Minister of National Defence (Canada)

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox official post The minister of national defence (MND; Template:Langx) is a minister of the Crown in the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the management and direction of all matters relating to the national defence of Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Department of National Defence is headed by the deputy minister of national defence (the department's senior civil servant), while the Canadian Armed Forces are headed by the chief of the Defence Staff (the senior serving military officer).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Both are responsible to the minister of national defence. The King (represented by the governor general of Canada) is Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces and has final authority on all orders and laws for the "defence of the realm".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>

The minister is responsible, through the tenets of responsible government, to Parliament for "the management and direction of the Canadian Forces". Any orders and instructions for the Canadian Armed Forces are issued by or through the chief of the defence staff.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Department of National Defence exists to aid the minister in carrying out her responsibilities, and acts as the civilian support system for the Canadian Forces.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The current minister of national defence is David McGuinty. The parliamentary secretary, who represents the minister when he is away from the House of Commons, is Bryan May.

History

On January 1, 1923, the National Defence Act, 1922 came into effect, merging the Department of Militia and Defence, the Department of the Naval Service, and the Air Board to form the Department of National Defence. The ministerial heads of the former departments, the minister of militia and defence, the minister of the naval service, and the minister of aviation were merged to form a new position, the minister of national defence.

During the Second World War, the minister of national defence was assisted by two subordinate ministers. The minister of national defence for air was an additional minister in the Department of National Defence responsible for the Royal Canadian Air Force; while the minister of National Defence for Naval Services was another minister in the Department of National Defence responsible for the Royal Canadian Navy. The air and naval post was reincorporated into the portfolio of the minister of national defence following the Second World War.

The Munsinger affair was Canada's first national political sex scandal in 1966. The affair involved Gerda Munsinger, a German citizen who had been convicted in Germany as a common prostitute, a petty thief and a smuggler, who emigrated to Canada in 1956 in spite of a warning card dated 1952, and who was in 1960 the mistress of the former Associate Minister of National Defence Pierre Sévigny. Munsinger was "a self-admitted espionage agent" in the employ of the "Russian Intelligence Service".<ref name=1gerda>Template:Cite web</ref>

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The Defence Portfolio

The Defence Portfolio is a collection of organizations and agencies that report to the minister of national defence. Although deputy heads for individual agencies direct and oversee the activities of their agency, the minister is accountable to Parliament for its activities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Defence Portfolio includes:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The minister of national defence is also the designated lead minister for search and rescue (LMSAR) within the federal government.

List of ministers

Key:

Template:Legend Template:Legend Template:Legend

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 1 File:George Perry Graham (cropped).jpg George Perry Graham January 1, 1923 April 27, 1923 Liberal 12 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 2 File:Edward Mortimer Macdonald.jpg Edward Mortimer Macdonald April 28, 1923
(Acting until Aug.17)		 June 28, 1926 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 3 File:Hugh Guthrie.jpg 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)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – File:James Alexander Robb.jpg James Robb
(Acting) 		October 1, 1926 October 7, 1926 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 4 File:James Ralston3.png James Ralston
(1st time) 		October 8, 1926 August 7, 1930 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 5 File:Donald Matheson Sutherland.jpg Donald Matheson Sutherland August 7, 1930 November 16, 1934 Conservative (historical) 15 (Bennett)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 6 File:Hon. Grote Stirling (cropped).jpg Grote Stirling November 17, 1934 October 23, 1935 Conservative (historical)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 7 File:Ian Alastair Mackenzie.jpg Ian Alistair Mackenzie October 24, 1935 September 18, 1939 Liberal 16 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 8 File:Norman McLeod Rogers.jpg Norman McLeod Rogers September 19, 1939 June 10, 1940 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – File:Charles Gavan Power portrait.jpg Charles Power
(Acting) 		June 11, 1940 July 4, 1940 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| (4) File:James Ralston3.png James Ralston
(2nd time) 		July 5, 1940 November 1, 1944 Liberal
style="background:Template:Party shading/None;"| 9 File:LGen Andrew McNaughton, 1942 cropped.jpg Andrew McNaughton November 2, 1944 August 20, 1945 Military
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 10 File:Douglas Charles Abbott.jpg Douglas Abbott August 21, 1945 December 9, 1946 Liberal
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 11 File:Brooke Claxton.jpg Brooke Claxton December 10, 1946 November 15, 1948 Liberal
November 15, 1948 June 30, 1954 17 (St. Laurent)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 12 File:Ralph Osborne Campney portrait.jpg Ralph Campney July 1, 1954 June 20, 1957 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 13 File:George Pearkes 1917.jpg George Pearkes June 21, 1957 October 10, 1960 Progressive Conservative 18 (Diefenbaker)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 14 File:Douglas Harkness.jpeg Douglas Harkness October 11, 1960 February 3, 1963 Progressive Conservative
– Vacant February 4, 1963 February 11, 1963 —
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 15 File:Gordon Churchill portrait.jpg Gordon Churchill February 12, 1963 April 21, 1963 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 16 File:Paul Hellyer portrait.jpg Paul Hellyer April 22, 1963 September 18, 1967 Liberal 19 (Pearson)
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 17 File:Léo Cadieux portrait.jpg Léo Cadieux September 18, 1967 April 19, 1968 Liberal
April 20, 1968 September 16, 1970 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – Charles Drury
(1st time; Acting) 		September 17, 1970 September 23, 1970 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 18 File:No image.svg Donald Macdonald September 24, 1970 January 27, 1972 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 19 File:Edgar John Benson.jpg Edgar Benson January 28, 1972 August 31, 1972 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – File:No image.svg Jean-Eudes Dubé
(Acting) 		September 1, 1972 September 6, 1972 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| – Charles Drury
(2nd time; Acting) 		September 7, 1972 November 26, 1972 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 20 File:No image.svg James Richardson November 27, 1972 October 12, 1976 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 21 File:No image.svg Barney Danson October 13, 1976
(Acting until Nov.3)		 June 3, 1979 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 22 File:No image.svg Allan McKinnon June 4, 1979 March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 23 File:No image.svg Gilles Lamontagne March 3, 1980 August 11, 1983 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 24 File:No image.svg Jean–Jacques Blais August 12, 1983 June 29, 1984 Liberal
June 30, 1984 September 16, 1984 23 (Turner)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 25 File:No image.svg Robert Coates September 17, 1984 February 11, 1985 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 26 File:No image.svg Erik Nielsen February 12, 1985
(Acting until Feb.26)		 June 29, 1986 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 27 File:No image.svg Perrin Beatty June 30, 1986 January 29, 1989 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 28 File:Bill McKnight.jpg Bill McKnight January 30, 1989 April 20, 1991 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 29 File:Marcel Masse 2012-04-12.jpg Marcel Masse April 21, 1991 January 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 30 File:KimCampbell.jpg Kim Campbell January 4, 1993 June 24, 1993 Progressive Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 31 File:No image.svg Tom Siddon June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative 25 (Campbell)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 32 File:No image.svg David Collenette November 4, 1993 October 4, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 33 File:No image.svg Doug Young October 5, 1996 June 10, 1997 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 34 File:Arthur Eggleton Defense Minister of Canada (cropped).jpg Art Eggleton June 11, 1997 June 25, 2002 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 35 File:John McCallum.jpg John McCallum June 26, 2002 December 11, 2003 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 36 File:David Pratt.jpg David Pratt December 12, 2003 July 19, 2004 Liberal 27 (Martin)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 37 File:Bill Graham by Rod Brito.jpg Bill Graham July 20, 2004 February 5, 2006 Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 38 File:Gordon O'Connor with Robert Gates, Jan 23, 2007, cropped.jpg Gordon O'Connor February 6, 2006 August 14, 2007 Conservative 28 (Harper)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 39 File:Peter MacKay crop.JPG Peter MacKay August 14, 2007 July 15, 2013 Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|40 File:Rob Nicholson infobox.jpg Rob Nicholson July 15, 2013 February 9, 2015 Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"|41 File:Jason Kenney in 2019 - cropped.jpg Jason Kenney February 9, 2015 November 4, 2015 Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 42 File:Harjit Sajjan - 2023 - P060539-646377 (cropped).jpg Harjit Sajjan November 4, 2015 October 26, 2021 Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 43 File:US Secretary of Defense hosts world leaders during UDCG 001 - Anita Anand (cropped).jpg Anita Anand October 26, 2021 July 26, 2023 Liberal
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 44 File:Bill Blair - MOU U.S. - Canada Wildland Fires - Group Shot (002) (cropped).png Bill Blair July 26, 2023 March 14, 2025 Liberal
March 14, 2025 May 13, 2025 30 (Carney)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 45 File:David McGuinty 2025.jpg David McGuinty May 13, 2025 Incumbent Liberal

Ministers with military experience

Name Rank Branch Position (if applicable) / Unit(s)
James Ralston Colonel Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) Commanding Officer, 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalion, CEF
Donald Matheson Sutherland Lieutenant Colonel CEF Officer Commanding, 52nd Battalion (New Ontario) and A Company 1st Battalion, Major, A Squadron 24th Regiment Grey's Horse
Andrew McNaughton General CEF / Canadian Militia / Permanent Active Militia Commanding Officer, 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles and Canadian Corps
Ralph Campney Lieutenant CEF / Canadian Army / Royal Flying Corps No.5 Stationary or General Hospital (Queen's), Commissioned Officer, 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion
Norman McLeod Rogers Lieutenant CEF 6th Nova Scotia Mounted Rifles
Charles Gavan Power Acting Major CEF Canadian Corps
Brooke Claxton Battery Sergeant-Major Victoria Rifles of Canada
George Pearkes Major General CEF / Canadian Militia and Canadian Army Commanding Officer, Canadian Corps
Douglas Harkness Lieutenant Colonel Canadian Army Royal Canadian Artillery
Gordon Churchill Lieutenant Colonel CEF Vickers Machine Gunner, Commanding Officer Fort Garry Horse and 1st Canadian Carrier Regiment (Canadian Corps)
Paul Hellyer Gunner Canadian Army Royal Canadian Artillery
Charles Drury Brigadier General Canadian Army 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
Edgar Benson Sergeant Canadian Corps (Canadian Army) 1st Survey Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
Barney Danson Lieutenant Canadian Army The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
James Armstrong Richardson Pilot Officer RCAF Consolidated Liberator anti-submarine patrol squadron of the (No. 10 Squadron RCAF)
Allan McKinnon Major Canadian Army Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Erik Nielsen Pilot Officer (RAF) / Adjutant (RCAF) Royal Flying Corps / RCAF 101 Squadron and 126 Squadron; RCAF Legal Officer
Gilles Lamontagne Flight Lieutenant RCAF bomber pilot No. 425 Bomber Squadron
Gordon O'Connor Brigadier General Canadian Army Royal Canadian Armoured Corps
Harjit Sajjan Lieutenant Colonel Canadian Army The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own), Royal Canadian Armoured Corps

Bill Graham was enrolled under the University Naval Training Division of the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve and received commission as sub lieutenant in 1960. Graham did not serve in the Navy following his commission and thus does not have military experience.

See also

References

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