Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation

The Ministries

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Nineteenth Ministry

Liberal 1
22 April 1963 - 20 April 1968

Prime Minister
Right Honourable Lester Bowles Pearson

The Ministry
Position Title
NameService Date /
Termination Date
Minister of Agriculture
Hon. Harry William Hays   22 April 1963 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. John James Greene   18 Dec. 1965 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration2  
Hon. Guy Favreau  3   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. René Tremblay  4   3 Feb. 1964 - 14 Feb. 1965
Hon. John Robert Nicholson  5   15 Feb. 1965 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. Jean Marchand  6   18 Dec. 1965 - 30 Sept. 1966

Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs7  
Hon. John Napier Turner  8   21 Dec. 1967 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Defence Production9  
Hon. Charles Mills Drury   22 April 1963 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources10  
Hon. Jean-Luc Pepin  11   1 Oct. 1966 - 20 April 1968

Secretary of State for External Affairs
Hon. Paul Joseph James Martin   22 April 1963 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Finance and Receiver General
Hon. Walter Lockhart Gordon  12   22 April 1963 - 10 Nov. 1965
Hon. Mitchell William Sharp   11 Nov. 1965 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. Mitchell William Sharp  13   18 Dec. 1965 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Fisheries
Hon. Hédard Robichaud   22 April 1963 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Forestry14  
Hon. John Robert Nicholson  5   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. Maurice Sauvé  15   3 Feb. 1964 - 30 Sept. 1966

Minister of Forestry and Rural Development14  
Hon. Maurice Sauvé   1 Oct. 1966 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development9  
Hon. Arthur Laing   1 Oct. 1966 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Industry9  
Hon. Charles Mills Drury   25 July 1963 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Hon. Lionel Chevrier   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. Guy Favreau  3   3 Feb. 1964 - 29 June 1965
Hon. George James McIlraith   30 June 1965 - 6 July 1965
Hon. Louis Joseph Lucien Cardin  16   7 July 1965 - 3 April 1967
Hon. Pierre Elliott Trudeau   4 April 1967 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Labour
Hon. Allan Joseph MacEachen  17   22 April 1963 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. John Robert Nicholson  5   18 Dec. 1965 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Manpower and Immigration2  
Hon. Jean Marchand   1 Oct. 1966 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys10  
Hon. William Moore Benidickson   22 April 1963 - 6 July 1965
Hon. John Watson MacNaught   7 July 1965 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. Jean-Luc Pepin  11   18 Dec. 1965 - 30 Sept. 1966

Minister without Portfolio
Hon. William Ross Macdonald  Senator  22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. John Watson MacNaught  18   22 April 1963 - 6 July 1965
Hon. René Tremblay  4   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. John Joseph Connolly  Senator  3 Feb. 1964 - 20 April 1968
Hon. Yvon Dupuis   3 Feb. 1964 - 21 Jan. 1965
Hon. Lawrence Pennell  18   7 July 1965 - 30 Sept. 1966
Hon. Jean-Luc Pepin  11   7 July 1965 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. John Napier Turner  8   18 Dec. 1965 - 3 April 1967
Hon. Walter Lockhart Gordon  12   9 Jan. 1967 - 3 April 1967
Hon. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien  19   4 April 1967 - 17 Jan. 1968
Hon. Charles Ronald McKay Granger   25 Sept. 1967 - 20 April 1968
Hon. Bryce Stuart Mackasey   9 Feb. 1968 - 20 April 1968

Associate Minister of National Defence
Hon. Louis Joseph Lucien Cardin  16   22 April 1963 - 14 Feb. 1965
Hon. Léo Alphonse Joseph Cadieux  20   15 Feb. 1965 - 18 Sept. 1967
Vacant  19 Sept. 1967 - 20 April 1968

Minister of National Defence
Hon. Paul Theodore Hellyer  21   22 April 1963 - 18 Sept. 1967
Hon. Léo Alphonse Joseph Cadieux   19 Sept. 1967 - 20 April 1968

Minister of National Health and Welfare
Hon. Julia Verlyn LaMarsh  22   22 April 1963 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. Allan Joseph MacEachen   18 Dec. 1965 - 20 April 1968

Minister of National Revenue
Hon. John Richard Garland   22 April 1963 - 14 March 1964
Vacant  15 March 1964 - 18 March 1964
Hon. George James McIlraith   19 March 1964 - 28 June 1964
Hon. Edgar John Benson  23   29 June 1964 - 17 Jan. 1968
Hon. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien   18 Jan. 1968 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources24  
Hon. Arthur Laing  25   22 April 1963 - 30 Sept. 1966

Postmaster General
Hon. Azellus Denis   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. John Robert Nicholson  5   3 Feb. 1964 - 14 Feb. 1965
Hon. René Tremblay  4   15 Feb. 1965 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. Joseph Julien Jean-Pierre Côté   18 Dec. 1965 - 20 April 1968

President of the Privy Council
Hon. Maurice Lamontagne  26   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. George James McIlraith  27   3 Feb. 1964 - 6 July 1965
Hon. Guy Favreau  3   7 July 1965 - 3 April 1967
Hon. Walter Lockhart Gordon  12   4 April 1967 - 10 March 1968
Hon. Pierre Elliott Trudeau   11 March 1968 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Public Works
Hon. Jean-Paul Deschatelets   22 April 1963 - 11 Feb. 1965
Vacant  12 Feb. 1965 - 14 Feb. 1965
Hon. Louis Joseph Lucien Cardin  16   15 Feb. 1965 - 6 July 1965
Hon. George James McIlraith  27   7 July 1965 - 20 April 1968

Registrar General of Canada28  7  
Hon. Guy Favreau  3   1 Oct. 1966 - 3 April 1967
Hon. John Napier Turner  8   4 April 1967 - 20 Dec. 1967

Secretary of State of Canada
Hon. John Whitney Pickersgill  29   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. Maurice Lamontagne   3 Feb. 1964 - 17 Dec. 1965
Hon. Julia Verlyn LaMarsh   18 Dec. 1965 - 9 April 1968
Hon. John Joseph Connolly   10 April 1968 - 20 April 1968

Solicitor General of Canada18  
Hon. John Watson MacNaught  30   22 April 1963 - 6 July 1965
Hon. Lawrence Pennell   7 July 1965 - 19 April 1968

Minister of Trade and Commerce
Hon. Mitchell William Sharp  13   22 April 1963 - 3 Jan. 1966
Hon. Robert Henry Winters   4 Jan. 1966 - 29 March 1968
Hon. Jean-Luc Pepin   30 March 1968 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Transport
Hon. George James McIlraith  27   22 April 1963 - 2 Feb. 1964
Hon. John Whitney Pickersgill   3 Feb. 1964 - 18 Sept. 1967
Hon. Paul Theodore Hellyer   19 Sept. 1967 - 20 April 1968

President of the Treasury Board31  
Hon. Edgar John Benson  23   1 Oct. 1966 - 20 April 1968

Minister of Veterans Affairs
Hon. Roger Joseph Teillet   22 April 1963 - 20 April 1968

Footnotes

  • [1] With the defeat of the Government in the general election of April 8, 1963, on April 22, the Governor General accepted Diefenbaker's resignation and the Nineteenth Ministry assumed office.
  • [2] The office of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration was abolished and the office of Minister of Manpower and Immigration created by Statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force October 1, 1966.
  • [3] Favreau was appointed Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on April 22, 1963; Minister of Justice and Attorney General on February 3, 1964; President of the Privy Council on July 7, 1965; and Registrar General of Canada on October 1, 1966.
  • [4] Tremblay was appointed Minister without Porfolio on April 22, 1963; Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on February 3, 1964; and Postmaster General on February 15, 1965.
  • [5] Nicholson was appointed Minister of Forestry on April 22, 1963; Postmaster General on February 3, 1964; Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on February 15, 1965; and Minister of Labour on December 18, 1965.
  • [6] Marchand was appointed Minister of Manpower and Immigration on October 1, 1966.
  • [7] The office of Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs was created by Statute 16 Eliz, II, c. 16, and assented to on December 21, 1967. By this Act the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs is to perform the duties of the Registrar General of Canada. See Registrar General of Canada below.
  • [8] Turner was appointed Minister without Portfolio on December 18, 1965; Registrar General of Canada on April 4, 1967; and Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs on December 21, 1967.
  • [9] The office of Minister of Industry was created by Statute 12 Eliz. II, c. 3, assented to on July 22, 1963 and proclaimed in force on July 25, 1963. By this Act the Minister of Industry was to exercise all the duties, powers and functions of the Minister of Defence Production.
  • [10] The office of Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys was abolished and the office of Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources created by statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1966.
  • [11] Pepin was appointed Minister without Portfolio on July 7, 1965; Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys on December 18, 1965; and Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources on October 1, 1966.
  • [12] Gordon was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General on April 22, 1963; Minister without Portfolio on January 9, 1967; and President of the Privy Council on April 4, 1967.
  • [13] Sharp was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on April 22, 1963; and Minister of Finance and Receiver General on December 18, 1965.
  • [14] The office of Minister of Forestry was abolished and the office of Minister of Forestry and Rural Development created by Statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1966.
  • [15] Sauvé was appointed Minister of Forestry and Rural Development on October 1, 1966.
  • [16] Cardin was appointed Minister of National Defence on April 22, 1963; Minister of Justice and Attorney General on July 7, 1965; and Minister of Public Works on February 15, 1965.
  • [17] MacEachen was appointed Minister of National Health and Welfare on December 18, 1965.
  • [18] Statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1966, repealed the Solicitor General Act (R.S.C. 1952, ch. 253) and created the ministerial office of the Solicitor General of Canada. Previously the office was not a cabinet portfolio per se, though frequently the incumbent was sworn of the Privy Council and attended Cabinet meetings. A unique procedure followed during the Nineteenth Ministry was the appointment and swearing of both MacNaught and Pennell as Ministers without Portfolio at the same time each was appointed and sworn of the Privy Council and as Solicitor General of Canada. This apparently was done in order to leave no doubt that the appointees were considered members of the Cabinet.
  • [19] Chrétien was appointed Minister of National Revenue on January 18, 1968.
  • [20] Cadieux was appointed Minister of National Defence on September 19, 1967.
  • [21] Hellyer was appointed Minister of Transport on September 19, 1967.
  • [22] LaMarsh was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on December 18, 1965.
  • [23] Benson was appointed Minister of National Revenue on June 29, 1964; and President of the Treasury Board on October 1, 1966.
  • [24] The office of Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources was abolished and the office of Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development was created by Statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1966.
  • [25] Laing was appointed Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development on October 1, 1966.
  • [26] Lamontagne was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on February 3, 1964.
  • [27] McIlraith was appointed Minister of Transport on April 22, 1963; President of the Privy Council on February 3, 1964; and Minister of Public Works on July 7, 1965.
  • [28] The separate ministerial office of Registrar General of Canada was created by Statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1966. Previously the Secretary of State of Canada was ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.
  • [29] Pickersgill was appointed Minister of Transport on February 3, 1964.
  • [30] MacNaught was appointed Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys on July 7, 1965.
  • [31] The office of President of the Treasury Board was created by Statute 14-15 Eliz. II, c. 25, assented to on June 16, 1966 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1966. Previously the Minister of Finance was ex officio the Chairman of the Treasury Board, which remained a committee of the Privy Council.

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.