Secretary of state (Canada)

In Canada from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008, secretary of state was a title given to junior ministers of state in the Government of Canada that sat outside Cabinet.[1] Because it was a position that was assigned to assist Cabinet ministers, a secretary of state was legally a minister of state; the distinction is that, unlike a minister, a secretary is not a full cabinet portfolio itself and thus not considered a member of Cabinet. (They were hence considered junior to ministers of state.) The Secretary of State (Training and Youth), for instance, would assist the Minister for Human Resources and Development. This usage is opposite to that in the United Kingdom, where junior ministers generally report to more senior secretaries of state. Secretaries of state were, however, members of the ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

This article is about the generic usage of the title "secretary of state" by the Canadian government from 1993 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2008. For the Canadian cabinet position extant from 1867 to 1996, see Secretary of State for Canada.
Not to be confused with Parliamentary secretary, Secretary of State for External Affairs (Canada), or Secretary of State for the Provinces.

This generic usage should not be confused with the former cabinet positions of Secretary of State for Canada (1867–1996), Secretary of State for the Provinces (1867–1873), and Secretary of State for External Affairs (1909–1995).

History

These positions were first used by Jean Chrétien as a way to decrease the size of the Cabinet without substantially decreasing the size of the ministry. When Paul Martin became Prime Minister in 2003, this usage ended, and he instead appointed ministers of state and increased the powers of parliamentary secretaries to act in junior policy positions.[2]

Martin's successor, Stephen Harper, resumed the use of secretaries of state in a cabinet shuffle on 4 January 2007, but went back to ministers of state in his October 2008 cabinet.

List of secretaries of state in Canada

External affairs

Between 1993 and 2003, there were at least three junior Minister of State positions within the Department of External Affairs (renamed in 1995 to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade)[3] responsible for assisting the Minister of Foreign Affairs (known until 1993 as the Secretary of State for External Affairs).[4]

Between 2007 and 2008, the Conservative Harper government included a less narrow position to assist with the Foreign Affairs minister, called the Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade).

Name[4][3] Took office Left office
Asia-Pacific
Raymond Chan 1993 November 4 2001 January 8
Rey Pagtakhan 2001 January 9 2002 January 14
David Kilgour 2002 January 15 2003 December 11
Latin America and Africa
Christine Stewart 1993 November 4 1997 June 10
David Kilgour 1997 June 11 2002 January 14
Denis Paradis 2002 January 15 2003 December 11
Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East
Gar Knutson 2002 January 15 2003 December 11
Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Helena Guergis 2007 January 4 2008 October 29

Heritage

Several Secretaries of State assisted the Minister of Canadian Heritage (and antecedents) with the various portfolios of the Department of Canadian Heritage (formerly Department of Communications), including multiculturalism, which at one point fell under the Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship.[5]

Title and portfolio[5] Name Took position Left position Party
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)

communications, multiculturalism, status of women

 Sheila Finestone 1993 November 4 1996 January 24 Liberal
Hedy Fry 1996 January 25 2002 January 27 Liberal
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism)

multiculturalism

 Claudette Bradshaw 2002 January 15 2002 May 25 Liberal
Jean Augustine 2002 May 26 2003 December 11 Liberal
Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)

multiculturalism, Canadian identity

 Jason Kenney 2007 January 4 2008 October 29 Conservative
Secretary of State (2010 Olympics) (Official Languages)

official languages, Vancouver-Whistler Olympics,

 James Moore 2008 July 25 2008 October 29 Conservative
Secretary of State (Amateur Sport)

amateur sport

 Denis Coderre 1999 August 3 2002 January 14 Liberal
Paul DeVillers 2002 January 15 2003 July 16 Liberal
Secretary of State (Physical Activity and Sport)

sport

 2003 July 17 2003 December 11 Liberal
Secretary of State (Sport)

sport

 Helena Guergis 2007 January 4 2008 October 29 Conservative
Secretary of State (Parks)

National Parks

 Andy Mitchell 1997 July 11 1999 August 2 Liberal

Industry

The Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) was a position introduced in 1993 to assist the Minister of Industry within Industry Canada.

The Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) (Western Economic Diversification) was introduced in 1996 to provide assistance to the Minister of Western Economic Diversification within their department.[6]

Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the office of Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) was introduced. On 2008 October 30, a ministerial position was established by Harper as the Minister of State (Science & Technology).[5]

Secretaries of State
Name Portfolio[6][5] Took office Left office
Jon Gerrard Science, Research and Development 1993 November 4 1997 June 11
Western Economic Diversification 1996 January 25
Ron Duhamel Science, Research and Development 1997 June 11 1999 August 3
Western Economic Diversification 15 January 2002
Gilbert Normand Science, Research and Development 1999 August 3 2002 January 15
Andy Mitchell Rural Development (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario) 1999 August 3 2003 December 11
Maurizio Bevilacqua Science, Research and Development 2002 January 15 2002 May 26
Rey Pagtakhan Science, Research and Development 2002 May 26 2003 December 11
Stephen Owen Western Economic Diversification (including Indian Affairs and Northern Development) 2002 January 15 2003 December 11
Gerry Ritz Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) 2007 January 4 2007 August 13
Diane Ablonczy Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) 2007 August 14 2008 October 29
Ministers of State (Science, Research and Development)
Name Took office Left office
Gary Goodyear 2008 October 30 2013 July 15
Greg Rickford 2013 July 15 2014 March 19
Ed Holder 2014 March 19 2015 October 19

Labour

The Secretary of State (Training and Youth) assisted the Minister of Labour for the Department of Labour until July 1996, when the labour ministry was abolished and transferred to the Human Resources Development. In 1997, the secretarial position was changed to Secretary of State (Children and Youth).[7][8]

Between 2007 and 2008 during the conservative Harper government, Human Resources Development included a Secretary of State (Seniors) to assist with the seniors portfolio.[5]

Name Role Took office Left office
Ethel Blondin-Andrew[7][8] Secretary of State (Training and Youth) 1993 November 4 1997 July 10
Secretary of State (Children and Youth) 1997 July 11 2003 December 11
Marjory LeBreton[5] Secretary of State (Seniors) 2007 January 4 2008 October 30

Others
Title[5] Name Department Portfolio Took position Left position
Secretary of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans) Fernand Robichaud Agriculture and Agri-Food (formerly Agriculture); and Fisheries and Oceans agriculture, agrifood, fisheries, oceans 1994/09/15 1997/06/10
Secretary of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food) (Fisheries and Oceans) Gilbert Normand 1997/06/11 1999/08/02
Secretary of State (Agriculture) Christian Paradis Agriculture and Agri-Food agriculture, agrifood 2008/06/25 2008/10/29
Secretary of State (Veterans) Lawrence MacAulay National Defence; and Veterans Affairs veterans, national defence 1993/11/04 1996/01/24
Secretary of State (Veterans) (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; and Veterans Affairs 1996/01/25 1997/06/10
George Baker 1999/08/03 2000/10/16
Fred J. Mifflin 1997/06/11 1999/08/02
Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions) Douglas Peters Finance International financial institutions 1993/11/04 1997/06/10
Jim Peterson 1997/06/11 2002/01/14
John McCallum 2002/01/15 2002/05/25
Maurizio Bevilacqua 2002/05/26 2003/12/11
Secretary of State (Parliamentary Affairs) Alfonso Gagliano Government House Leader; and Solicitor General parliamentary affairs 1994/09/15 1996/01/24
Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec) Claude Drouin Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec economic development for regions of Quebec 1999/08/03 2003/12/11
Secretary of State (Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec) Martin Cauchon Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec 1996/01/25 2002/01/14
Secretary of State (Selected Crown Corporations) Steve Mahoney Transportation Crown corporations 2003/04/11 2003/12/11
Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific Gateway) James Moore Asia-Pacific Gateway 2008/06/25 2008/10/29

References
  1. Forsey, Eugene. [1980] 2016. "Parliamentary Government." Ch. 1 in How Canadians Govern Themselves (9th ed.). Ottawa, ON: Library of Parliament.
  2. "Martin's Team", The Globe and Mail, 13 December 2003, A13.
  3. "Profile - Foreign Affairs and International Trade". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  4. "Profile - External Affairs". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  5. "Departments and Roles: 1867 - Today". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  6. "Profile - Western Economic Diversification". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  7. "Profile - Labour". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  8. "Profile - Human Resources Development". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
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