View source for Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture

{{Short description|Canadian federal cabinet position}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture
| body = 
| flag = 
| flagsize = 
| flagcaption = 
| insignia = 
| insigniasize = 200px
| insigniacaption = 
| image = Steven Guilbeault - 2022 (52548719776) (cropped).jpg
| incumbent = [[Steven Guilbeault]]
| incumbentsince = March 14, 2025
| department = [[Department of Canadian Heritage]]
| style = [[The Honourable]]
| member_of = {{hlist|[[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]|[[Privy Council of Canada|Privy Council]]|{{nowrap|[[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]]}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/OurProcedure/ParliamentaryFramework/c_g_parliamentaryframework-e.htm|title=The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons|website=www.ourcommons.ca|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref>}}
| reports_to = {{hlist|[[Parliament of Canada|Parliament]]|{{nowrap|[[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/rev-exa/ar-er-eng.pdf|title=Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials}}</ref>}}
| residence = 
| seat = 
| appointer = [[Monarchy of Canada|Monarch]] (represented by the [[Governor General of Canada|governor general]]);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/role/responsibilities/constitutional-duties|title=Constitutional Duties|website=The Governor General of Canada|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref>
| appointer_qualified = on the [[Advice (constitutional)|advice]] of the prime minister<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure-book-livre/Document.aspx?sbdid=73CC891E-0676-4773-850B-CCDCB472AD8C&sbpid=BE842475-5632-4969-835B-FC015CE50169&Language=E&Mode=1|title=House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions|website=www.ourcommons.ca|access-date=2020-04-20}}</ref>
| termlength = [[At {{ucfirst:{{Canadian monarch, current|genderp=~}}}} Majesty's pleasure]]
| termlength_qualified = 
| formation = 12 July 1996
| inaugural = [[Sheila Copps]]
| salary = {{nowrap|[[Canadian dollar|CA$]]299,900 (2024)<ref name="salary">{{cite web |url = https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Salaries?ggCheckbox=false&senateCheckbox=false&HocCheckbox=true |title=Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances |date=April 1, 2024 |access-date=March 15, 2025 }}</ref>}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage.html}}
| native_name = {{lang|fr|Ministre de l'Identité et de la Culture canadiennes}}
}}
{{Politics of Canada}}

The '''minister of Canadian identity and culture''' ({{langx|fr|ministre de l'identité et de la culture canadiennes}}) is the [[minister of the Crown]] responsible for the [[Department of Canadian Heritage]] and [[Parks Canada]]. The minister is a member of the [[King's Privy Council for Canada]] and the [[Cabinet of Canada|Canadian Cabinet]].

[[Steven Guilbeault]] has been the minister of Canadian identity and culture since March 14, 2025; he previously held the role from 2019 to 2021. The minister is selected by the [[Prime Minister of Canada|prime minister]] and appointed by the Crown. The role was created in 1996 as the '''minister of Canadian heritage''' ({{langx|fr|ministre du patrimoine canadien}}) to lead the government's [[Canadian culture|culture]], [[Media in Canada|media]], [[Sport in Canada|sports]], and [[Art in Canada|arts]] initiatives. In March 2025, the role was renamed as the '''minister of Canadian culture and identity, Parks Canada and Quebec lieutenant''', and the portfolio assumed responsibility for Parks Canada. The simplified title was adopted in May 2025.

==History==
The position was created in 1996 as the '''Minister of Canadian Heritage''' to combine the posts of [[Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship (Canada)|minister of multiculturalism and citizenship]] and [[Minister of Communications (Canada)|minister of communications]]. The "status of women" was merged from the [[Minister responsible for the Status of Women (Canada)|minister responsible for the status of women]] in 2006. In 2008, the status of women portfolio was transferred to a [[Minister of State (Canada)|minister of state]].

On August 16, 2013, the multiculturalism portfolio was assigned to [[Jason Kenney]], who was appointed [[Minister for Multiculturalism (Canada)|minister for multiculturalism]] in addition to his other portfolios.

Those portfolios and responsibilities such as for the [[Canadian Race Relations Foundation]], were returned to the heritage minister with the swearing in of the [[29th Canadian Ministry]] in November 2015.<ref name="Cabinet name changes">{{cite web | url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-cabinet-fine-print-details-buried-1.3307475 | title=Justin Trudeau's cabinet: 6 changes found in the fine print | publisher=[[CBC News]] | date=7 November 2015 | access-date=7 November 2015 | author=McGregor, Janyce}}</ref> The heritage minister also gained responsibility for the [[National Capital Commission]], which was formerly under the senior [[Ottawa]]-area cabinet minister under the Harper government; and the [[Canadian Secretary to the Queen|Canadian secretary to the Queen]], which was previously under the [[Privy Council Office (Canada)|Privy Council Office]].<ref name="Cabinet name changes" />

The position was modified slightly on March 14, 2025, at the start of the [[30th Canadian Ministry]], gaining responsibility for [[Parks Canada]] from the [[Minister of Environment and Climate Change]] and being officially renamed the '''Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant ''' ({{langx|fr|Ministre de la Culture et de l’Identité canadiennes, Parcs Canada et lieutenant du Québec}}); while the role of [[Quebec lieutenant]] had previously been held by [[Pablo Rodriguez (Canadian politician)|Pablo Rodriguez]] during his stint as Minister of Canadian Heritage, this was the first time the role of Quebec lieutenant was formally included in the minister's title.

In May 2025, the position was renamed to Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prime Minister announces new Ministry |url=https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/05/13/prime-minister-announces-new-ministry |website=Prime Minister of Canada |access-date=14 May 2025 |language=en |date=13 May 2025}}</ref>

Traditionally, the minister attends the [[Juno Awards]] to present the awards for Breakthrough Artist and Breakthrough Group Of The Year.

==List of ministers==
'''Key:'''

{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|[[Liberal Party of Canada]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}|[[Conservative Party of Canada]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{| class="wikitable"
!No.
!Portrait
!Name
!colspan=2|Term of office
!Political party
!Ministry
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Heritage
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 1
| [[File:Sheila Copps (cropped).jpg|50px]]
| [[Sheila Copps]]
| July 12, 1996 || December 11, 2003
|rowspan=3| [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
| [[26th Canadian Ministry|26]] <small>([[Jean Chrétien|Chrétien]])</small>
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 2
|
| [[Hélène Scherrer]]
| December 12, 2003 || July 19, 2004
|rowspan=2| [[27th Canadian Ministry|27]] <small>([[Paul Martin|Martin]])</small>
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 3
|
| [[Liza Frulla]]
| July 20, 2004 || February 5, 2006
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};"| 4
| [[File:Bev Oda UNDP 2010.jpg|50px]]
| [[Bev Oda]]
| February 6, 2006 || August 14, 2007
|rowspan=2| [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]]
|rowspan=2| [[28th Canadian Ministry|28]] <small>([[Stephen Harper|Harper]])</small>
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};"| 5
| 
| [[Josée Verner]]
| August 14, 2007 || October 29, 2008
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};"| 6
| [[File:James Moore 2014.jpg|50px]]
| [[James Moore (Canadian politician)|James Moore]]
| October 30, 2008 || July 15, 2013
|rowspan=2| Conservative
|rowspan=2| 28 <small>(Harper)</small>
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};"| 7
| [[File:Shelly Glover 2014.jpg|50px]]
| [[Shelly Glover]]
| July 15, 2013 || November 4, 2015
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Heritage
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 8
| [[File:Joly cropped.jpg|50px]]
| [[Mélanie Joly]]
| November 4, 2015 || July 18, 2018
| rowspan=1| Liberal
| rowspan=1| [[29th Canadian Ministry|29]] <small>([[Justin Trudeau|J. Trudeau]])</small>
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 9
| [[File:Réseau Express Métropolitain (inauguration) 12 - Pablo Rodriguez (3-4 crop).jpg|50px]]
| [[Pablo Rodriguez (Canadian politician)|Pablo Rodriguez]]
| July 18, 2018 || November 20, 2019
| rowspan=1| Liberal
| rowspan=1| 29 <small>(J. Trudeau)</small>
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Heritage
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 10
| [[File:Steven Guilbeault - 2022 (52548719776) (cropped).jpg|50px]]
| [[Steven Guilbeault]]
| November 20, 2019 || October 26, 2021
| rowspan=3| Liberal
| rowspan=3| 29 <small>(J. Trudeau)</small>
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| <small>(9)</small>
| [[File:Réseau Express Métropolitain (inauguration) 12 - Pablo Rodriguez (3-4 crop).jpg|50px]]
| [[Pablo Rodriguez (Canadian politician)|Pablo Rodriguez]]
| October 26, 2021|| July 26, 2023
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 11
| [[File:Pascale St-Onge at Halton Field Hockey Club (cropped).jpg|50px]]
| [[Pascale St-Onge]]
| July 26, 2023|| March 14, 2025<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=14 March 2025 |title=Swearing-in of the 30th Canadian Ministry |url=https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/03/14/swearing-30th-canadian-ministry |access-date=14 March 2025 |website=Government of Canada}}</ref>
|-
! colspan=7|Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | <small>(10)</small>
| [[File:Steven Guilbeault - 2022 (52548719776) (cropped).jpg|50px]]
|[[Steven Guilbeault]]
|March 14, 2025<ref name=":0" />
|May 13, 2025<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-05-13 |title=Prime Minister announces new Ministry |url=https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/05/13/prime-minister-announces-new-ministry |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Prime Minister of Canada |language=en}}</ref>
| Liberal
| [[30th Canadian Ministry|30]] <small>([[Mark Carney|Carney]])</small>
|-
! colspan="7" |Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture
|-
! style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | <small>(10)</small>
|[[File:Steven Guilbeault - 2022 (52548719776) (cropped).jpg|50px]]
|[[Steven Guilbeault]]
|May 13, 2025<ref name=":1" />
|''Incumbent''
|Liberal
|[[30th Canadian Ministry|30]] <small>([[Mark Carney|Carney]])</small>
|}

==Responsibilities==
Prior to 2003, their responsibilities included [[National Parks of Canada|National Parks]] and [[List of national historic sites of Canada|historic sites]]. The minister is responsible for:
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*[[Department of Canadian Heritage]]
*[[Canada Council|Canada Council for the Arts]]
*[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]
*[[Canadian Race Relations Foundation]]<ref name="Cabinet name changes" />
*[[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]]
*[[Canadian Secretary to the King]]<ref name="Cabinet name changes" />
*[[Library and Archives Canada]]
*[[National Arts Centre]]
*[[National Battlefields Commission]]
*[[National Capital Commission]]<ref name="Cabinet name changes" />
*[[National Film Board of Canada]]
*[[Canadian Museum of History]]
*[[Canadian War Museum]]
*[[Virtual Museum of New France]]
*[[Canadian Museum for Human Rights]]
*[[Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21]]
*[[Canadian Museum of Nature]]
*[[Ingenium]] ([[Canada Science and Technology Museum]], [[Canada Agriculture Museum|Canada Agriculture and Food Museum]], [[Canada Aviation and Space Museum]])
*[[National Gallery of Canada]]
*[[Portrait Gallery of Canada]])
*[[Public Service Commission of Canada]]
*[[Public Service Staff Relations Board]]
*[[Telefilm Canada]]
}}

Since 2025, the minister has also been responsible for [[Parks Canada]] and is the government's [[Quebec lieutenant]].

==General duties==
The minister's general powers, duties, and functions are set out by section 4 of the ''Department of Canadian Heritage Act'',<ref>[http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/sc-1995-c-11/latest/sc-1995-c-11.html Department of Canadian Heritage Act, S.C. 1995, c. 11]</ref> which provides as follows:

'''(1)''' The powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not by law assigned to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to Canadian identity and values, cultural development and heritage.

'''(2)''' The Minister's jurisdiction referred to in subsection (1) encompasses, but is not limited to, jurisdiction over
*the promotion of a greater understanding of human rights, fundamental freedoms and related values;
*multiculturalism;
*the arts, including cultural aspects of the status of the artist;
*cultural heritage and industries, including performing arts, visual and audio-visual arts, publishing, sound recording, film, video and literature;
*national battlefields;
*the encouragement, promotion and development of sport;
*the advancement of the equality of status and use of English and French and the enhancement and development of the English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada;
*state ceremonial and Canadian symbols;
*broadcasting, except in respect of spectrum management and the technical aspects of broadcasting;
*the formulation of cultural policy, including the formulation of cultural policy as it relates to foreign investment and copyright;
*the conservation, exportation and importation of cultural property; and
*national museums, archives and libraries.

In addition, sections 42 to 44 of the Official Languages Act confer certain other responsibilities on the minister of Canadian heritage<ref>[http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/rsc-1985-c-31-4th-supp/latest/rsc-1985-c-31-4th-supp.html#PART_VII_ADVANCEMENT_OF_ENGLISH_AND_FRENCH_89648 Official Languages Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 31 (4th Supp.)]</ref> (see [[minister responsible for Official Languages (Canada)]]).

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

}}

===Sources===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120303212736/http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/pc-ch/min/index-eng.cfm Our Ministers and Secretaries of State]
*{{cite news|url= http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/full-list-of-justin-trudeau-s-cabinet-1.3300699|title= Full list of Justin Trudeau's cabinet 31-member cabinet includes 15 women, attempt at regional balance| publisher = [[CBC News]]| date= 2015-11-04}}
{{Cabinet of Canada}}

{{Department of Canadian Heritage}}

[[Category:Ministerial offices in Canada|Canadian Heritage, Minister of]]
[[Category:Culture of Canada]]
[[Category:Culture ministers of Canada|*]]
[[Category:Department of Canadian Heritage|*]]