President of the King's Privy Council for Canada

In the Canadian cabinet, the president of the King's Privy Council for Canada (French: président du Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada) is nominally in charge of the Privy Council Office. The president of the Privy Council also has the largely ceremonial duty of presiding over meetings of the Privy Council, a body which only convenes in full for affairs of state such as the accession of a new Sovereign or the marriage of the Prince of Wales or heir presumptive to the Throne. Accordingly, the last time the president of the Privy Council had to preside over a meeting of the Privy Council was in 2022 for the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III. It is the equivalent of the office of lord president of the council in the United Kingdom.

President of the King's Privy Council for Canada
Président du Conseil privé du Roi
pour le Canada
Incumbent
Harjit Sajjan
since July 26, 2023
King's Privy Council for Canada
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
Reports to
AppointerMonarch (represented by the governor general);[3]
on the advice of the prime minister[4]
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderAdam Johnston Fergusson Blair
Formation1 July 1867
SalaryCA$269,800 (2019)[5]
Websitepco-bcp.gc.ca

Under Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau and Joe Clark the position was synonymous with that of government house leader. In 1989, the government house leader became a separate position and the president of the Privy Council became a largely honorary title (not unlike that of deputy prime minister of Canada) given to a senior minister in addition to other portfolios. From 1993 it has regularly been held by whoever holds the portfolio of minister of intergovernmental affairs. In the past decade the position has generally been seen to be the closest thing to a sinecure posting within the Cabinet.

The current president of the Privy Council is Harjit Sajjan.

List of presidents of the Privy Council

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party Prime Minister
Party
Term of office

Cabinet
Monarch
Reign
Took office Left office
1 Adam Johnston Fergusson Blair
Senator for Ontario from October 1867
(1815–1867)
1 July
1867
30 December
1867
Liberal
Macdonald
Liberal-
Conservative

(1867–1873)

1st

Victoria
(1837–1901)
John A. Macdonald
MP for Kingston
(1815–1891)
Acting President of the Privy Council
30 December
1867
30 January
1869
Liberal-
Conservative
2 Joseph Howe
MP for Hants
(1804–1873)
30 January
1869
16 November
1869
Liberal-
Conservative
3 Edward Kenny
Senator for Nova Scotia
(1800–1891)
16 November
1869
21 June
1870
Conservative
4 Charles Tupper
MP for Cumberland
(1821–1915)
21 June
1870
2 July
1872
Conservative
5 John O'Connor
MP for Essex
(1824–1887)
2 July
1872
4 March
1873
Conservative
John A. Macdonald
MP for Kingston
(1815–1891)
Acting President of the Privy Council
4 March
1873
14 June
1873
Liberal-
Conservative
6 Hugh McDonald
MP for Antigonish
(1827–1899)
14 June
1873
1 July
1873
Liberal-
Conservative
John A. Macdonald
MP for Kingston
(1815–1891)
Acting President of the Privy Council
1 July
1873
7 November
1873
Liberal-
Conservative
Alexander Mackenzie
MP for Lambton
(1822–1892)
Acting President of the Privy Council
7 November
1873
20 January
1874
Liberal
Mackenzie
Liberal
(1873–1878)

2nd
7 Lucius Seth Huntington
MP for Shefford
(1827–1886)
20 January
1874
9 October
1875
Liberal
Alexander Mackenzie
MP for Lambton
(1822–1892)
Acting President of the Privy Council
9 October
1875
7 December
1875
Liberal
8 Joseph-Édouard Cauchon
MP for Quebec-Centre
(1816–1885)
7 December
1875
8 June
1877
Conservative
9 Edward Blake
(1833–1912)
8 June
1877
17 January
1878
Liberal
Alexander Mackenzie
MP for Lambton
(1822–1892)
Acting President of the Privy Council
18 January
1878
17 October
1878
Liberal
(5) John O'Connor
MP for Russell
(1824–1887)
17 October
1878
16 January
1880
Conservative
Macdonald
Liberal-
Conservative

(1878–1891)

3rd
10 Louis-Rodrigue Masson
MP for Terrebonne
(1833–1903)
16 January
1880
1 August
1880
Conservative
John A. Macdonald
MP for Victoria
(1815–1891)
Acting President of the Privy Council
1 August
1880
8 November
1880
Liberal-
Conservative
11 Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
MP for Bagot
(1837–1886)
8 November
1880
20 May
1881
Conservative
12 Archibald McLelan
MP for Colchester
(1824–1890)
20 May
1881
10 July
1882
Conservative
John A. Macdonald
MP for Carleton
(1815–1891)
Acting President of the Privy Council
10 July
1882
17 October
1883
Liberal-
Conservative
13 John A. Macdonald
MP for Carleton until 1887
MP for Kingston from 1887
(1815–1891)
17 October
1883
28 November
1889
Liberal-
Conservative
14 Charles Carroll Colby
MP for Stanstead until 1891
(1827–1907)
28 November
1889
1 May
1891
Liberal-
Conservative
John A. Macdonald
MP for Kingston
(1815–1891)
Acting President of the Privy Council
1 May
1891
16 June
1891
Liberal-
Conservative
15 John Abbott
Senator for Inkerman, Quebec
(1821–1893)
16 June
1891
5 December
1892
Liberal-
Conservative

Abbott
Liberal-
Conservative

(1891–1892)

4th
John Sparrow David Thompson
MP for Antigonish
(1845–1894)
Acting President of the Privy Council
5 December
1892
7 December
1892
Liberal-
Conservative

Thompson
Liberal-
Conservative

(1892–1894)

5th
16 William Bullock Ives
MP for Town of Sherbrooke
(1841–1899)
7 December
1892
12 December
1894
Conservative
17 Mackenzie Bowell
Senator for Hastings, Ontario
(1823–1917)
21 December
1894
1 May
1896
Conservative
Bowell
Conservative
(1894–1896)

6th
18 Auguste-Réal Angers
Senator for De la Vallière, Quebec until June 1896
(1837–1919)
1 May
1896
8 July
1896
Conservative
Tupper
Conservative
(1896)

7th
19 Wilfrid Laurier
MP for Quebec East
(1841–1919)
11 July
1896
10 October
1911
Liberal
Laurier
Liberal
(1896–1911)

8th

Edward VII
(1901–1910)

George V
(1910–1936)
20 Robert Borden
MP for Halifax until 1917
MP for Kings from 1917
(1854–1937)
10 October
1911
12 October
1917
Conservative
Borden
Conservative
(1911–1920)

9th, 10th
21 Newton Rowell
MP for Durham
(1867–1941)
12 October
1917
10 July
1920
Unionist
22 James Alexander Calder
MP for Moose Jaw
(1868–1956)
10 July
1920
21 September
1921
Unionist
Meighen
Conservative
(1920–1921)

11th
23 Louis-Philippe Normand
(1863–1928)
21 September
1921
29 December
1921
Conservative
24 William Lyon Mackenzie King
MP for York North until 1925
MP for Prince Albert from 1926
(1874–1950)
29 December
1921
29 June
1926
Liberal
King
Liberal
(1921–1926)

12th
25 Arthur Meighen
MP for Portage la Prairie until September 1926
(1874–1960)
29 June
1926
25 September
1926
Conservative
Meighen
Conservative
(1926)

13th
(24) William Lyon Mackenzie King
MP for Prince Albert
(1874–1950)
25 September
1926
7 August
1930
Liberal
King
Liberal
(1926–1930)

14th
26 R. B. Bennett
MP for Calgary West
(1870–1947)
7 August
1930
23 October
1935
Conservative
Bennett
Conservative
(1930–1935)

15th
(24) William Lyon Mackenzie King
MP for Prince Albert until 1945
MP for Glengarry from 1945
(1874–1950)
23 October
1935
15 November
1948
Liberal
King
Liberal
(1935–1948)

16th

Edward VIII
(1936)

George VI
(1936–1952)
27 Louis St. Laurent
MP for Quebec East
(1882–1973)
15 November
1948
25 April
1957
Liberal
St. Laurent
Liberal
(1948–1957)

17th

Elizabeth II
(1952–2022)
28 Lionel Chevrier
MP for Laurier
(1903–1987)
25 April
1957
21 June
1957
Liberal
29 John Diefenbaker
MP for Prince Albert
(1895–1979)
21 June
1957
28 December
1961
Progressive
Conservative

Diefenbaker
Progressive
Conservative

(1957–1963)

18th
30 Noël Dorion
MP for Bellechasse
(1904–1980)
28 December
1961
5 July
1962
Progressive
Conservative
John Diefenbaker
MP for Prince Albert
(1895–1979)
Acting President of the Privy Council
5 July
1962
21 December
1962
Progressive
Conservative
(29) John Diefenbaker
MP for Prince Albert
(1895–1979)
21 December
1962
22 April
1963
Progressive
Conservative
31 Maurice Lamontagne
MP for Outremont–Saint-Jean
(1917–1983)
22 April
1963
3 February
1964
Liberal
Pearson
Liberal
(1963–1968)

19th
32 George McIlraith
MP for Outremont–Saint-Jean
(1908–1992)
3 February
1964
7 July
1965
Liberal
33 Guy Favreau
MP for Papineau
(1917–1967)
7 July
1965
4 April
1967
Liberal
34 Walter L. Gordon
MP for Davenport
(1906–1987)
4 April
1967
11 March
1968
Liberal
Pierre Trudeau
MP for Mount Royal
(1919–2000)
Acting President of the Privy Council
11 March
1968
2 May
1968
Liberal

P. Trudeau
Liberal
(1968–1979)

20th
Allan MacEachen
MP for Inverness—Richmond until 1968
MP for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso from 1968
(1921–2017)
Acting President of the Privy Council
2 May
1968
6 July
1968
Liberal
35 Donald Stovel Macdonald
MP for Rosedale
(1932–2018)
6 July
1968
24 September
1970
Liberal
36 Allan MacEachen
MP for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso
(1921–2017)
24 September
1970
8 August
1974
Liberal
37 Mitchell Sharp
MP for Eglinton
(1911–2004)
8 August
1974
14 September
1976
Liberal
(36) Allan MacEachen
MP for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso
(1921–2017)
14 September
1976
4 June
1979
Liberal
38 Walter Baker
MP for Nepean—Carleton
(1930–1983)
4 June
1979
3 March
1980
Progressive
Conservative

Clark
Progressive
Conservative

(1979–1980)

21st
39 Yvon Pinard
MP for Drummond
(born 1940)
3 March
1980
30 June
1984
Liberal
P. Trudeau
Liberal
(1980–1984)

22nd
40 André Ouellet
MP for Papineau
(born 1939)
30 June
1984
17 September
1984
Liberal
Turner
Liberal
(1984)

23rd
41 Erik Nielsen
MP for Yukon
(1924–2008)
17 September
1984
27 February
1985
Progressive
Conservative

Mulroney
Progressive
Conservative

(1984–1993)

24th
42 Ray Hnatyshyn
MP for Saskatoon West
(1934–2002)
27 February
1985
30 June
1986
Progressive
Conservative
43 Don Mazankowski
MP for Vegreville
(1935–2020)
30 June
1986
21 April
1991
Progressive
Conservative
44 Joe Clark
MP for Yellowhead
(born 1939)
21 April
1991
25 June
1993
Progressive
Conservative
45 Pierre Blais
MP for Bellechasse
(born 1948)
25 June
1993
4 November
1993
Progressive
Conservative

Campbell
Progressive
Conservative

(1993)

25th
46 Marcel Massé
MP for Hull—Aylmer
(born 1940)
4 November
1993
25 January
1996
Liberal
Chrétien
Liberal
(1993–2003)

26th
47 Stéphane Dion
MP for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville
(born 1955)
25 January
1996
12 December
2003
Liberal
48 Denis Coderre
MP for Bourassa
(born 1963)
12 December
2003
20 July
2004
Liberal
Martin
Liberal
(2003–2006)

27th
49 Lucienne Robillard
MP for Westmount—Ville-Marie
(born 1945)
20 July
2004
7 February
2006
Liberal
50 Michael Chong
MP for Wellington—Halton Hills
(born 1971)
7 February
2006
27 November
2006
Conservative
Harper
Conservative
(2006–2015)

28th
51 Peter Van Loan
MP for York—Simcoe
(born 1963)
27 November
2006
4 January
2007
Conservative
52 Rona Ambrose
MP for Edmonton—Spruce Grove
(born 1969)
4 January
2007
30 October
2008
Conservative
53 Josée Verner
MP for Louis-Saint-Laurent until 2011
(born 1959)
30 October
2008
18 May
2011
Conservative
54 Peter Penashue
MP for Labrador
(born 1964)
18 May
2011
14 March
2013
Conservative
55 Denis Lebel
MP for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean
(born 1954)
15 March
2013
4 November
2015
Conservative
56 Maryam Monsef[6][7]
MP for Peterborough—Kawartha
(born 1984)
4 November
2015
10 January
2017
Liberal
J. Trudeau
Liberal
(since 2015)

29th
57 Karina Gould[8]
MP for Burlington
(born 1987)
10 January
2017
18 July
2018
Liberal
58 Dominic LeBlanc
MP for Beauséjour
(born 1967)
18 July
2018
26 October
2021
Liberal
59 Bill Blair
MP for Scarborough Southwest
(born 1954)
26 October
2021
26 July 2023 Liberal

Charles III
(since 2022)
60 Harjit Sajjan
MP for Vancouver South
(born 1970)
26 July
2023
Incumbent Liberal

References

  1. "The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  2. "Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials" (PDF).
  3. "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  4. "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  5. "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". Library of Parliament. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  6. Tim Naumetz (November 9, 2015). "Youngest Cabinet minister Monsef also President of Queen's Privy Council". The Hill Times. The Privy Council Office confirmed in response to questions from The Hill Times that Ms. Monsef had been designated as President of the Queen's Privy Council, but as of late Monday had not confirmed whether she was sworn into the office or exactly when she will be.
  7. Parliament of Canada biography: Monsef is subsequently listed as having assumed the office on November 4, 2015.
  8. "ParlInfo Has Moved".
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