Minister of National Defence (Canada)

The Minister of National Defence is a Minister 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...

; the Canadian

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...

politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

within 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 the Department of National Defence

Department of National Defence (Canada)

The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...

which oversees the Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

.

The position was pre-dated by the Minister of Militia and Defence. During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the Minister of National Defence was assisted by two subordinate ministers, the Minister of National Defence for Air

Minister of National Defence for Air (Canada)

Minister of National Defence for Air was the minister responsible for the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. post created by the 1940 War Measures Act...

and Minister of National Defence for Naval Services

Minister of National Defence for Naval Services (Canada)

Minister of National Defence for Naval Services was the minister responsible for the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II. The post was merged into the current post of the Minister of National Defence...

. The portfolio was merged into a single ministry following the end of the war.

The current Minister of National Defence is The Honourable

The Honourable

The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...

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....

.

The highest ranking officer reporting to the Minister is the Chief of the Defence Staff

Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)

The Chief of the Defence Staff is the second most senior member of the Canadian Forces, and heads the Armed Forces Council, having primary responsibility for command, control, and administration of the forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements...

. Although the Governor General of Canada

Governor General of Canada

The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...

is the Commander-in-Chief

Commander-in-Chief

A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...

of the Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

, the ultimate responsibility resides with the Minister of National Defence.

The Minister of National Defence is also the designated Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR) within the federal government.

The Defence portfolio for the Minister of National Defence also includes:

Defence Research and Development Canada
Defence Research and Development Canada
Defence Research and Development Canada, also Defence R&D Canada or DRDC , is an agency of the Department of National Defence , whose purpose is to respond to the scientific and technological needs of the Canadian Forces...
Communications Security Establishment
Communications Security Establishment
The Communications Security Establishment Canada is the Canadian government's national cryptologic agency. Administered under the Department of National Defence , it is charged with the duty of keeping track of foreign signals intelligence , and protecting Canadian government electronic...
Canadian Forces Housing Agency
Canadian Forces Housing Agency
The Canadian Forces Housing Agency is a Special Operating Agency, established in October 1995, to operate and maintain 15,000 military family housing units across Canada for military members and their families located on wings and bases...
Judge Advocate General
Judge Advocate General (Canada)
The Office of the Judge Advocate General for the Canadian Forces provides legal advice to commanders at bases and wings, provides lawyers who defend accused persons at courts martial, teaches courses to other CF members or advises a commanding officer in an operational theatre to uphold the ethical...
Military Police Complaints Commission
Military Police Complaints Commission
Military Police Complaints Commission is a Canadian government independent, quasi-judicial agency which was established in December 1998 and is responsible for "handling of complaints concerning the Canadian Forces Military Police more transparent and accessible, and to ensure that both...
Canadian Forces Grievance Board
Office of the Chief Military Judge
Office of the National Defence and Canadian Forces Ombudsman
Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency
Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency
The Canadian Forces Personnel and Family Support Services , previously known as Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency , is responsible for administering non-public property on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff and delivering selected public morale and welfare...
Cadets Canada and Junior Canadian Rangers
National Search and Rescue Secretariat
National Search and Rescue Secretariat
The National Search and Rescue Secretariat is an independent agency of the Government of Canada.It was established in 1986 as one of the recommendations resulting from the Royal Commission of Enquiry into the Ocean Ranger disaster....

Ministers

Key:

No.	Name	Term of office		Political party	Ministry
1	George Perry Graham George Perry Graham George Perry Graham, PC was a journalist, editor and politician in Ontario, Canada.In the 1898 Ontario provincial election, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and re-elected in 1902 and 1905...	January 1, 1923	April 27, 1923	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 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... )
2	Edward Mortimer Macdonald Edward Mortimer Macdonald Edward Mortimer Macdonald, PC was a Canadian politician.Born in Pictou, Nova Scotia, the son of John D. and Mary Isabel Macdonald, Macdonald was educated at the Pictou Academy and Dalhousie College where he received a Bachelor of Law in 1887. He was admitted to the Nova Scotia bar in 1887 and the...	April 28, 1923 (Acting until Aug.17)	June 28, 1926	Liberal
3	Hugh Guthrie Hugh Guthrie Hugh Guthrie, PC, KC was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister in the governments of Sir Robert Borden, Arthur Meighen and R. B. Bennett....	June 29, 1926 (Acting until Jul.13)	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 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... )
–	VACANT	September 25, 1926	September 30, 1926	—	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 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... )
–	James Robb James Robb (politician) James Alexander Robb, PC was a Canadian Member of Parliament and cabinet minister. Robb was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.He served as Liberal Party Whip from 1919 to 1921.... (Acting)	October 1, 1926	October 7, 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...
4	James Ralston James Ralston James Layton Ralston, PC was a Canadian lawyer, soldier and politician.Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Ralston graduated from law school at Dalhousie University in 1903 and practised law in Amherst... (1st time)	October 8, 1926	August 7, 1930	Liberal
5	Donald Matheson Sutherland Donald Matheson Sutherland Donald Matheson Sutherland, PC was a Canadian physician and politician.Sutherland ran for public office in the 1917 federal election held as a result of the Conscription Crisis of 1917 as a Laurier Liberal, but was defeated in the riding of Oxford North.By 1921, he had changed allegiances to the...	August 7, 1930	November 16, 1934	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 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... )
6	Grote Stirling Grote Stirling Grote Stirling, PC was a Canadian politician.Born in Tunbridge Wells, England, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons representing the British Columbia riding of Yale in a 1924 by-election. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1925, 1926, 1930, 1935, and 1940...	November 17, 1934	October 23, 1935	Conservative (historical)
7	Ian Alistair Mackenzie Ian Alistair Mackenzie Ian Alistair Mackenzie, PC was a Canadian parliamentarian.Born in Assynt, Scotland, Mackenzie entered politics by winning a seat in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 1920 BC election...	October 24, 1935	September 18, 1939	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... )
8	Norman McLeod Rogers Norman McLeod Rogers Norman McLeod Rogers, PC was a Canadian lawyer and statesman. He served as the member of parliament for Kingston, Ontario, Canada and as a cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. He was also an early biographer of King.Rogers was born in Amherst, Nova...	September 19, 1939	June 10, 1940	Liberal
–	Charles Power Charles Gavan Power Charles Gavan "Chubby" Power, MC, PC was a Canadian politician and athlete. Power's father, William Power, was also a Member of Parliament from Quebec, retiring in 1917... (Acting)	June 11, 1940	July 4, 1940	Liberal
(4)	James Ralston James Ralston James Layton Ralston, PC was a Canadian lawyer, soldier and politician.Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Ralston graduated from law school at Dalhousie University in 1903 and practised law in Amherst... (2nd time)	July 5, 1940	November 1, 1944	Liberal
9	Andrew McNaughton Andrew McNaughton General Andrew George Latta McNaughton, CH, CB, CMG, DSO, CD, PC was a Canadian army officer, politician and diplomat.- Early life :...	November 2, 1944	August 20, 1945	Military
10	Douglas Abbott Douglas Abbott Douglas Charles Abbott, PC was a Canadian Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister. He was born in Lennoxville, Quebec. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, Abbott served as both Minister of National Defence and Minister of Finance...	August 21, 1945	December 9, 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...
11	Brooke Claxton Brooke Claxton Brooke Claxton, PC, DCM, KC was a Canadian veteran of World War I, federal Minister of National Health and Welfare and Minister of National Defence.-Early life:...	December 10, 1946	November 15, 1948	Liberal
11		November 15, 1948	June 30, 1954	Liberal	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.... )
12	Ralph Campney Ralph Campney Ralph Osborne Campney, was a Canadian politician.Born in Picton, Ontario, he first ran unsuccessfully for the Canadian House of Commons in the riding of Vancouver Centre in a 1948 by-election. A Liberal, he was elected in the 1949 federal election and in 1953. He was defeated in 1957...	July 1, 1954	June 20, 1957	Liberal
13	George Pearkes George Pearkes Major General George Randolph Pearkes, VC, PC, CC, CB, DSO, MC, CD was a Canadian politician; soldier; recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Imperial forces; and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of British...	June 21, 1957	October 10, 1960	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... )
14	Douglas Harkness Douglas Harkness Douglas Scott Harkness, PC, OC, GM, ED , was a Canadian politician, teacher, farmer and former Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Canadian Artillery....	October 11, 1960	February 3, 1963	Progressive Conservative
–	VACANT	February 4, 1963	February 11, 1963	—
15	Gordon Churchill Gordon Churchill Gordon Minto Churchill, PC, DSO was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1946 to 1949 as an independent representative, and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1951 to 1968 as a Progressive Conservative...	February 12, 1963	April 21, 1963	Progressive Conservative
16	Paul Hellyer Paul Hellyer Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career. He is the longest serving current member of the Privy Council, just ahead of Prince Philip.-Early life:...	April 22, 1963	September 18, 1967	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... )
17	Léo Cadieux Léo Cadieux Joseph Alphonse Léo Cadieux, PC, OC was a former Canadian politician.A newspaper journalist and publisher who was born in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Cadieux was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Quebec, Quebec in the 1962 election.In 1965, he was...	September 1967	April 19, 1968	Liberal
17		April 20, 1968	September 16, 1970	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,... )
–	Charles Drury Charles Drury Charles Mills "Bud" Drury, PC, OC, QC, CBE, DSO was a Canadian soldier, businessman, and politician.-Education:... (1st time; Acting)	September 17, 1970	September 23, 1970	Liberal
18	Donald Macdonald Donald Stovel Macdonald Donald Stovel Macdonald, PC, CC is a former Canadian Liberal politician and Cabinet minister.Macdonald graduated from the University of Trinity College in the University of Toronto in 1952. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1962 election as the Liberal Member of...	September 24, 1970	January 27, 1972	Liberal
19	Edgar Benson Edgar Benson Edgar John Benson, PC, FCA was a Canadian politician, businessman, diplomat, and university professor. He held three different Cabinet posts. He was married to an Ottawa lawyer, Mary Jane Binks....	January 28, 1972	August 31, 1972	Liberal
–	Jean-Eudes Dubé Jean-Eudes Dubé Jean-Eudes Dubé, PC is a former Canadian politician.Dubé first ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal in a 1961 by-election, but was defeated in the New Brunswick riding of Restigouche—Madawaska. He was elected from the same riding in the 1962 general election, and was... (Acting)	September 1, 1972	September 6, 1972	Liberal
–	Charles Drury Charles Drury Charles Mills "Bud" Drury, PC, OC, QC, CBE, DSO was a Canadian soldier, businessman, and politician.-Education:... (2nd time; Acting)	September 7, 1972	November 26, 1972	Liberal
20	James Richardson James Armstrong Richardson James Armstrong Richardson, PC was a Canadian Cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau, and a Winnipeg businessman....	November 27, 1972	October 12, 1976	Liberal
21	Barney Danson Barney Danson Barnett Jerome Danson, was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.Barney Danson was born to a Jewish family in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood...	October 13, 1976 (Acting until Nov.3)	June 3, 1979	Liberal
22	Allan McKinnon Allan McKinnon Allan Bruce McKinnon, PC, MC, CD, was a Canadian politician.Born in Canora, Saskatchewan, he served with the Royal Canadian Artillery and was officer with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. In 1945, he was awarded the Military Cross. After the war, he remained in the Canadian Army...	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... )
23	Gilles Lamontagne Gilles Lamontagne Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne, PC, OC, CQ, CD was a Canadian politician and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec....	March 3, 1980	August 11, 1983	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,... )
24	Jean–Jacques Blais	August 12, 1983	June 29, 1984	Liberal
24	Jean–Jacques Blais	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.... )
25	Robert Coates Robert Coates (politician) Robert Carman Coates, PC, QC is a former Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.Coates was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1957 election as the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Cumberland, Nova Scotia. Coates was a backbencher during the John Diefenbaker...	September 17, 1984	February 11, 1985	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... )
26	Erik Nielsen Erik Nielsen Erik Hersholt Nielsen, PC, DFC, QC was a Canadian politician, and longtime Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Yukon....	February 12, 1985 (Acting until Feb.26)	June 29, 1986	Progressive Conservative
27	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 30, 1986	January 29, 1989	Progressive Conservative
28	Bill McKnight Bill McKnight The Honourable William Hunter "Bill" McKnight, PC is a former Canadian politician who now serves as the Treaty Commissioner for the Province of Saskatchewan.-Biography:...	January 30, 1989	April 20, 1991	Progressive Conservative
29	Marcel Masse Marcel Masse Marcel Masse, is a Canadian politician. He served as a Quebec MLA, federal MP, federal cabinet minister. Despite being a federal Progressive Conservative, Masse was aligned with Quebec separatistism Marcel Masse, (born May 27, 1936) is a Canadian politician. He served as a Quebec MLA, federal...	April 21, 1991	January 3, 1993	Progressive Conservative
30	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...	January 4, 1993	June 24, 1993	Progressive Conservative
31	Tom Siddon Tom Siddon Thomas Edward "Tom" Siddon, PC is a Canadian politician.Born in Drumheller, Alberta Siddon pursued engineering, eventually earning a doctorate in aeroacoustics. He became a professor at the University of British Columbia and founded a successful aero-acoustics firm, Siddon-Harford & Associates...	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... )
32	David Collenette David Collenette David Michael Collenette, PC was a Canadian politician from 1974 to 2004, and a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. A graduate from York University's Glendon College in 1969, he subsequently received his MA from in 2004...	November 4, 1993	October 4, 1996	Liberal	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.... )
33	Doug Young	October 5, 1996	June 10, 1997	Liberal
34	Art Eggleton Art Eggleton Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...	June 11, 1997	June 25, 2002	Liberal
35	John McCallum John McCallum John McCallum, PC, MP is a Liberal Canadian politician, economist and university professor. Following the 2006 Federal Election, he became the Liberal Finance Critic in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet...	June 26, 2002	December 11, 2003	Liberal
36	David Pratt David Pratt (Canadian politician) David Pratt, PC is a former Canadian politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Nepean—Carleton from 1997 until 2004.-Early political career:...	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.... )
37	Bill Graham Bill Graham William Carvel "Bill" Graham, PC QC is a former Canadian politician, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Defence, and Leader of the Opposition and interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Personal life:...	July 20, 2004	February 5, 2006	Liberal
38	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....	February 6, 2006	August 14, 2007	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... )
39	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....	August 14, 2007	Incumbent	Conservative

Ministers with military experience

Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

James Ralston
James Ralston
James Layton Ralston, PC was a Canadian lawyer, soldier and politician.Born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Ralston graduated from law school at Dalhousie University in 1903 and practised law in Amherst...

, Canadian Army; commander (Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

) of the 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalion, CEF
85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalion, CEF
The 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion, C.E.F. was a unit of the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force. It was authorized on September 14, 1915, by the appointment of Lieutenant-Colonel A.H. Borden as its commanding officer. The battalion served in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, taking Hill...
General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....

Andrew McNaughton
Andrew McNaughton
General Andrew George Latta McNaughton, CH, CB, CMG, DSO, CD, PC was a Canadian army officer, politician and diplomat.- Early life :...

, 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles
5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles
The 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles were a mounted infantry unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I. The unit was raised from volunteers of the 7th and XIth Hussars from the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Formed in 1915, they were transported to England later that year...

, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...

, commander of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...

, Canadian Militia
Canadian Militia
The Canadian Militia was the traditional title for the land forces of Canada from before Confederation in 1867 to 1940 when it was renamed the Canadian Army.The Militia consisted of:* Permanent Active Militia* Non-Permanent Active Militia...

/Permanent Active Militia
Permanent Active Militia
Permanent Active Militia was the proper name of Canada's full-time professional land forces from the 19th century to 1940 when the Canadian Army was so designated....

and Canadian Army
Battery Sergeant-Major Brooke Claxton
Brooke Claxton
Brooke Claxton, PC, DCM, KC was a Canadian veteran of World War I, federal Minister of National Health and Welfare and Minister of National Defence.-Early life:...

, Victoria Rifles of Canada
Victoria Rifles of Canada
The Victoria Rifles of Canada was an infantry regiment of the Canadian Army...
Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...

George Pearkes
George Pearkes
Major General George Randolph Pearkes, VC, PC, CC, CB, DSO, MC, CD was a Canadian politician; soldier; recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Imperial forces; and the 20th Lieutenant Governor of British...

, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...

, commander of the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...

, Canadian Militia
Canadian Militia
The Canadian Militia was the traditional title for the land forces of Canada from before Confederation in 1867 to 1940 when it was renamed the Canadian Army.The Militia consisted of:* Permanent Active Militia* Non-Permanent Active Militia...

and Canadian Army
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

Douglas Harkness
Douglas Harkness
Douglas Scott Harkness, PC, OC, GM, ED , was a Canadian politician, teacher, farmer and former Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Canadian Artillery....

, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Army
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

Gordon Churchill
Gordon Churchill
Gordon Minto Churchill, PC, DSO was a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1946 to 1949 as an independent representative, and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1951 to 1968 as a Progressive Conservative...

, Vickers Machine Gunner, Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...

; commander of the Fort Garry Horse and commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Carrier Regiment
1st Canadian Carrier Regiment
1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment was an armoured regiment of the Canadian Army formed during the late stages of World War II in the European theatre. It was formed in October 1944 at Tilburg with the original 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Squadron as its core...

(Canada Corps
Canada Corps
Canada Corps was a Canadian government program created to help developing and unstable countries to promote good governance and institution building. The programme was administered by the Canadian International Development Agency...

)
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...

Charles Drury
Charles Drury
Charles Mills "Bud" Drury, PC, OC, QC, CBE, DSO was a Canadian soldier, businessman, and politician.-Education:...

, commanding officer 4th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery, General Staff Officer of the 2nd Canadian Division
2nd Canadian Division
The 2nd Canadian Division was an infantry formation that saw service in the First World War. A 2nd Canadian Infantry Division was raised for the Second World War.-History:...

and acting commander of the Royal Artillery 4th Canadian Division
4th Canadian Division
The Canadian Corps - 4th Canadian Division – World War I:The 4th Canadian Division was formed in the Britain in April 1916 from several existing units and others scheduled to arrive shortly thereafter. Under the command of Major-General David Watson, the Division embarked for France in August of...

(Canadian Army)
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

Barney Danson
Barney Danson
Barnett Jerome Danson, was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.Barney Danson was born to a Jewish family in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood...

, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only Primary Reserve regiment in Canada to have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve...
Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...

James Armstrong Richardson
James Armstrong Richardson
James Armstrong Richardson, PC was a Canadian Cabinet minister under Pierre Trudeau, and a Winnipeg businessman....

, Liberator anti-submarine patrol squadron of the RCAF
Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

Allan Bruce McKinnon, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Forces .-History:...

and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is one of the three regular force infantry regiments of the Canadian Army. The regiment is composed of four battalions including a primary reserve battalion, for a total of 2,000 soldiers...
Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...

Gilles Lamontagne
Gilles Lamontagne
Joseph-Georges-Gilles-Claude Lamontagne, PC, OC, CQ, CD was a Canadian politician and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec....

, bomber pilot RCAF
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...

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....

, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps is the armoured branch of service of the Canadian Army, including regular force and reserve regiments.-History:...

, Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

External links

National Defence and Canadian Forces

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