Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada)
Encyclopedia
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
. The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs does not head a full-fledged department, but rather the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat
within the Privy Council Office
.
Since the post's establishment, all Ministers of Intergovernmental Affairs except Pierre Pettigrew
have concurrently served as President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
.
The current Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
is Peter Penashue
.
The position is sometimes informally called "unity minister" in sources such as media accounts. This same informal appellation was used for the former position Minister of Constitutional Affairs
, which was held by Joe Clark
for its entire existence from 1991 to 1993. Prior to the creation of full ministers responsible for this file, prime ministers occasionally appointed Ministers of State for Federal-Provincial Relations: from 1977 to 1980; from 1986 to 1991.
Several provincial governments have also created Ministers of Intergovernmental Affairs responsible for relations with other provinces and the federal government. Some provinces have bestowed foreign affairs responsibilities upon these ministers, although it is constitutionally outside of their jurisdiction to do so.
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...
in the Canadian Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
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...
who is responsible for the federal government's relations with the governments of the provinces and territories of 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...
. The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs does not head a full-fledged department, but rather the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat
Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat (Canada)
The Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat in Canada is part of the Privy Council Office. Directed by a deputy minister, it supports the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and, through the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, the Prime Minister of Canada and Cabinet, with...
within the Privy Council Office
Privy Council Office (Canada)
In Canada the Privy Council Office is the secretariat of the federal cabinet, providing officially non-partisan advice and support to the Prime Minister and leadership, coordination, and support to the departments and agencies of the government...
.
Since the post's establishment, all Ministers of Intergovernmental Affairs except Pierre Pettigrew
Pierre Pettigrew
Pierre Stewart Pettigrew, PC is a Canadian politician.Born in Quebec City, Pettigrew has a BA in Philosophy from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford University...
have concurrently served as 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...
.
The current Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the 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...
is 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...
.
The position is sometimes informally called "unity minister" in sources such as media accounts. This same informal appellation was used for the former position Minister of Constitutional Affairs
Minister 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...
, which was held by Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
for its entire existence from 1991 to 1993. Prior to the creation of full ministers responsible for this file, prime ministers occasionally appointed Ministers of State for Federal-Provincial Relations: from 1977 to 1980; from 1986 to 1991.
Several provincial governments have also created Ministers of Intergovernmental Affairs responsible for relations with other provinces and the federal government. Some provinces have bestowed foreign affairs responsibilities upon these ministers, although it is constitutionally outside of their jurisdiction to do so.
Ministers
Key:| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Marcel Massé Marcel Massé Marcel Massé, PC, OC, QC is a former Canadian politician and civil servant.He served as Clerk of the Privy Council in 1979 during the government of Prime Minister Joe Clark... |
November 14, 1993 | January 24, 1996 | Liberal Liberal Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative... |
26 (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.... ) |
| 2 | Stéphane Dion Stéphane Dion Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008... |
January 25, 1996 | December 11, 2003 | Liberal | ||
| 3 |  |
Pierre Pettigrew Pierre Pettigrew Pierre Stewart Pettigrew, PC is a Canadian politician.Born in Quebec City, Pettigrew has a BA in Philosophy from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and an M.Phil in International Relations from Oxford University... |
December 12, 2003 | July 19, 2004 | Liberal | 27 (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.... ) |
| 4 | |
Lucienne Robillard Lucienne Robillard Lucienne Robillard, PC is a Canadian politician and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. She sat in the Canadian House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Westmount—Ville-Marie in Montreal.... |
July 20, 2004 | February 5, 2006 | Liberal | |
| 5 | |
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... |
February 6, 2006 | November 27, 2006 | Conservative Conservative 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... |
28 (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... ) |
| 6 | 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... |
November 27, 2006 | January 3, 2007 | Conservative | ||
| 7 | 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... |
January 4, 2007 | October 30, 2008 | Conservative | ||
| 8 | |
Josée Verner Josée Verner Josée Verner, PC, is a Canadian politician. She represented the electoral district of Louis-Saint-Laurent in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2011 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada... |
October 30, 2008 | May 18, 2011 | Conservative | |
| 9 | |
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... |
May 18, 2011 | present | Conservative |