Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox official post Template:Politics of Canada

The minister of justice and attorney general of Canada (Template:Langx) is a dual-role portfolio in the Canadian Cabinet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The officeholder in the role of Minister of Justice (Template:Lang) serves as the minister of the Crown responsible for the Department of Justice and the justice portfolio, and in the role of Attorney General (Template:Lang),<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> litigates on behalf of the Crown and serves as the chief legal advisor to the Government of Canada. (Though most prosecution functions of the attorney general have been assigned to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. The attorney general is supported in this role by the director of public prosecutions, who is simultaneously the deputy attorney general.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>)

Attorney General of Canada

The role was created in 1867 to replace the attorney general of Canada West and attorney general of Canada East.

As the top prosecuting officer in Canada, 'attorney general' is a separate title held by the minister of justice—a member of the Cabinet. The minister of justice is concerned with questions of policy and their relationship to the justice system. In their role as attorney general, they are the chief law officer of the Crown. The roles have been connected since confederation. As a result of controversy, following the SNC-Lavalin affair, Anne McLellan was appointed to review the roles and prepare a report on whether they should be separated. She recommended the positions remain combined.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

This cabinet position is usually reserved for someone holding a legal qualification. There have been exceptions: Joe Clark only studied the first year of law at Dalhousie University before transferring to University of British Columbia Faculty of Law and dropping out to embark on political life.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

This cabinet portfolio has been held by many individuals who went on to become prime minister including John Sparrow David Thompson, R. B. Bennett, Louis St Laurent, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, John Turner, Kim Campbell and Jean Chrétien (Clark became MoJAG after his time as prime minister). This is the only Canadian Ministry (other than that of the prime minister) which has not been reorganized since its creation in 1867.

A separate cabinet position, the minister of public safety (formerly known as the "solicitor general") administers the law enforcement agencies (police, prisons, and security) of the federal government.

Ministers of justice and attorneys general

Key:

Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 1 Sir John A. Macdonald July 1, 1867 November 5, 1873 Liberal-Conservative 1 (Macdonald)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 2 Antoine-Aimé Dorion November 7, 1873 May 31, 1874 Liberal 2 (Mackenzie)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – File:Albert James Smith.jpg Sir Albert James Smith
(Acting) 		June 1, 1874 July 7, 1874 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 3 File:Télesphore Fournier.jpg Télesphore Fournier July 8, 1874 May 18, 1875 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 4 File:Edward Blake.jpg Edward Blake May 19, 1875 June 7, 1877 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 5 File:Rodolphe Laflamme.jpg Rodolphe Laflamme June 8, 1877 October 8, 1878 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 6 File:Hon James McDonald.jpg James McDonald October 17, 1878 May 18, 1881 Conservative (historical) 3 (Macdonald)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 7 File:Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg Alexander Campbell May 20, 1881 September 24, 1885 Conservative (historical)
rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 8 File:John Thompson.jpg Sir John Thompson September 26, 1885 June 6, 1891 Conservative (historical)
June 16, 1891 November 24, 1892 4 (Abbott)
December 5, 1892 December 12, 1894 5 (Thompson)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 9 File:Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper.jpg Sir Charles Hibbert Tupper December 21, 1894 January 5, 1896 Conservative (historical) 6 (Bowell)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| – File:ThomasMayneDaly23.jpg Thomas Mayne Daly
(Acting) 		January 6, 1896 January 14, 1896 Liberal-Conservative
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 10 File:Arthur Rupert Dickey.jpg Arthur Rupert Dickey January 15, 1896 April 27, 1896 Conservative (historical)
May 1, 1896 July 8, 1896 7 (Tupper)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 11 File:Oliver Mowat.jpg Sir Oliver Mowat July 13, 1896 November 17, 1897 Liberal 8 (Laurier)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 12 File:David Mills (Canada).jpg David Mills November 18, 1897 February 7, 1902 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 13 File:Charles Fitzpatrick 2.jpg Charles Fitzpatrick February 11, 1902 June 3, 1906 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 14 File:Allen Bristol Aylesworth.jpg Sir Allen Aylesworth June 4, 1906 October 6, 1911 Liberal
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 15 File:Charles Joseph Doherty.jpg Charles Doherty October 10, 1911 July 9, 1920 Conservative (historical) 9•10 (Borden)
July 10, 1920 September 20, 1921 11 (Meighen)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 16 File:Richard Bedford Bennett.jpg R. B. Bennett October 4, 1921 December 28, 1921 Conservative (historical)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 17 File:Lomer Gouin, 2nd in 1910.png Lomer Gouin December 29, 1921 January 3, 1924 Liberal 12 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 18 File:ErnestLapointe.jpg Ernest Lapointe
(1st time) 		January 4, 1924
(Acting until Jan.30)		 June 28, 1926 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| – File:Hugh Guthrie.jpg Hugh Guthrie
(Acting) 		June 29, 1926 July 12, 1926 Conservative (historical) 13 (Meighen)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 19 File:Esioff-Léon Patenaude.png Esioff-Léon Patenaude July 13, 1926 September 24, 1926 Conservative (historical)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| (18) File:ErnestLapointe.jpg Ernest Lapointe
(2nd time) 		September 25, 1926 August 6, 1930 Liberal 14 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 20 File:Hugh Guthrie.jpg Hugh Guthrie August 7, 1930 August 11, 1935 Conservative (historical) 15 (Bennett)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 21 File:G. R. Geary, Mayor of Toronto Ontario Canada, 1910-1912.jpg George Reginald Geary August 14, 1935 October 22, 1935 Conservative (historical)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| (18) File:ErnestLapointe.jpg Ernest Lapointe
(3rd time) 		October 23, 1935 November 26, 1941 Liberal 16 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – File:Joseph Enoil Michaud.jpg Joseph-Enoil Michaud
(Acting) 		November 27, 1941 December 9, 1941 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 22 File:Louisstlaurent.jpg Louis St. Laurent
(1st time) 		December 10, 1941 December 9, 1946 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 23 File:James Lorimer Ilsley1.jpg James Lorimer Ilsley December 10, 1946 June 30, 1948 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| (22) File:Louisstlaurent.jpg Louis St. Laurent
(2nd time) 		July 1, 1948
(Acting until Sep.10)		 November 14, 1948 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 24 File:Stuart Garson.jpg Stuart Garson November 15, 1948 June 20, 1957 Liberal 17 (St. Laurent)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 25 File:EdmundDavieFulton-1916.jpg Davie Fulton June 21, 1957 August 8, 1962 Progressive Conservative 18 (Diefenbaker)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 26 File:Donald Fleming.jpg Donald Fleming August 9, 1962 April 21, 1963 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 27 File:Lionel Chevrier.jpg Lionel Chevrier April 22, 1963 February 2, 1964 Liberal 19 (Pearson)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 28 File:Guy Favreau portrait 1966.jpg Guy Favreau February 3, 1964 June 29, 1965 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – File:George James McIlraith a047411-v8.jpg George McIlraith
(Acting) 		June 30, 1965 July 6, 1965 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 29 File:Lucien Cardin portrait 1966.jpg Lucien Cardin July 7, 1965 April 3, 1967 Liberal
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 30 File:Pierre Elliot Trudeau-2.jpg Pierre Trudeau April 4, 1967 April 19, 1968 Liberal
April 20, 1968 July 5, 1968 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 31 File:Finance Minister John Turner speaks to reporters 1975 (cropped).jpg John Turner July 6, 1968 January 27, 1972 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 32 File:No image.svg Otto Lang
(1st time) 		January 28, 1972 September 25, 1975 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 33 File:No image.svg Ron Basford September 26, 1975 August 2, 1978 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| (32) File:No image.svg Otto Lang
(2nd time) 		August 3, 1978
(Acting until Aug.9)		 November 23, 1978 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 34 File:No image.svg Marc Lalonde November 24, 1978 June 3, 1979 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 35 File:No image.svg Jacques Flynn June 4, 1979 March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 36 File:Jean Chrétien1.jpg Jean Chrétien March 3, 1980 September 9, 1982 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 37 File:No image.svg Mark MacGuigan September 10, 1982 June 29, 1984 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 38 File:Don Johnston.jpg Donald Johnston June 30, 1984 September 16, 1984 Liberal 23 (Turner)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 39 File:Crosbie 1983-2 crop.jpg John Crosbie September 17, 1984 June 29, 1986 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 40 Ray Hnatyshyn June 30, 1986 December 7, 1988 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| – File:JoeClark.jpg Joe Clark
(Acting) 		December 8, 1988 January 29, 1989 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 41 File:No image.svg Doug Lewis January 30, 1989 February 22, 1990 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 42 File:KimCampbell.jpg Kim Campbell February 23, 1990 January 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 43 File:No image.svg Pierre Blais January 4, 1993 June 24, 1993 Progressive Conservative
June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 25 (Campbell)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 44 File:Allan-rock-wLKc.jpg Allan Rock November 4, 1993 June 10, 1997 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 45 File:FEMA - 14172 Anne McLellan cropped.jpg Anne McLellan June 11, 1997 January 14, 2002 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 46 File:Martin Cauchon.PNG Martin Cauchon January 15, 2002 December 11, 2003 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 47 File:Irwin Cotler.jpg Irwin Cotler December 12, 2003 February 5, 2006 Liberal 27 (Martin)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour"| 48 File:Vic Toews.jpg Vic Toews February 6, 2006 January 3, 2007 Conservative 28 (Harper)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 49 File:Rob Nicholson infobox.jpg Rob Nicholson January 4, 2007 July 13, 2013 Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 50 File:Peter MacKay 2014.jpg Peter MacKay July 13, 2013 November 4, 2015 Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 51 File:Jody Wilson-Raybould.jpg Jody Wilson-Raybould November 4, 2015 January 14, 2019 Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 52 File:David Lametti 2023-02-17.jpg David Lametti January 14, 2019 July 26, 2023 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 53 File:Arif Virani 2.jpg Arif Virani July 26, 2023 March 14, 2025 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 54 File:2025 Gary Anandasangaree - (cropped).jpg Gary Anandasangaree March 14, 2025 May 13, 2025 Liberal 30 (Carney)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 55 File:Sean Fraser - Collision 2023 - Centre Stage VR3 8228 (cropped).jpg Sean Fraser May 13, 2025 Incumbent Liberal

See also

Historical roles

References

<references />

Further reading

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