committee memberships. Other Cabinet committees include Operations, Social Affairs, Economic Growth, and Long-Term Prosperity, Foreign Affairs, and Security, and Environment and Energy Security. Each committee is chaired by a senior minister whose own portfolio normally intersects with the mandate of the committee.
Ministers, secretaries, and deputies
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
, known in Canada as departments or agencies
Structure of the Canadian federal government
The following list outlines the Structure of the Canadian federal government.Cabinet-level Departments, Agencies, Secretariats and Offices are denoted in bold with the corresponding Minister listed alongside.-Crown:* Monarchy of Canada...
. The most important minister, following the premier, is the Minister of finance
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
, while other high profile ministries include foreign affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada....
, industry
Minister of Industry (Canada)
The Minister of Industry is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's economic development and corporate affairs department, Industry Canada. The Minister of Industry is also the minister responsible for Statistics Canada...
, justice
Minister of Justice (Canada)
The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training...
, and health
Minister of Health (Canada)
The Minister of Health is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's health department and the enforcing the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada Health Act, the law governing Medicare...
. The official order of precedence
Canadian order of precedence
The Canadian order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the Government of Canada. It has no legal standing but is used to dictate ceremonial protocol....
does not follow the same pattern, however, with ministers being listed in the order of their appointment to the Privy Council or, if appointed to the Privy Council on the same day, in order of election or appointment to parliament.
Unique positions in Cabinet are those such as Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Canada)
The Leader of the government in the House of Commons , more commonly known as the Government House Leader, is the Cabinet minister responsible for planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Canadian House of Commons...
and President of the Queen's Privy Council
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
In the Canadian cabinet, the President of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada is nominally in charge of the Privy Council Office. The President of the Privy Council also has the largely ceremonial duty of presiding over meetings of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, a body which only convenes...
, who have no corresponding department, and some ministers (such as the Minister for International Cooperation) head agencies under the umbrella of a department run by another minister. Further, the prime minister may recommend the governor general appoint to Cabinet some ministers without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
, though this has not been done since 1978, and, unlike in many other Westminster model governments, ministers of state
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
in Canada are considered full members of Cabinet, rather than of the ministry outside it, which has the effect of making the Canadian Cabinet much larger than its foreign counterparts. These individuals are assigned specific, but temporary, responsibilities on a more ad hoc
Ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
basis, fulfilling tasks created and dissolved to suit short-term government priorities from within a department under a full minister of the Crown. Ministers of state may also be named but not specified any particular responsibilities, thus giving them the effective appearance of ministers without portfolio, or be delegated problems or initiatives that cut across departmental boundaries, a situation usually described as having the [situation] file.
Members of the Cabinet receive assistance from both parliamentary secretaries
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
—who will usually answer, on behalf of a minister, questions in the House of Commons—and deputy ministers
Deputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
—senior civil servants
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
assigned to each ministry in order to tender non-partisan advice.
Responsibilities
In the construct of constitutional monarchyConstitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
and responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
, the ministerial advice tendered is typically binding, though it is important to note that, despite appearances of the contrary, the Royal Prerogative belongs to the Crown, not to any of the ministers, and the royal and viceroyal figures may unilaterally use these powers in exceptional constitutional crisis
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
situations. There are also a few duties which must be specifically performed by, or bills that require assent by, the Queen.
As advisors to the sovereign, the Cabinet has significant power in the Canadian system and, as the governing party usually holds a majority of seats in the legislature, almost all bills proposed by the Cabinet are enacted. Combined with a comparatively small proportion of bills originating with individual Members of Parliament, this leads to Cabinet having almost total control over the legislative agenda of the House of Commons. Further, members of various executive agencies, heads of Crown corporations
Crown corporations of Canada
Canadian Crown corporations are enterprises owned by the federal government of Canada , one of Canada's provincial governments or one of the territorial governments. Crown corporations have a long standing presence in the country and have been instrumental in the formation of the state...
, and other officials are appointed by the Crown-in-Council, though some of these may be made only by the Governor General-in-Council specifically. Public inquiries and Royal Commissions are also called through a Royal Warrant
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
issued by the Queen or Governor-in-Council. All Cabinet meetings are held behind closed doors and the minutes are kept confidential for thirty years, Cabinet members being forbidden from discussing what transpires. Decisions made must be unanimous, though this often occurs at the prime minister's direction, and once a decision has been reached, all Cabinet members must publicly support it. If any of these rules are violated, the offending minister is usually removed by the prime minister and, if the disagreement within the Cabinet is strong, a minister may resign, as did John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
in 1975, over the subject of wage and price controls, and Michael Chong
Michael Chong
Michael David Chong, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He has represented the riding of Wellington—Halton Hills in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004. He served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper as Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Sport, as well as the...
in 2006, over nationhood for "the Québécois".
Shadow cabinets
Each party in Her Majesty's Loyal OppositionOfficial Opposition (Canada)
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons or a provincial legislative assembly that is not in government, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition...
creates a shadow cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
, with each member thereof observing and critiquing one or more actual Cabinet portfolios, and offering alternative policies. The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet
Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (Canada)
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 39th Canadian parliament is listed below. Members are drawn from the Liberal Party of Canada, and most are members of their parliamentary caucus...
comprises members of the largest party not in government (currently the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
) appointed by the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...
, and is regarded as a "government in waiting". Its members are often, but not always, appointed to a Cabinet post should their party be called to form a government.
There is also a Liberal Party Shadow Cabinet
Liberal Party Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada's Shadow Cabinet was announced on June 1, 2011.-See also:*Cabinet of Canada*Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of Canada...
and a Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet
Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Parliament of Canada
The Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 41st Canadian Parliament was announced on June 2, 2011 as follows:*Louis Plamondon: Interim Parliamentary Leader and Critic for the Prime Minister of Canada , Canadian Heritage , Democratic Reform , Finance , Veterans Affairs *André Bellavance: Critic for...
, which perform similar roles for their respective parties.
Current Cabinet
The Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
won the federal election of 23 January 2006
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
, though the number of seats held in the 39th parliament
39th Canadian Parliament
The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3, 2006 until September 7, 2008. The membership was set by the 2006 federal election on January 23, 2006, and it has changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections...
granted the 28th ministry only a minority government, which was sworn-in on 6 February, with Stephen Harper appointed as prime minister. The composition of the Cabinet was subsequently altered on four occasions—27 November 2006, 4 January 2007, 14 August 2007, and 25 June 2008—between then and the next federal election on 14 October 2008
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
, 19 January 2010, 6 August 2010, January 4, 2011, and May 18, 2011.
Ministers are listed according to the Canadian order of precedence
Canadian order of precedence
The Canadian order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the Government of Canada. It has no legal standing but is used to dictate ceremonial protocol....
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| Ministry | | Date of creation | | Incumbent |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister of Canada Prime Minister of Canada The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution... (list) |
1 July 1867 | Stephen Harper Stephen Harper Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election... |
| Minister of Justice Minister of Justice (Canada) The Minister of Justice is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Department of Justice and is also Attorney General of Canada .This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone with formal legal training... and Attorney General (list) |
1 July 1867 | Rob Nicholson Rob Nicholson Robert Douglas "Rob" Nicholson, PC, QC, MP , is the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. He is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Niagara Falls for the Conservative Party and the current Minister of Justice after serving for one year as... |
| Leader of the Government in the Senate Leader of the Government in the Senate (Canada) The Leader of the Government in the Senate is a Canadian cabinet minister who leads the government side in the Canadian Senate and is chiefly responsible for promoting and defending the government's program in the Upper House. The government leader's counterpart on the Opposition benches is the... (list) |
1 April 1969 | Marjory LeBreton Marjory LeBreton Marjory LeBreton, PC is Leader of the Government in the Canadian Senate, a position of cabinet-rank; and vice-chair of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Canada... |
| Minister of National Defence Minister of National Defence (Canada) The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces.... (list) |
1 January 1923 | Peter MacKay Peter MacKay Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada.... |
| Minister of Public Safety (list) | 12 December 2003 | Vic Toews Vic Toews Victor "Vic" Toews, PC QC MP is a Canadian politician. He has represented Provencher in the Canadian House of Commons since 2000, and currently serves in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper as Minister of Public Safety. He previously served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from... |
| Minister of Public Works and Government Services Minister of Public Works and Government Services (Canada) The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's "common service organization" , an expansive department responsible for the internal servicing and administration of the federal... (list) Minister of State (Status of Women) Minister responsible for the Status of Women (Canada) The position of Minister responsible for the Status of Women in the Canadian cabinet was created in 1971 as a product of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women . Most provincial cabinets have a similar position... (list Minister responsible for the Status of Women (Canada) The position of Minister responsible for the Status of Women in the Canadian cabinet was created in 1971 as a product of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women . Most provincial cabinets have a similar position... ) |
12 July 1996 11 June 1971 28 June 1988 |
Rona Ambrose Rona Ambrose Ronalee "Rona" Ambrose, PC, MP is the Minister of Public Works and Government Services for Canada, Vice-Chair of the Treasury Board Cabinet committee, Minister of State for Status of Women Canada and Minister of Western Economic Diversification.In the previous Parliament, she was Canada's Minister... |
| Minister of Human Resources and Social Development (list) | 12 December 2003 | Diane Finley Diane Finley Diane Finley, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. She serves as Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Of the 12 MPs in the Priorities and Planning Committee of cabinet , known as the inner cabinet, she is the only woman... |
| Minister for International Cooperation Minister for International Cooperation (Canada) The Minister for International Cooperation is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing Canadian international development strategy, including responsibility for the Canadian International Development Agency . The current Minister is Bev Oda.-Ministers:Key:... (list) |
25 January 1996 | Bev Oda Bev Oda The Hon. Beverley Joan "Bev" Oda, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. She is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, as well as the first Japanese-Canadian MP and cabinet minister in Canadian history. She represents the riding of Durham for the Conservative Party of Canada. She was... |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada) The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations section of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.... (list) |
4 November 1993 | John Baird John Baird (Canadian politician) John Russell Baird, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.... |
| President of the Treasury Board President of the Treasury Board (Canada) The position of President of the Treasury Board was created as a ministerial position in the Canadian Cabinet in 1966 when the Treasury Board became a full-fledged department. From 1867 to 1966 the Treasury Board had been part of the Department of Finance.... (list) and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative The Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative is an integrated set of investment and policy measures of the Canadian federal government that are focused on trade with the Asia-Pacific Region.-The Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor:... |
1 October 1966 | Tony Clement Tony Clement Tony Peter Clement, PC, MP is a Canadian federal politician, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Federal Economic Initiative for Northern Ontario and member of the Conservative Party of Canada.... |
| Minister of Finance Minister of Finance (Canada) The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget... (list) |
1 July 1867 | Jim Flaherty Jim Flaherty James Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, MP is Canada's Minister of Finance and he has also served as Ontario's Minister of Finance. From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus... |
| Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Canada) The Leader of the government in the House of Commons , more commonly known as the Government House Leader, is the Cabinet minister responsible for planning and managing the government's legislative program in the Canadian House of Commons... (list) |
14 October 1944 | Peter Van Loan Peter Van Loan Peter Van Loan, PC MP is a Canadian politician who is the Member of Parliament for the electoral district of York—Simcoe. He has been the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons since May 18, 2011, a role he previously held from 2007 to 2008.-Biography:Born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Van... |
| Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada) The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government department responsible for immigration, refugee and citizenship issues, Citizenship and Immigration Canada... (list) |
30 June 1994 | Jason Kenney Jason Kenney Jason T. Kenney, PC, MP is Canada's current Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He has represented the riding of Calgary Southeast in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.... |
| Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister of Agriculture (Canada) The Minister of Agriculture is a Minister of the Crown in the Cabinet of Canada, who is responsible for overseeing several organizations including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Dairy Commission, Farm Credit Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, National Farm Products Council and... (list) and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board The Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board is the member of the Canadian Cabinet who has the responsibility of supervising and setting policy for the Canadian Wheat Board and appointing the government representatives who sit on the body.... |
1 July 1867 | Gerry Ritz Gerry Ritz Gerry Ritz, PC, MP is Canada's Agriculture minister and a Canadian Member of Parliament for Battlefords—Lloydminster, a largely rural riding in Saskatchewan... |
| Minister of Industry Minister of Industry (Canada) The Minister of Industry is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's economic development and corporate affairs department, Industry Canada. The Minister of Industry is also the minister responsible for Statistics Canada... (list) |
29 March 1995 | Christian Paradis Christian Paradis Christian Paradis, PC, MP is a Conservative Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for Mégantic—L'Érable... |
| Minister of Canadian Heritage Minister of Canadian Heritage The Minister of Canadian Heritage is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who heads the Department of Canadian Heritage, the federal government department responsible for Canada's Arts, Culture, Media, Communications network, and Sport.... (list) and Minister of Official Languages |
12 July 1996 | James Moore James Moore (Canadian politician) James Moore, PC, MP is the Canadian Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada... |
| Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Minister of Transport (Canada) The Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada... (list) and Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec) Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec The Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec is the member of the Cabinet of Canada who also serves as the chief executive of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.... (list Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec The Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec is the member of the Cabinet of Canada who also serves as the chief executive of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.... ) |
2 November 1936 | Denis Lebel Denis Lebel Denis Lebel, PC, MP is a Canadian federal politician and former mayor of Roberval, Quebec.Lebel was elected to the Canadian House of Commons on September 17, 2007, in the Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean by-election, 2007... |
| Minister of Health Minister of Health (Canada) The Minister of Health is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's health department and the enforcing the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada Health Act, the law governing Medicare... (list) |
12 July 1996 | Leona Aglukkaq Leona Aglukkaq Leona Aglukkaq, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative in the 2008 Canadian federal election for the riding of Nunavut.... |
| Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada) The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for supervising the fishing industry and administrating all navigable waterways in the country... (list) Minister for the Atlantic Gateway Atlantic Gateway The Atlantic Gateway is a proposed transport project in Canada. It aims to take an integrated approach in developing transport infrastructure within Atlantic Canada to enhance Canada's ability to capture a larger share of growing trade flows between North America and Asia.The federal minister... |
2 April 1979 | Keith Ashfield Keith Ashfield Keith Ashfield, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the MP for the electoral district of Fredericton, and was appointed Minister of State in the Cabinet of Canada afterwards... |
| Minister of the Environment Minister of the Environment (Canada) The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada... (list) |
11 June 1971 | Peter Kent Peter Kent Peter Kent, PC, MP is a Conservative member of parliament for the riding of Thornhill, and the current Minister of the Environment in the 28th Canadian Ministry.Previously, he was Deputy Editor of Global Television, a Canadian TV network... |
| Minister of Labour Minister of Labour (Canada) The Minister of Labour is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for setting national labour standards and federal labour dispute mechanisms... (list) |
2 June 1909 | Lisa Raitt Lisa Raitt Lisa Raitt, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who is the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the riding of Halton. She is the current Minister of Labour in the Cabinet of Canada.-Background:... |
| Minister of National Revenue Minister of National Revenue (Canada) The Minister of National Revenue is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency and the administration of taxation law and collection.... (list) |
21 March 1927 | Gail Shea Gail Shea Gail Shea, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, currently the Member of Parliament for Egmont. She was previously a member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 2000 to 2007, representing the electoral district of Tignish-DeBlois as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.As... |
| Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, (list) Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians The position of Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians was created in 1985 as a portfolio in the Canadian Cabinet. As the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development is officially responsible only for Status Indians and largely with those living on Indian reserves, the new... and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency was announced in Iqaluit on August 18, 2009 by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.... . |
18 May 2011 | John Duncan John Duncan (Canadian politician) John Morris Duncan, PC, MP, is a Canadian politician sitting as a member of the Canadian Parliament from 1993 to January 2006 and again from October 2008... |
| Minister of Veterans Affairs Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada) The Minister of Veterans Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions... (list) |
18 October 1944 | Steven Blaney Steven Blaney Steven Blaney is a Canadian Conservative politician from Quebec. , he is Minister of Veterans Affairs.... |
| Minister of International Trade Minister of International Trade (Canada) The Minister of International Trade is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet is the head of the federal government's international trade department and the provisions of treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement .The post was first established in 1983 as the Minister... (list) |
8 December 1983 | Ed Fast Ed Fast Edward D. "Ed" Fast, is a Canadian politician, currently the Member of Parliament for Abbotsford, and serving as the Minister for International Trade and as Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.-Biography:... |
| Minister of Natural Resources Minister of Natural Resources (Canada) The Minister of Natural Resources is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for Natural Resources Canada. As of January 19, 2010, the Minister of Natural Resources is Joe Oliver.-Ministers:Key:... (list) |
12 January 1995 | Joe Oliver Joe Oliver (politician) Joseph "Joe" Oliver, , PC is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Eglinton—Lawrence as a member of the Conservative Party.... |
| President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada In the Canadian cabinet, the President of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada is nominally in charge of the Privy Council Office. The President of the Privy Council also has the largely ceremonial duty of presiding over meetings of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, a body which only convenes... (list), Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada) The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the federal government's relations with the governments of the provinces and territories of Canada... (list) |
1 July 1867 |
Peter Penashue Peter Penashue Peter Penashue, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada currently serving as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada... |
| Associate Minister of National Defence Associate Minister of National Defence (Canada) The Associate Minister of National Defence is a member of the Canadian cabinet responsible for various files within the defence department as assigned by the Prime Minister or Defence Minister.... (list) |
12 July 1940 | Julian Fantino Julian Fantino Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a November 29, 2010 by-election... |
| Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) Minister for the purposes of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Act The Minister for the purposes of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Act, more commonly the Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency or Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency , is the member of the Cabinet of Canada who also serves as the chief executive of the... (list) (La Francophonie) |
Bernard Valcourt Bernard Valcourt Bernard Valcourt, PC is a Canadian politician and lawyer.-Entrance to politics:Valcourt was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1984 election that brought Brian Mulroney to power. He was appointed to the Canadian Cabinet in 1986 as a... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... and Chief Government Whip Chief Government Whip (Canada) In Canada the Party Whip is the member of a political party in the Canadian House of Commons, the Canadian Senate or a provincial legislature charged with ensuring party discipline among members of the caucus... |
Gordon O'Connor Gordon O'Connor Gordon James O'Connor, is a retired Brigadier-General, businessman, lobbyist, and current Canadian Member of Parliament and the Minister of State and Chief Government Whip.... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Small Business and Tourism) |
Maxime Bernier Maxime Bernier Maxime Bernier, PC, MP is a Canadian politician currently serving as the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs) |
Diane Ablonczy Diane Ablonczy Diane Ablonczy, PC, MP is a Canadian Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Calgary--Nose Hill in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. She is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and was appointed on January 4, 2011. She was previously... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Western Economic Diversification Minister of Western Economic Diversification (Canada) The Minister of Western Economic Diversification is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who also serves as the chief executive of Western Economic Diversification Canada... ) |
Lynne Yelich Lynne Yelich Lynne Yelich , PC, MP is a third-generation Croatian-Canadian politician and the MP for the riding of Blackstrap. The riding of Blackstrap includes Yelich's home town of Kenaston, Saskatchewan, identified as the largest Croatian farming settlement in Canada... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Transport) |
Steven Fletcher Steven Fletcher Steven John Fletcher, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He has served in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004, representing the riding of Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia as a member of the Conservative Party. He is the first quadriplegic to serve in the House of Commons, as well as in Cabinet... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario) |
Gary Goodyear Gary Goodyear Gary T. Goodyear, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, having been elected to represent the riding of Cambridge as a Conservative in 2004. On October 30, 2008 he was named Minister of State for Science & Technology within Prime Minister Stephen... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Finance) |
Ted Menzies Ted Menzies Ted Menzies, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. He currently represents the electoral district of Macleod in the Canadian House of Commons and serves as Minister of State for Finance.- In opposition :... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Democratic Reform Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal (Canada) The Minister for Democratic Reform or Minister of State is a Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet, associated with the Privy Council Office.The position was created by Prime Minister Paul Martin when he succeeded Jean... ) |
Tim Uppal Tim Uppal Tim Uppal, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a Member of Parliament for Edmonton—Sherwood Park in the 2008 federal election... |
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| Minister of State Minister of state (Canada) A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area.... (Seniors) |
Alice Wong Alice Wong Alice Siu-Ping Chan Wong, PC, MP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to represent the electoral district of Richmond. She is a member of the Conservative Party and formerly served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Multiculturalism... |
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| Minister of State (Sport) Minister of State (Sport) Minister of State is the person responsible for Sport Canada, who reports to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.List of Ministers:* Hon. Gary Lunn* Hon. Bal Gosal... |
Bal Gosal Bal Gosal Baljit Gosal, is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election... |
Notes
Former portfolios
- Secretary of State for the Provinces (1867–1873)
- Minister of Public Works (1867–1996)
- Postmaster General (1867–1981)
- Minister of Customs (1867–1918)
- Minister of Inland Revenue (1867–1918)
- Secretary of State for Canada (1867–1996)
- Minister of Marine and Fisheries (1867–1930)
- Superintendent-General Indian Affairs (1868–1936)
- Minister of the Interior (1873–1936)
- Solicitor General (1892–2003)
- Minister of MinesMinister of Mines (Canada)The position of Minister of Mines was a Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet responsible for the mining industry. The Department of Mines was created by the government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier by Statute 6-7 Edw,. VII, c. 29. and assented to on 27 April 1907...
(1907–1936) - Secretary of State for External Affairs (1909–1993)
- Minister of Immigration and Colonization (1917–1936)
- Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment (1918–1928)
- Minister of Customs and Inland RevenueMinister of Customs and Inland Revenue (Canada)The position of Minister of Customs and Inland Revenue was a Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet responsible for the collection of taxes and duties and created in 1918 by combining the former positions of Minister of Inland Revenue and Minister of Customs...
(1918–1921) - Minister of Customs and Excise (1921–1927)
- Minister of Pensions and National Health (1928–1944)
- Minister of Fisheries (1930–1971)
- Minister of Mines and Resources (1936–1950)
- Minister of Mines and Technical SurveysMinister of Mines and Technical SurveysThe Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys was a position in the Canadian Cabinet from 1950 to 1966.The former offices of Minister of Mines and Resources and Minister of Reconstruction and Supply were abolished by Statute 13 Geo. VI, c...
(1950–1966) - Minister of Resources and Development (1950–1953)
- Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (1950–1966)
- Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources (1953–1966)
- Minister of Manpower and Immigration (1966–1977)
- Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources (1966–1995)
- Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (1968–1995)
- Minister of Regional Economic Expansion (1969–1982)
- Minister of Economic Communications (1969–1996)
- Minister of Supply and Services (1969–1996)
- Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce (1969–1983)
- Minister of Employment and Immigration (1977–1996)
- Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion (1984–1990)
- Minister of Forestry (1990–1995)
- Minister of Industry, Science and Technology (1990–1995)
- Minister of Constitutional AffairsMinister of Constitutional Affairs (Canada)The Minister of Constitutional Affairs was the Canadian cabinet minister responsible for constitutional affairs. The position was created in 1991, following the failure of the Meech Lake Accord, and was abolished in 1993 following the failure of the Charlottetown Accord.Joe Clark was the only...
(1991–1993) - Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship (1991–1996)
- Minister of Human Resources Development (1996–2003)
- Deputy Prime Minister (1977–2006)