Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation

The Ministries

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Twelfth Ministry

Liberal 1
29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Prime Minister
Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King 2

The Ministry
Position Title
NameService Date /
Termination Date
Minister of Agriculture
Hon. William Richard Motherwell   29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Customs and Excise
Hon. Jacques Bureau   29 Dec. 1921 - 4 Sept. 1925
Hon. Georges-Henri Boivin   5 Sept. 1925 - 28 June 1926

Secretary of State for External Affairs3  
Rt Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King   29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Finance and Receiver General
Rt Hon. William Stevens Fielding   29 Dec. 1921 - 4 Sept. 1925
Hon. James Alexander Robb  4   5 Sept. 1925 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Immigration and Colonization
Vacant  29 Dec. 1921 - 2 Jan. 1922
Hon. Hewitt Bostock  Senator  3 Jan. 1922 - 2 Feb. 1922
Vacant  3 Feb. 1922 - 19 Feb. 1922
Hon. Charles Stewart   20 Feb. 1922 - 16 Aug. 1923
Hon. James Alexander Robb  4   17 Aug. 1923 - 4 Sept. 1925
Vacant  5 Sept. 1925 - 6 Sept. 1925
Hon. George Newcombe Gordon   7 Sept. 1925 - 12 Nov. 1925
Hon. Charles Stewart   13 Nov. 1925 - 28 June 1926

Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs5  
Hon. Charles Stewart   29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Minister of the Interior5  
Hon. Charles Stewart   29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Hon. Sir Jean Lomer Gouin   29 Dec. 1921 - 3 Jan. 1924
Hon. Ernest Lapointe   4 Jan. 1924 - 29 Jan. 1924
Hon. Ernest Lapointe  6   30 Jan. 1924 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Labour
Hon. James Murdock   29 Dec. 1921 - 12 Nov. 1925
Hon. James Horace King   13 Nov. 1925 - 7 March 1926
Hon. John Campbell Elliott  7   8 March 1926 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Marine and Fisheries8  
Hon. Ernest Lapointe  6   29 Dec. 1921 - 29 Jan. 1924
Hon. Pierre Joseph Arthur Cardin   30 Jan. 1924 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Militia and Defence8  9  
Hon. George Perry Graham  10   29 Dec. 1921 - 31 Dec. 1922

Minister of Mines11  
Hon. Charles Stewart   29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Minister without Portfolio
Hon. Raoul Dandurand  Senator  29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926
Hon. Thomas Andrew Low  12   29 Dec. 1921 - 16 Aug. 1923
Hon. John Ewen Sinclair   30 Dec. 1921 - 29 Oct. 1925
Hon. Edward Mortimer Macdonald  13   12 April 1923 - 16 Aug. 1923
Hon. Harold Buchanan McGiverin   20 Sept. 1924 - 29 Oct. 1925
Hon. Herbert Meredith Marler   9 Sept. 1925 - 6 Jan. 1926
Hon. Charles Vincent Massey   16 Sept. 1925 - 12 Nov. 1925
Hon. George Perry Graham  10   20 Feb. 1926 - 6 April 1926

Minister of National Defence9  
Hon. George Perry Graham  10   1 Jan. 1923 - 27 April 1923
Hon. Edward Mortimer Macdonald   28 April 1923 - 16 Aug. 1923
Hon. Edward Mortimer Macdonald   17 Aug. 1923 - 28 June 1926

Minister of the Naval Service8  9  
Hon. George Perry Graham  10   29 Dec. 1921 - 31 Dec. 1922

Postmaster General
Hon. Charles Murphy  Senator  29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

President of the Privy Council
Rt Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King   29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Public Works
Hon. Hewitt Bostock  Senator  29 Dec. 1921 - 2 Feb. 1922
Hon. James Horace King   3 Feb. 1922 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Railways and Canals
Hon. William Costello Kennedy   29 Dec. 1921 - 18 Jan. 1923
Vacant  19 Jan. 1923 - 27 April 1923
Hon. George Perry Graham  10   28 April 1923 - 19 Feb. 1926
Vacant  20 Feb. 1926 - 28 Feb. 1926
Hon. Charles Avery Dunning   1 March 1926 - 28 June 1926

Secretary of State of Canada14  
Hon. Arthur Bliss Copp   29 Dec. 1921 - 24 Sept. 1925
Vacant  25 Sept. 1925 - 25 Sept. 1925
Hon. Walter Edward Foster   26 Sept. 1925 - 12 Nov. 1925
Hon. Charles Murphy  Senator  13 Nov. 1925 - 23 March 1926
Hon. Ernest Lapointe  6   24 March 1926 - 28 June 1926

Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment15  
Hon. Henri Sévérin Béland  Senator  29 Dec. 1921 - 14 April 1926
Hon. John Campbell Elliott  7   15 April 1926 - 28 June 1926

Solicitor General of Canada16  
Hon. Daniel Duncan McKenzie   29 Dec. 1921 - 10 April 1923
Vacant  11 April 1923 - 13 Nov. 1923
Hon. Edward James McMurray   14 Nov. 1923 - 22 May 1925
Vacant  23 May 1925 - 4 Sept. 1925

Minister of Trade and Commerce
Hon. James Alexander Robb  4   29 Dec. 1921 - 16 Aug. 1923
Hon. Thomas Andrew Low   17 Aug. 1923 - 12 Nov. 1925
Hon. James Alexander Robb   13 Nov. 1925 - 28 June 1926
Not of the Cabinet
Position Title
NameService Date /
Termination Date
Parliamentary Secretary of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment
Vacant  29 Dec. 1921 - 28 June 1926

Solicitor General of Canada16  
Hon. Lucien Cannon   5 Sept. 1925 - 28 June 1926
Not of the Ministry
Position Title
NameService Date /
Termination Date
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for External Affairs
Lucien-Turcotte Pacaud   29 Dec. 1921 - 26 Oct. 1922

Footnotes

  • [1] With the defeat of the Government in the general election of December 6, 1921, Meighen resigned from office. His resignation was accepted and the Twelfth Ministry was sworn to office on December 29, 1921. In the general election of October 29, 1925 the ministry was returned to office, but King himself was defeated. He was re-elected to the House of Commons in a by-election on February 15, 1926.
  • [2] King was also President of the Privy Council.
  • [3] The Prime Minister was ex officio the Secretary of State for External Affairs.
  • [4] Robb was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on December 29, 1921; Minister of Immigration and Colonization on August 17, 1923; and Minister of Finance and Receiver General on September 5, 1925.
  • [5] The Minister of the Interior was ex officio the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs.
  • [6] Lapointe was appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries on December 29, 1921; Minister of Justice and Attorney General on January 30, 1924; and Secretary of State of Canada on March 24, 1926.
  • [7] Elliott was appointed Minister of Labour on March 8, 1926; and Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment on April 15, 1926.
  • [8] On the formation of the Twelfth Ministry, Graham was appointed both Minister of Militia and Defence and Minister of the Naval Service. On February 10, 1922, by Order in Council pursuant to the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Naval Service were transferred from the Minister of Marine and Fisheries to the Minister of Militia and Defence. See Minister of National Defence.
  • [9] The offices of Minister of Militia and Defence and Minister of the Naval Service were abolished and the office of Minister of National Defence was created by Statute 12-13 Geo, V, c. 34, assented to on June 28, 1922 and proclaimed in force on November 24, 1922.
  • [10] Graham was appointed Minister of Militia and Defence and Minister of the Naval Service on December 29, 1921; Minister of National Defence on January 1, 1923; Minister of Railways and Canals on April 28, 1923; and Minister without Portfolio on February 20, 1926.
  • [11] The Department of Mines was presided over by the minister of another department who was to be named by the Governor in Council and who was to be called "The Minister of Mines". During the Twelfth Ministry the Minister of the Interior was named Minister of Mines.
  • [12] Low was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on August 17, 1923.
  • [13] Macdonald was appointed Minister of National Defence on August 17, 1923.
  • [14] The Secretary of State of Canada was ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.
  • [15] The Department of Health was presided over by the minister of another department who was to be named by the Governor in Council. During the Twelfth Ministry each successive Minister of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment was designated to preside over the department.
  • [16] See also Not of the Cabinet, Solicitor General of Canada.

The Canadian Ministry was prepared using an earlier publication (Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation) and new information compiled by the Orders in Council Division of the Privy Council Office.

Any inaccuracy or general inquiries should be brought to the attention of the Orders in Council Division at oica-ndec@pco-bcp.gc.ca.