Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation

The Ministries

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Eighteenth Ministry

Progressive-Conservative 1
21 June 1957 - 22 April 1963

Prime Minister
Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker 2

The Ministry
Position Title
NameService Date /
Termination Date
Minister of Agriculture
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness   21 June 1957 - 6 Aug. 1957
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness  3   7 Aug. 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Francis Alvin George Hamilton   11 Oct. 1960 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Hon. Edmund Davie Fulton   21 June 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough  4   12 May 1958 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Richard Albert Bell   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Defence Production
Hon. Howard Charles Green   21 June 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. Raymond Joseph Michael O'Hurley   12 May 1958 - 22 April 1963

Secretary of State for External Affairs
Rt Hon. John George Diefenbaker   21 June 1957 - 12 Sept. 1957
Hon. Sidney Earle Smith   13 Sept. 1957 - 17 March 1959
Vacant  18 March 1959 - 18 March 1959
Rt Hon. John George Diefenbaker   19 March 1959 - 3 June 1959
Hon. Howard Charles Green   4 June 1959 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Finance and Receiver General
Hon. Donald Methuen Fleming  5   21 June 1957 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. George Clyde Nowlan   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Fisheries
Hon. John Angus MacLean   21 June 1957 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Forestry6  
Vacant  1 Oct. 1960 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Hugh John Flemming  7   11 Oct. 1960 - 17 March 1963
Hon. Martial Asselin   18 March 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Hon. Edmund Davie Fulton  8  5   21 June 1957 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Donald Methuen Fleming  5   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Labour
Hon. Michael Starr   21 June 1957 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys
Hon. Léon Balcer   21 June 1957 - 6 Aug. 1957
Hon. Paul Comtois   7 Aug. 1957 - 6 Oct. 1961
Vacant  7 Oct. 1961 - 9 Oct. 1961
Hon. Walter Gilbert Dinsdale   10 Oct. 1961 - 27 Dec. 1961
Hon. Jacques Flynn   28 Dec. 1961 - 12 July 1962
Vacant  13 July 1962 - 17 July 1962
Hon. Hugh John Flemming   18 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Paul Martineau   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister without Portfolio
Hon. William Joseph Browne  9   21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. James MacKerras Macdonnell   21 June 1957 - 19 Aug. 1959
Hon. John Thomas Haig  Senator  9 Oct. 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. George Ernest Halpenny  10   11 Oct. 1960 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Malcolm Wallace McCutcheon  Senator 11   9 Aug. 1962 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Frank Charles McGee   18 March 1963 - 22 April 1963
Hon. Théogène Ricard   18 March 1963 - 22 April 1963

Associate Minister of National Defence
Vacant  21 June 1957 - 19 Aug. 1959
Hon. Joseph Pierre Albert Sévigny   20 Aug. 1959 - 8 Feb. 1963
Vacant  9 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of National Defence
Hon. George Randolph Pearkes   21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness  3   11 Oct. 1960 - 3 Feb. 1963
Vacant  4 Feb. 1963 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Gordon Churchill  12   12 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of National Health and Welfare
Hon. Alfred Johnson Brooks   21 June 1957 - 21 Aug. 1957
Hon. Jay Waldo Monteith   22 Aug. 1957 - 22 April 1963

Minister of National Revenue
Hon. George Clyde Nowlan  13   21 June 1957 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Hugh John Flemming  7   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness  3   21 June 1957 - 18 Aug. 1957
Vacant  19 Aug. 1957 - 21 Aug. 1957
Hon. Francis Alvin George Hamilton  14   22 Aug. 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Walter Gilbert Dinsdale   11 Oct. 1960 - 22 April 1963

Postmaster General
Hon. William McLean Hamilton   21 June 1957 - 12 July 1962
Vacant  13 July 1962 - 17 July 1962
Hon. John Angus MacLean   18 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough  4   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

President of the Privy Council
Vacant  21 June 1957 - 27 Dec. 1961
Hon. Noël Dorion  15   28 Dec. 1961 - 5 July 1962
Vacant  6 July 1962 - 20 Dec. 1962
Rt Hon. John George Diefenbaker   21 Dec. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Public Works
Hon. Howard Charles Green  16   21 June 1957 - 19 Aug. 1959
Hon. David James Walker   20 Aug. 1959 - 12 July 1962
Vacant  13 July 1962 - 17 July 1962
Hon. Howard Charles Green   18 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Edmund Davie Fulton   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Secretary of State of Canada17  
Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough  4   21 June 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. Henri Courtemanche   12 May 1958 - 19 Jan. 1960
Vacant  20 Jan. 1960 - 20 Jan. 1960
Hon. Léon Balcer   21 Jan. 1960 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Noël Dorion  15   11 Oct. 1960 - 5 July 1962
Vacant  6 July 1962 - 10 July 1962
Hon. Léon Balcer   11 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. George Ernest Halpenny   9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Solicitor General of Canada
Hon. Léon Balcer  18   21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. William Joseph Browne   11 Oct. 1960 - 9 Aug. 1962
Vacant  10 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Trade and Commerce
Hon. Gordon Churchill  12   21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. George Harris Hees   11 Oct. 1960 - 8 Feb. 1963
Vacant  9 Feb. 1963 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Malcolm Wallace McCutcheon  Senator  12 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Transport
Hon. George Harris Hees  19   21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Léon Balcer   11 Oct. 1960 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Veterans Affairs
Hon. Alfred Johnson Brooks   21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Gordon Churchill  12   11 Oct. 1960 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Marcel Joseph Aimé Lambert   12 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Footnotes

  • [1] With the defeat of the Government in the general election of June 10, 1957, St-Laurent resigned on June 21, 1957 and the Eighteenth Ministry assumed office the same day.
  • [2] Diefenbaker was also President of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for External Affairs.
  • [3] Harkness was appointed Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources on June 21, 1957; Minister of Agriculture on August 7, 1957; and Minister of National Defence on October 11, 1960.
  • [4] Fairclough was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on June 21, 1957; Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on May 12, 1958; and Postmaster General on August 9, 1962.
  • [5] Fleming was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General of Canada on August 21, 1957; and Minister of Justice and Attorney General on August 9, 1962.
  • [6] The office of Minister of Forestry was created by Statute 8-9 Eliz. II, c. 41, assented to on August 1, 1960 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1960.
  • [7] Flemming was appointed Minister of Forestry on October 11, 1960; and Minister of National Revenue on August 9, 1962.
  • [8] Fulton was appointed Minister of Public Works on August 9, 1962.
  • [9] Browne was appointed Solicitor General of Canada on October 11, 1960.
  • [10] Halpenny was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on August 9, 1962.
  • [11] McCutcheon was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on February 12, 1963.
  • [12] Churchill was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on June 21, 1957; Minister of Veterans Affairs on October 11, 1960; and Minister of National Defence on February 12, 1963.
  • [13] Nowlan was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General on August 9, 1962.
  • [14] Hamilton was appointed Minister of Agriculture on October 11, 1960.
  • [15] Dorion was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on October 11, 1960; and President of the Privy Council on December 28, 1961.
  • [16] Green was also Secretary of State for External Affairs.
  • [17] The Secretary of State of Canada was ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.
  • [18] Balcer was appointed Minister of Transport on October 11, 1960.
  • [19] Hees was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on October 11, 1960.

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.