The Minister of National Defence (French language: Ministre de la Défense nationale) is a Minister of the Crown and is the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the management and direction of all matters relating to the national defence of Canada and the Canadian Forces.[1] The Department of National Defence is headed by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, the Department’s senior civil servant, while the Canadian Forces are headed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Canada’s senior serving officer.[2] Both are responsible to the Minister. Although the Governor General of Canada is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces, the minister is ultimately responsible for "the management and direction of the Canadian Forces", while all orders and instructions are issued by the Chief of the Defence Staff.[3] The Department of National Defence exists to aid the minister in carrying out his responsibilities, and acts as the civilian support system for the Canadian Forces.[4][5]
The current Minister of National Defence is The Honourable Rob Nicholson, who replaced Peter MacKay, one of Canada's longest serving Ministers of National Defence.
Contents
History
Historically, the position was pre-dated by the Minister of Militia and Defence. During World War II, the Minister of National Defence was assisted by two subordinate ministers, the Minister of National Defence for Air and Minister of National Defence for Naval Services. The portfolio was merged into a single ministry following the end of the war.
The Defence Portfolio
The Defence portfolio for the Minister of National Defence includes:[6]
- Canadian Forces
- The Office of the Legal Advisor to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (DND/CF LA)
- National Search and Rescue Secretariat
- Defence Research and Development Canada
- Communications Security Establishment
- Canadian Forces Housing Agency
- Judge Advocate General
- Military Police Complaints Commission
- Canadian Forces Grievance Board
- Office of the Chief Military Judge
- Office of the National Defence and Canadian Forces Ombudsman
- Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency
The Minister of National Defence is also the designated Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR) within the federal government.
Ministers
Key:
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
George Perry Graham | January 1, 1923 | April 27, 1923 | Liberal | 12 (King) |
| 2 | 
|
Edward Mortimer Macdonald | April 28, 1923 (Acting until Aug.17) |
June 28, 1926 | Liberal | |
| 3 | 50px | Hugh Guthrie | June 29, 1926 (Acting until Jul.13) |
September 25, 1926 | Conservative (historical) | 13 (Meighen) |
| – | VACANT | September 25, 1926 | September 30, 1926 | — | 14 (King) | |
| – | 
|
James Robb (Acting) |
October 1, 1926 | October 7, 1926 | Liberal | |
| 4 | 
|
James Ralston (1st time) |
October 8, 1926 | August 7, 1930 | Liberal | |
| 5 | 
|
Donald Matheson Sutherland | August 7, 1930 | November 16, 1934 | Conservative (historical) | 15 (Bennett) |
| 6 |
|
Grote Stirling | November 17, 1934 | October 23, 1935 | Conservative (historical) | |
| 7 | 
|
Ian Alistair Mackenzie | October 24, 1935 | September 18, 1939 | Liberal | 16 (King) |
| 8 | 
|
Norman McLeod Rogers | September 19, 1939 | June 10, 1940 | Liberal | |
| – | 
|
Charles Power (Acting) |
June 11, 1940 | July 4, 1940 | Liberal | |
| (4) |
|
James Ralston (2nd time) |
July 5, 1940 | November 1, 1944 | Liberal | |
| 9 | 
|
Andrew McNaughton | November 2, 1944 | August 20, 1945 | Military | |
| 10 | 50px | Douglas Abbott | August 21, 1945 | December 9, 1946 | Liberal | |
| 11 |
|
Brooke Claxton | December 10, 1946 | November 15, 1948 | Liberal | |
| November 15, 1948 | June 30, 1954 | 17 (St. Laurent) | ||||
| 12 |
|
Ralph Campney | July 1, 1954 | June 20, 1957 | Liberal | |
| 13 | 50px | George Pearkes | June 21, 1957 | October 10, 1960 | Progressive Conservative | 18 (Diefenbaker) |
| 14 |
|
Douglas Harkness | October 11, 1960 | February 3, 1963 | Progressive Conservative | |
| – | VACANT | February 4, 1963 | February 11, 1963 | — | ||
| 15 |
|
Gordon Churchill | February 12, 1963 | April 21, 1963 | Progressive Conservative | |
| 16 | 
|
Paul Hellyer | April 22, 1963 | September 18, 1967 | Liberal | 19 (Pearson) |
| 17 |
|
Léo Cadieux | September 1967 | April 19, 1968 | Liberal | |
| April 20, 1968 | September 16, 1970 | 20 (Trudeau) | ||||
| – |
|
Charles Drury (1st time; Acting) |
September 17, 1970 | September 23, 1970 | Liberal | |
| 18 |
|
Donald Macdonald | September 24, 1970 | January 27, 1972 | Liberal | |
| 19 | 50px | Edgar Benson | January 28, 1972 | August 31, 1972 | Liberal | |
| – |
|
Jean-Eudes Dubé (Acting) |
September 1, 1972 | September 6, 1972 | Liberal | |
| – |
|
Charles Drury (2nd time; Acting) |
September 7, 1972 | November 26, 1972 | Liberal | |
| 20 |
|
James Richardson | November 27, 1972 | October 12, 1976 | Liberal | |
| 21 |
|
Barney Danson | October 13, 1976 (Acting until Nov.3) |
June 3, 1979 | Liberal | |
| 22 |
|
Allan McKinnon | June 4, 1979 | March 2, 1980 | Progressive Conservative | 21 (Clark) |
| 23 |
|
Gilles Lamontagne | March 3, 1980 | August 11, 1983 | Liberal | 22 (Trudeau) |
| 24 |
|
Jean–Jacques Blais | August 12, 1983 | June 29, 1984 | Liberal | |
| June 30, 1984 | September 16, 1984 | 23 (Turner) | ||||
| 25 |
|
Robert Coates | September 17, 1984 | February 11, 1985 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| 26 |
|
Erik Nielsen | February 12, 1985 (Acting until Feb.26) |
June 29, 1986 | Progressive Conservative | |
| 27 |
|
Perrin Beatty | June 30, 1986 | January 29, 1989 | Progressive Conservative | |
| 28 | 
|
Bill McKnight | January 30, 1989 | April 20, 1991 | Progressive Conservative | |
| 29 |
|
Marcel Masse | April 21, 1991 | January 3, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | |
| 30 | 
|
Kim Campbell | January 4, 1993 | June 24, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | |
| 31 |
|
Tom Siddon | June 25, 1993 | November 3, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | 25 (Campbell) |
| 32 |
|
David Collenette | November 4, 1993 | October 4, 1996 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| 33 |
|
Doug Young | October 5, 1996 | June 10, 1997 | Liberal | |
| 34 | 
|
Art Eggleton | June 11, 1997 | June 25, 2002 | Liberal | |
| 35 |
|
John McCallum | June 26, 2002 | December 11, 2003 | Liberal | |
| 36 |
|
David Pratt | December 12, 2003 | July 19, 2004 | Liberal | 27 (Martin) |
| 37 | 
|
Bill Graham | July 20, 2004 | February 5, 2006 | Liberal | |
| 38 | 
|
Gordon O'Connor | February 6, 2006 | August 14, 2007 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| 39 | 
|
Peter MacKay | August 14, 2007 | July 15, 2013 | Conservative | |
| 40 | 
|
Rob Nicholson | July 15, 2013 | Incumbent | Conservative | |
Ministers with military experience
- Colonel James Ralston, Canadian Army; commander (Lieutenant Colonel) of the 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalion, CEF
- General Andrew McNaughton, 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles, Canadian Expeditionary Force, commander of the Canadian Corps, Canadian Militia/Permanent Active Militia and Canadian Army
- Battery Sergeant-Major Brooke Claxton, Victoria Rifles of Canada
- Major General George Pearkes, Canadian Expeditionary Force, commander of the Canadian Corps, Canadian Militia and Canadian Army
- Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Harkness, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Army
- Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Churchill, Vickers Machine Gunner, Canadian Expeditionary Force; commander of the Fort Garry Horse and commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Carrier Regiment (Canada Corps)
- Brigadier General Charles Drury, commanding officer 4th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery, General Staff Officer of the 2nd Canadian Division and acting commander of the Royal Artillery 4th Canadian Division (Canadian Army)
- Lieutenant Barney Danson, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
- Pilot Officer James Armstrong Richardson, Liberator anti-submarine patrol squadron of the RCAF
- Major Allan Bruce McKinnon, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
- Flight Lieutenant Gilles Lamontagne, bomber pilot RCAF
- Brigadier General (Ret'd) Gordon O'Connor, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, Canadian Army
See also
References
- ↑ "Laws Defining Responsibilities and Authorities of National Defence". Department of National Defence. March 25, 2010. http://www.forces.gc.ca/admpol/legislation-eng.html. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ↑ "About DND - What is the relationship between DND and the Canadian Forces?". Department of National Defence. February 1, 2012. http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about-notresujet/index-eng.asp. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ↑ National Defence Act. Ottawa: Her Majesty the Queen as represented by the Minister of Justice. 2011. pp. 8, 12.
- ↑ "FAQ - What is the relationship between DND and the CF?". Department of National Defence. February 13, 2012. http://www.civ.forces.gc.ca/faq-eng.asp. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ↑ "Civilians Supporting the Army". Department of National Defence. August 5, 2011. http://www.civ.forces.gc.ca/support-appui/csa-aft-eng.asp. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ↑ "The Defence Portfolio". Department of National Defence. August 5, 2011. http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about-notresujet/dp-pd/index-eng.asp. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
External links
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