Minister of state (Canada)
Encyclopedia
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.
A secretary of state
also holds many similar responsibilities in assisting senior cabinet members, being members of the Ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
. A Secretary of State is legally a Minister of State styled as secretaries. However Secretaries of State are considered junior to ministers of state and are not members of Cabinet.
in 1971 under the Ministries and Ministers of State Act. This act allows for the creation of two different types of ministers of state. Sections 2 through 10 allow for the creation of a ministry of state, which is a temporary government department established by separating parts of departments created by law. A minister of state can be the head of such a ministry. Sections 11 and 12 of the act allow for the creation of a minister of state who "may be assigned by the Governor in Council to assist any minister or ministers having responsibilities for any department or other portion of the public service of Canada in the carrying out of those responsibilities". The latter has become far more common and, by and large, the former has fallen into disuse.
Under Brian Mulroney
and his successors, the title of Minister of State without any responsibilities attached has been used to appoint what had previously been called ministers without portfolio
. Ministers of State are also members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
, as is required for them to be a part of the ministry.
During the government of Jean Chrétien
, assistants to senior cabinet ministers were often styled as secretary of state, considered junior to ministers of state, and were not members of Cabinet. Under Chrétien, the title "minister of state," with a specific policy responsibility, was usually given to either a Cabinet minister, in addition to his or her other responsibilities, or to the deputy prime minister
, government house leader or leader of the government in the Senate. Chrétien also had parliamentary secretaries
, ranking below secretaries of state, who were set to two-year terms and the post was used as a reward for weary backbenchers. Their duty was to answer questions and table reports on behalf of ministers when they were unable to be present in the house.
Paul Martin
eliminated the position of secretary of state and reverted to using the title "minister of state" for junior cabinet ministers. The day he took office, Martin realigned various government departments. However, this can be done by changing the law only so, in reality, he set up various ministries of state headed by ministers of state. All such ministries of state and their ministers were styled as proper ministers of permanent departments. Over the course of his government, most of these departments were created in law and the ministers of state became ministers of the new departments as their empowering legislation received royal assent
.
When Stephen Harper
became Prime Minister on February 6, 2006, he did not include any Ministers of State in his cabinet. Derek Burney
, the head of Harper's transition team, noted to the press that this was intentional: Ministers of State and the role of Deputy Prime Minister were omitted to create a cabinet of full equals. In actuality, Harper did appoint a number of Ministers of State in order to give certain ministers responsibilities outside of their portfolios, however all of these Ministers of States were also full Cabinet ministers and their formal titles were styled such as to omit "of state". On January 4, 2007, Harper added five Secretaries of State to his ministry thus reviving the practice of appointing junior ministers outside of the Cabinet. On October 30, 2008, Harper added 11 Ministers of State to his Cabinet. On January 4, 2011, Harper added one Minister of State to his Cabinet to a total of 12.
A secretary of state
Secretary of State (Canada)
Secretary of State was a title given to some Ministers of State in the Government of Canada sitting outside Cabinet from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008. Secretaries of State were members of the ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada...
also holds many similar responsibilities in assisting senior cabinet members, being members of the Ministry and 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,...
. A Secretary of State is legally a Minister of State styled as secretaries. However Secretaries of State are considered junior to ministers of state and are not members of Cabinet.
History
The title "Minister of State" was created during the government of Pierre TrudeauPierre 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,...
in 1971 under the Ministries and Ministers of State Act. This act allows for the creation of two different types of ministers of state. Sections 2 through 10 allow for the creation of a ministry of state, which is a temporary government department established by separating parts of departments created by law. A minister of state can be the head of such a ministry. Sections 11 and 12 of the act allow for the creation of a minister of state who "may be assigned by the Governor in Council to assist any minister or ministers having responsibilities for any department or other portion of the public service of Canada in the carrying out of those responsibilities". The latter has become far more common and, by and large, the former has fallen into disuse.
Under 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...
and his successors, the title of Minister of State without any responsibilities attached has been used to appoint what had previously been called 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...
. Ministers of State are also members 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,...
, as is required for them to be a part of the ministry.
During the government of 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....
, assistants to senior cabinet ministers were often styled as secretary of state, considered junior to ministers of state, and were not members of Cabinet. Under Chrétien, the title "minister of state," with a specific policy responsibility, was usually given to either a Cabinet minister, in addition to his or her other responsibilities, or to the deputy prime minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
, government house leader or leader of the government in the Senate. Chrétien also had 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...
, ranking below secretaries of state, who were set to two-year terms and the post was used as a reward for weary backbenchers. Their duty was to answer questions and table reports on behalf of ministers when they were unable to be present in the house.
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....
eliminated the position of secretary of state and reverted to using the title "minister of state" for junior cabinet ministers. The day he took office, Martin realigned various government departments. However, this can be done by changing the law only so, in reality, he set up various ministries of state headed by ministers of state. All such ministries of state and their ministers were styled as proper ministers of permanent departments. Over the course of his government, most of these departments were created in law and the ministers of state became ministers of the new departments as their empowering legislation received royal assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
.
When 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...
became Prime Minister on February 6, 2006, he did not include any Ministers of State in his cabinet. Derek Burney
Derek Burney
Derek Hudson Burney, OC is a Canadian businessman. He is also a former diplomat and political strategist for the Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney.- Life and career :...
, the head of Harper's transition team, noted to the press that this was intentional: Ministers of State and the role of Deputy Prime Minister were omitted to create a cabinet of full equals. In actuality, Harper did appoint a number of Ministers of State in order to give certain ministers responsibilities outside of their portfolios, however all of these Ministers of States were also full Cabinet ministers and their formal titles were styled such as to omit "of state". On January 4, 2007, Harper added five Secretaries of State to his ministry thus reviving the practice of appointing junior ministers outside of the Cabinet. On October 30, 2008, Harper added 11 Ministers of State to his Cabinet. On January 4, 2011, Harper added one Minister of State to his Cabinet to a total of 12.
Current Ministers of State
| Portfolio - Ministry or Department | Minister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) - under Minister of the 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.... |
(1988-) | (List) | Hon. 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... |
(2011-) | |
| Minister of State (Democratic Reform) - under Privy Council Office (Canada) 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... |
Hon. 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... |
(2011-) | |||
| 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.... |
(2004-) | (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.... ) |
Hon. 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... |
(2008-) | |
| Minister of State (Finance) - under Department of Finance Canada | Hon. 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 :... |
(2011-) | |||
| Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas) - under Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade | Hon. 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... |
(2011-) | |||
| Minister of State (Science and Technology) - under Industry Canada Industry Canada Industry Canada is the department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for regional economic development, investment, and innovation/research and development. The department employs 6104 FTEs across Canada.... |
Hon. 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... |
(2008-) | |||
| Minister of State (Seniors) - under Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Human Resources and Skills Development Canada The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development , operating under the FIP applied title Human Resources and Skills Development Canada , is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for developing, managing and delivering a variety of social programs and services... |
Hon. 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... |
(2011-) | |||
| 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... - under Department of Canadian Heritage Department of Canadian Heritage The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism... |
Hon. Bal Gosal Bal Gosal Baljit Gosal, is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election... |
(2011-) | |||
| 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... - under Department of Canadian Heritage Department of Canadian Heritage The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism... |
(1971-) | (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... ) |
Hon. 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... |
(2010-) | |
| Minister of State (Transport) - under Transport Canada Transport Canada Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio... |
Hon. 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... |
(2011-) | |||
| Minister of State (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... |
(1988-) | (List) | Hon. 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... |
(2008-) | |
| Minister of State 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... - under Privy Council Office (Canada) 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... |
Hon. 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.... |
(2008-) | |||
| Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) - under Industry Canada Industry Canada Industry Canada is the department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for regional economic development, investment, and innovation/research and development. The department employs 6104 FTEs across Canada.... |
Hon. 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.... |
(2011-) | |||
See also
- Minister of StateMinister of StateMinister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for use of the title in other countries.