Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

's Secretary of State for External Affairs was, from 1909 to 1993, the member of the Cabinet of Canada

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...

 responsible for overseeing the federal government's international relations

International relations

International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...

 and the former Department of External Affairs. The first two Secretaries of State for External Affairs from 1909 until 1912 (Charles Murphy

Charles Murphy (Canadian politician)

Charles Murphy, PC was a Canadian politician and Liberal MP for Russell in the Canadian House of Commons from 1908 to 1925. He was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 1925....

 under Sir Wilfrid Laurier

Wilfrid Laurier

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....

 and William James Roche

William James Roche

William James Roche, PC was a Canadian politician and Conservative Member of Parliament for the Manitoba riding of Marquette in the Canadian House of Commons from 1896 to 1917....

 under Sir Robert Borden

Robert Borden

Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...

) concurrently served as Secretary of State for Canada

Secretary of State for Canada

The position of Secretary of State for Canada was a Canadian Cabinet position with a corresponding department. It was established in 1867 as the official channel of communication between the Dominion of Canada and the Imperial government in London...

. The two portfolios were permanently separated in 1912. The position was then held concurrently by the 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...

 until 1946.

Noted Secretaries of State for External Affairs have included Louis St. Laurent

Louis St. Laurent

Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....

, Lester B. Pearson

Lester B. Pearson

Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...

, Howard Charles Green

Howard Charles Green

Howard Charles Green, PC was a Canadian politician and parliamentarian.He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1935 federal election as a Conservative from Vancouver, British Columbia and served as an Member of Parliament for twenty eight years...

, Paul Joseph James Martin

Paul Joseph James Martin

Joseph James Guillaume Paul Martin, PC, CC, QC , often referred to as Paul Martin, Sr, was a noted Canadian politician. He was the father of Paul Martin , who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 - 2006.-Early life:Martin was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Lumina and Joseph...

, Allan MacEachen

Allan MacEachen

Allan Joseph MacEachen, PC, OC is a retired Canadian politician, a many-time Cabinet minister, a retired Senator, one of Canada's elder statesmen, and was the first Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, serving from 1977 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984.-Early life:Born in Inverness on Nova Scotia's Cape...

, Mitchell Sharp

Mitchell Sharp

Mitchell William Sharp, PC, CC was a Canadian politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada, was most noted for his service as a Liberal Cabinet minister. He had, however, served in both private and public sectors during his long career.-Background:Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...

, and Joe Clark

Joe Clark

Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...

.

The position was replaced by the 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....

 in 1993.

The position is referenced in the passport note (Page 1) of the Canadian Passport

Canadian passport

A Canadian passport is a passport issued to citizens of Canada for the purpose of international travel; allowing the bearer to travel in foreign countries in accordance with visa requirements; facilitating the process of securing assistance from Canadian consular officials abroad, if necessary; and...

 beyond 2000 with current passports corrected with the title of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Secretaries of State for External Affairs

Key:

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Ministry
1		Charles Murphy Charles Murphy (Canadian politician) Charles Murphy, PC was a Canadian politician and Liberal MP for Russell in the Canadian House of Commons from 1908 to 1925. He was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 1925....	May 19, 1909	October 6, 1911	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...	8 8th Canadian Ministry The Eighth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier. It governed Canada from 11 July 1896 to 5 October 1911, including all of the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th Canadian Parliaments...  (Laurier Wilfrid Laurier Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911.... )
2		William James Roche William James Roche William James Roche, PC was a Canadian politician and Conservative Member of Parliament for the Manitoba riding of Marquette in the Canadian House of Commons from 1896 to 1917....	October 10, 1911	April 1, 1912	Conservative (historical)	9 9th Canadian Ministry The Ninth Canadian Ministry was the first cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden. It governed Canada from 10 October 1911 to 12 October 1917, including only the 12th Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the old Conservative Party of Canada...  (Borden Robert Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office... )
3		Robert Borden Robert Borden Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...	April 1, 1912	October 11, 1917	Conservative (historical)
			October 12, 1917	July 9, 1920	Unionist Unionist Party (Canada) The Unionist Party was formed in 1917 by Members of Parliament in Canada who supported the "Union government" formed by Sir Robert Borden during the First World War....	10 10th Canadian Ministry The Tenth Canadian Ministry was the second cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden. It governed Canada from 12 October 1917 to 10 July 1920, including most of the 13th Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the Unionists, a war-time coalition between the old Conservative...  (Borden)
4		Arthur Meighen Arthur Meighen Arthur Meighen, PC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served two terms as the ninth Prime Minister of Canada: from July 10, 1920 to December 29, 1921; and from June 29 to September 25, 1926. He was the first Prime Minister born after Confederation, and the only one to represent a riding... (1st time)	July 10, 1920	December 29, 1921	N. L. C. National Liberal and Conservative Party The National Liberal and Conservative Party was the name adopted by the Conservative Party of Canada in 1920 after the end of the Unionist government of Robert Borden....	11 11th Canadian Ministry The Eleventh Canadian Ministry was the first cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Arthur Meighen. It governed Canada from 10 July 1920 to 29 December 1921, including only the last year of the 13th Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the National Liberal and Conservative Party...  (Meighen)
5		William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948... (1st time)	December 29, 1921	June 28, 1926	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...	12 12th Canadian Ministry The Twelfth Canadian Ministry was the first cabinet chaired by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. It governed Canada from 29 December 1921 to 28 June 1926, including the 14th Canadian Parliament and most of the 15th. The government was formed by the Liberal Party of Canada...  (King)
(4)		Arthur Meighen Arthur Meighen Arthur Meighen, PC, QC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served two terms as the ninth Prime Minister of Canada: from July 10, 1920 to December 29, 1921; and from June 29 to September 25, 1926. He was the first Prime Minister born after Confederation, and the only one to represent a riding... (2nd time)	June 29, 1926	September 25, 1926	Conservative (historical)	13 13th Canadian Ministry The Thirteenth Canadian Ministry was the second cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Arthur Meighen. It governed Canada from 29 June 1926 to 25 September 1926, including only the last three months of the 15th Canadian Parliament, all cabinet ministers were acting cabinet ministers as Meighen had...  (Meighen)
(5)		William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948... (2nd time)	September 25, 1926	August 7, 1930	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...	14 14th Canadian Ministry The Fourteenth Canadian Ministry was the second cabinet chaired by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. It governed Canada from 25 September 1926 to 7 August 1930, including only the 16th Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the Liberal Party of Canada...  (King)
6		Richard Bedford Bennett R. B. Bennett Richard Bedford Bennett, 1st Viscount Bennett, PC, KC was a Canadian lawyer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He served as the 11th Prime Minister of Canada from August 7, 1930, to October 23, 1935, during the worst of the Great Depression years...	August 7, 1930	October 23, 1935	Conservative (historical)	15 15th Canadian Ministry The Fifteenth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister R. B. Bennett. It governed Canada from 7 August 1930 to 23 October 1935, including only the 17th Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the old Conservative Party of Canada....  (Bennett)
(5)		William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948... (3rd time)	October 23, 1935	September 3, 1946	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...	16 16th Canadian Ministry The Sixteenth Canadian Ministry was the third cabinet chaired by Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. It governed Canada from 23 October 1935 to 15 November 1948, including all of the 18th and 19th Canadian Parliaments, as well as the beginning of the 20th. The government was formed by the...  (King William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948... )
7		Louis St. Laurent Louis St. Laurent Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....	September 4, 1946	September 9, 1948	Liberal
8		Lester B. Pearson Lester B. Pearson Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...	September 10, 1948	November 15, 1948	Liberal
			November 15, 1948	June 20, 1957		17 17th Canadian Ministry The Seventeenth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent. It governed Canada from 15 November 1948 to 21 June 1957, including the end of the 20th Canadian Parliament, as well as all of the 21st and 22nd...  (St. Laurent Louis St. Laurent Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957.... )
9		John Diefenbaker John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...	June 21, 1957	September 12, 1957	Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Canada The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....	18 18th Canadian Ministry The Eighteenth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker. It governed Canada from 21 June 1957 to 22 April 1963, including all of the 23rd, 24th, and 25th Canadian Parliaments...  (Diefenbaker John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963... )
10		Sidney Earle Smith	September 13, 1957	March 17, 1959	Progressive Conservative
–		John Diefenbaker John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963... (2nd time; Acting)	March 19, 1959	June 3, 1959	Progressive Conservative
11		Howard Green	June 4, 1959	April 21, 1963	Progressive Conservative
12		Paul Joseph James Martin Paul Joseph James Martin Joseph James Guillaume Paul Martin, PC, CC, QC , often referred to as Paul Martin, Sr, was a noted Canadian politician. He was the father of Paul Martin , who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 - 2006.-Early life:Martin was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of Lumina and Joseph...	April 22, 1963	April 20, 1968	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...	19 19th Canadian Ministry The Nineteenth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. It governed Canada from 22 April 1963 to 20 April 1968, including all of the 26th, and 27th Canadian Parliaments...  (Pearson Lester B. Pearson Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis... )
13		Mitchell Sharp Mitchell Sharp Mitchell William Sharp, PC, CC was a Canadian politician and a Companion of the Order of Canada, was most noted for his service as a Liberal Cabinet minister. He had, however, served in both private and public sectors during his long career.-Background:Sharp was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...	April 20, 1968	August 7, 1974	Liberal	20 20th Canadian Ministry The Twentieth Canadian Ministry was the first cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. It governed Canada from 20 April 1968 to 4 June 1979, including all of the 28th, 29th, and 30th Canadian Parliaments. The government was formed by the Liberal Party of Canada...  (Trudeau Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,... )
14		Allan MacEachen Allan MacEachen Allan Joseph MacEachen, PC, OC is a retired Canadian politician, a many-time Cabinet minister, a retired Senator, one of Canada's elder statesmen, and was the first Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, serving from 1977 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984.-Early life:Born in Inverness on Nova Scotia's Cape... (1st time)	August 8, 1974	September 13, 1976	Liberal
15		Don Jamieson Don Jamieson Donald Campbell Jamieson, PC was a Canadian politician, diplomat and broadcaster.Jamieson was born in St. John's Newfoundland...	September 14, 1976	June 3, 1979	Liberal
16		Flora MacDonald	June 4, 1979	March 2, 1980	Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Canada The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....	21 21st Canadian Ministry The Twenty-First Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Joe Clark. It governed Canada from 4 June 1979 to 3 March 1980, including all of the 31st Canadian Parliament...  (Clark Joe Clark Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician... )
17		Mark MacGuigan Mark MacGuigan Mark Rudolph MacGuigan, PC was a Canadian academic and politician.Born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the son of Mark Rudolph MacGuigan and Agnes Violet Trainor, he was educated at Saint Dunstan's University, the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School and Columbia University...	March 3, 1980	September 9, 1982	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...	22 22nd Canadian Ministry The Twenty-Second Canadian Ministry was the second cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. It governed Canada from 3 March 1980 to 30 June 1984, including most of the 32nd Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the Liberal Party of Canada...  (Trudeau Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,... )
(14)		Allan MacEachen Allan MacEachen Allan Joseph MacEachen, PC, OC is a retired Canadian politician, a many-time Cabinet minister, a retired Senator, one of Canada's elder statesmen, and was the first Deputy Prime Minister of Canada, serving from 1977 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984.-Early life:Born in Inverness on Nova Scotia's Cape... (2nd time)	September 10, 1982	June 29, 1984	Liberal
18		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....	June 30, 1984	September 16, 1984	Liberal	23 23rd Canadian Ministry The Twenty-Third Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister John Turner. It governed Canada from 30 June 1984 to 17 September 1984, including only the last nine days of the 32nd Canadian Parliament. The government was formed by the Liberal Party of Canada....  (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.... )
19		Joe Clark Joe Clark Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...	September 17, 1984	April 20, 1991	Progressive Conservative Progressive Conservative Party of Canada The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....	24 24th Canadian Ministry The Twenty-Fourth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. It governed Canada from 17 September 1984 to 25 June 1993, including the 33rd Canadian Parliament and most of the 34th...  (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... )
20		Barbara McDougall Barbara McDougall Barbara Jean McDougall, PC, OC, is a former Canadian politician. McDougall received a B.A. from the University of Toronto in political science and economics, in 1963.In 2000, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada....	April 21, 1991	June 24, 1993	Progressive Conservative
21		Perrin Beatty Perrin Beatty Henry Perrin Beatty, PC is a corporate executive and former Canadian politician.Perrin Beatty first won election to the Canadian House of Commons as a Progressive Conservative at the age of 22 in the 1972 election....	June 25, 1993	November 3, 1993	Progressive Conservative	25 25th Canadian Ministry The Twenty-Fifthth Canadian Ministry was the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Kim Campbell. It governed Canada from 25 June 1993 to 4 November 1993, including only the last two months of the 34th Canadian Parliament...  (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... )

External links

• Department of Foreign Affairs: History: Introduction