Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation
The Ministries
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29
Eighth Ministry
Liberal
1
11 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911
Prime Minister
Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier 2
| Position Title | |
|---|---|
| Name | Service Date / Termination Date |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| Hon. Sydney Arthur Fisher | 13 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Customs3 | |
| Hon. William Paterson | 30 June 1897 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Finance and Receiver General | |
| Vacant | 13 July 1896 - 19 July 1896 |
| Hon. William Stevens Fielding | 20 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs4 | |
| Vacant | 13 July 1896 - 16 July 1896 |
| Hon. Richard William Scott Senator | 17 July 1896 - 16 Nov. 1896 |
| Hon. Clifford Sifton | 17 Nov. 1896 - 28 Feb. 1905 |
| Vacant | 28 Feb. 1905 - 12 March 1905 |
| Rt Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier | 13 March 1905 - 7 April 1905 |
| Hon. Frank Oliver | 8 April 1905 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Inland Revenue3 | |
| Hon. Sir Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière | 30 June 1897 - 21 June 1900 |
| Hon. Michel Esdras Bernier | 22 June 1900 - 18 Jan. 1904 |
| Hon. Louis-Philippe Brodeur 5 | 19 Jan. 1904 - 5 Feb. 1906 |
| Hon. William Templeman | 6 Feb. 1906 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of the Interior4 | |
| Vacant | 13 July 1896 - 16 July 1896 |
| Hon. Richard William Scott Senator | 17 July 1896 - 16 Nov. 1896 |
| Hon. Clifford Sifton | 17 Nov. 1896 - 28 Feb. 1905 |
| Vacant | 28 Feb. 1905 - 12 March 1905 |
| Rt Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier | 13 March 1905 - 7 April 1905 |
| Hon. Frank Oliver | 8 April 1905 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Justice and Attorney General | |
| Hon. Sir Oliver Mowat Senator | 13 July 1896 - 17 Nov. 1897 |
| Hon. David Mills Senator | 18 Nov. 1897 - 7 Feb. 1902 |
| Vacant | 8 Feb. 1902 - 10 Feb. 1902 |
| Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick | 11 Feb. 1902 - 3 June 1906 |
| Hon. Sir Allen Bristol Aylesworth | 4 June 1906 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Labour6 | |
| Vacant | 19 May 1909 - 1 June 1909 |
| Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King | 2 June 1909 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Marine and Fisheries7 | |
| Hon. Sir Louis Henry Davies | 13 July 1896 - 24 Sept. 1901 |
| Vacant | 25 Sept. 1901 - 14 Jan. 1902 |
| Hon. James Sutherland 8 | 15 Jan. 1902 - 10 Nov. 1902 |
| Hon. Joseph Raymond Fournier Préfontaine | 11 Nov. 1902 - 25 Dec. 1905 |
| Vacant | 26 Dec. 1905 - 5 Jan. 1906 |
| Rt Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier | 6 Jan. 1906 - 5 Feb. 1906 |
| Hon. Louis-Philippe Brodeur | 6 Feb. 1906 - 10 Aug. 1911 |
| Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux 9 | 11 Aug. 1911 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Militia and Defence | |
| Hon. Sir Frederick William Borden | 13 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Mines10 | |
| Vacant | 27 April 1907 - 2 May 1907 |
| Hon. William Templeman | 3 May 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister without Portfolio | |
| Hon. Richard Reid Dobell | 13 July 1896 - 11 Jan. 1902 |
| Hon. Christophe Alphonse Geoffrion | 21 Aug. 1896 - 18 July 1899 |
| Hon. James Sutherland 8 | 30 Sept. 1899 - 14 Jan. 1902 |
| Hon. William Templeman Senator 11 | 25 Feb. 1902 - 5 Feb. 1906 |
| Hon. Charles Smith Hyman 12 | 5 Feb. 1904 - 21 May 1905 |
Minister of the Naval Service7 | |
| Hon. Louis-Philippe Brodeur | 4 May 1910 - 10 Aug. 1911 |
| Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux | 11 Aug. 1911 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Postmaster General6 | |
| Hon. Sir William Mulock | 13 July 1896 - 15 Oct. 1905 |
| Hon. Allen Bristol Aylesworth 13 | 16 Oct. 1905 - 3 June 1906 |
| Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux 9 | 4 June 1906 - 10 Aug. 1911 |
| Vacant | 11 Aug. 1911 - 18 Aug. 1911 |
| Hon. Henri Sévérin Béland | 19 Aug. 1911 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
President of the Privy Council | |
| Rt Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier | 11 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Public Works | |
| Hon. Joseph Israël Tarte | 13 July 1896 - 21 Oct. 1902 |
| Vacant | 22 Oct. 1902 - 10 Nov. 1902 |
| Hon. James Sutherland 8 | 11 Nov. 1902 - 3 May 1905 |
| Vacant | 4 May 1905 - 21 May 1905 |
| Hon. Charles Smith Hyman | 22 May 1905 - 29 Aug. 1907 |
| Hon. William Pugsley | 30 Aug. 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Railways and Canals | |
| Vacant | 13 July 1896 - 19 July 1896 |
| Hon. Andrew George Blair | 20 July 1896 - 20 July 1903 |
| Hon. William Stevens Fielding | 21 July 1903 - 14 Jan. 1904 |
| Hon. Henry Robert Emmerson | 15 Jan. 1904 - 2 April 1907 |
| Vacant | 3 April 1907 - 8 April 1907 |
| Hon. William Stevens Fielding | 9 April 1907 - 29 Aug. 1907 |
| Hon. George Perry Graham | 30 Aug. 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Secretary of State of Canada14 | |
| Hon. Richard William Scott Senator 15 | 13 July 1896 - 8 Oct. 1908 |
| Hon. Charles Murphy | 9 Oct. 1908 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Minister of Trade and Commerce | |
| Rt Hon. Sir Richard John Cartwright Senator | 13 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
| Position Title | |
|---|---|
| Name | Service Date / Termination Date |
| Controller of Customs | |
| Hon. William Paterson | 13 July 1896 - 29 June 1897 |
Controller of Inland Revenue | |
| Hon. Sir Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière | 13 July 1896 - 29 June 1897 |
Solicitor General of Canada | |
| Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick | 13 July 1896 - 9 Feb. 1902 |
| Hon. Henry George Carroll | 10 Feb. 1902 - 28 Jan. 1904 |
| Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux | 29 Jan. 1904 - 3 June 1906 |
| Vacant | 4 June 1906 - 13 Feb. 1907 |
| Hon. Jacques Bureau | 14 Feb. 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911 |
Footnotes
- [1] With the defeat of the Government in the general election of June 23, 1896, Tupper resigned from office on July 8, 1896. The next day the Governor General invited Laurier to reform a Government. On July 11, Laurier, acting alone as the Committee of the Privy Council, advised his own appointment as President of the Privy Council and on July 13, the remainder of the Cabinet was appointed to office.
- [2] Laurier was also President of the Privy Council.
- [3] Statute 60-61 Vict., c. 18, assented to on June 29, 1897, revived the offices of Minister of Customs and Minister of Inland Revenue, See Not of the Cabinet, Controller of Customs and Controller of Inland Revenue.
- [4] The Minister of the Interior was ex officio the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs.
- [5] Brodeur was appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries on February 6, 1906.
- [6] The Department of Labour was established pursuant to the Conciliation Act, 1900 (Statute 63-64 Vict., c. 24, assented to on July 18, 1900). The department was under the control of the minister designated by the Governor in Council to administer the aforesaid Act. Mulock, Aylesworth and Lemieux, who were successively Postmasters General, were so designated during their terms in that portfolio. The office of Minister of Labour was created by Statute 8-9 Edw. VII, c. 22, and assented to on May 19, 1909
- [7] The Department of the Naval Service was created by Statute 9-10 Edw, VII, c. 43, was assented to on May 4, 1910, and was to be presided over by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, who was to be the Minister of the Naval Service.
- [8] Sutherland was appointed Minister without Portfolio on September 30, 1899; Minister of Marine and Fisheries on January 15, 1902; and Minister of Public Works on November 11, 1902.
- [9] Lemieux was appointed Solicitor General of Canada on January 29, 1904; Postmaster General on June 4, 1906; and Minister of Marine and Fisheries on August 11, 1911.
- [10] The Department of Mines was created by Statute 6-7 Edw,. VII, c. 29. and assented to on April 27, 1907. The department was to be 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". The Minister of Inland Revenue was the first to be named Minister of Mines.
- [11] Templeman was appointed Minister of Inland Revenue on February 6, 1906.
- [12] Hyman was appointed Minister of Public Works on May 22, 1905.
- [13] Aylesworth was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General on June 4, 1906.
- [14] The Department of External Affairs was created by Statute 8-9 Edw. VII, c. 13, assented to on May 19, 1909, proclaimed in force on June 1, 1909, and was to be presided over by the Secretary of State of Canada, who was also ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.
- [15] Scott resigned on September 16, 1908, but on the Prime Minister's request continued to administer the department until his successor took charge.