Minister of National Defence
Ministry
Federal
Incumbent: Peter MacKay
Style:	The Honourable
Appointed by:	Michaëlle Jean as Governor General of Canada
First:	George Perry Graham
Formation:	January 1, 1923

Canada

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The Minister of National Defence (French: Ministre de la Défense nationale) is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces.

The position was pre-dated by the Minister of Militia and Defence. During World War II, the Minister of National Defence was assisted by two subordinate ministers, the Minister of National Defence for Air and Minister of National Defence for Naval Services. The portfolio was merged into a single ministry following the end of the war.

The current Minister of National Defence is The Honourable Peter MacKay.

The highest ranking officer reporting to the Minister is the Chief of the Defence Staff. Although the Governor General of Canada is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces, the ultimate responsibility resides with the Minister of National Defence.

The Minister of National Defence is also the designated Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR) within the federal government.

The Defence portfolio for the Minister of National Defence also includes:

• Defence Research and Development Canada
• Communications Security Establishment
• Canadian Forces Housing Agency
• Judge Advocate General
• Military Police Complaints Commission
• Canadian Forces Grievance Board
• Office of the Chief Military Judge
• Office of the National Defence and Canadian Forces Ombudsman
• Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency
• Cadets Canada and Junior Canadian Rangers
• National Search and Rescue Secretariat

Contents 1 Ministers 1.1 Critics 2 Ministers with military experience 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Ministers

1.	George Perry Graham	Cabinet of King	January 1, 1923 – April 27, 1923
*	Edward Mortimer Macdonald (Acting)	Cabinet of King	April 28, 1923 – August 16, 1923
2.	Edward Mortimer Macdonald	Cabinet of King	August 17, 1923 – June 28, 1926
*	Hugh Guthrie (Acting)	Cabinet of Meighen	June 29, 1926 – July 12, 1926
3.	Hugh Guthrie	Cabinet of Meighen	July 13, 1926 – September 25, 1926
	vacant	Cabinet of King	September 25, 1926 – September 30, 1926
*	James Robb (Acting)	Cabinet of King	October 1, 1926 – October 7, 1926
4.	James Ralston	Cabinet of King	October 8, 1926 – August 7, 1930
5.	Donald Matheson Sutherland	Cabinet of Bennett	August 7, 1930 – November 16, 1934
6.	Grote Stirling	Cabinet of Bennett	November 17, 1934 – October 23, 1935
7.	Ian Alistair Mackenzie	Cabinet of King	October 24, 1935 – September 18, 1939
8.	Norman McLeod Rogers	Cabinet of King	September 19, 1939 – June 10, 1940
*	Charles Power (Acting)	Cabinet of King	June 11, 1940 – July 4, 1940
	James Ralston (2nd time)	Cabinet of King	July 5, 1940 – November 1, 1944
9.	Andrew McNaughton	Cabinet of King	November 2, 1944 – August 20, 1945
10.	Douglas Abbott	Cabinet of King	August 21, 1945 – December 9, 1946
11.	Brooke Claxton	Cabinet of King	December 10, 1946 – November 15, 1948
		Cabinet of St–Laurent	November 15, 1948 – June 30, 1954
12.	Ralph Campney	Cabinet of St–Laurent	July 1, 1954 – June 20, 1957
13.	George Pearkes	Cabinet of Diefenbaker	June 21, 1957 – October 10, 1960
14.	Douglas Harkness	Cabinet of Diefenbaker	October 11, 1960 – February 3, 1963
	vacant	Cabinet of Diefenbaker	February 4, 1963 – February 11, 1963
15.	Gordon Churchill	Cabinet of Diefenbaker	February 12, 1963 – April 21, 1963
16.	Paul Hellyer	Cabinet of Pearson	April 22, 1963 – September 18, 1967
17.	Léo Cadieux	Cabinet of Pearson	September 1967 – April 19, 1968
		Cabinet of Trudeau	April 20, 1968 – September 16, 1970
*	Bud Drury (Acting)	Cabinet of Trudeau	September 17, 1970 – September 23, 1970
18.	Donald Macdonald	Cabinet of Trudeau	September 24, 1970 – January 27, 1972
19.	Edgar Benson	Cabinet of Trudeau	January 28, 1972 – August 31, 1972
*	Jean-Eudes Dubé (Acting)	Cabinet of Trudeau	September 1, 1972 – September 6, 1972
*	Bud Drury (Acting) (2nd time)	Cabinet of Trudeau	September 7, 1972 – November 26, 1972
20.	James Richardson	Cabinet of Trudeau	November 27, 1972 – October 12, 1976
*	Barnett Danson (Acting)	Cabinet of Trudeau	October 13, 1976 – November 2, 1976
21.	Barnett Danson	Cabinet of Trudeau	November 3, 1976 – June 3, 1979
22.	Allan McKinnon	Cabinet of Clark	June 4, 1979 – March 2, 1980
23.	Gilles Lamontagne	Cabinet of Trudeau	March 3, 1980 – August 11, 1983
24.	Jean–Jacques Blais	Cabinet of Trudeau	August 12, 1983 – June 29, 1984
		Cabinet of Turner	June 30, 1984 – September 16, 1984
25.	Robert Coates	Cabinet of Mulroney	September 17, 1984 – February 11, 1985
*	Erik Nielsen (Acting)	Cabinet of Mulroney	February 12, 1985 – February 25, 1985
26.	Erik Nielsen	Cabinet of Mulroney	February 26, 1985 – June 29, 1986
27.	Perrin Beatty	Cabinet of Mulroney	June 30, 1986 – January 29, 1989
28.	Bill McKnight	Cabinet of Mulroney	January 30, 1989 – April 20, 1991
29.	Marcel Masse	Cabinet of Mulroney	April 21, 1991 – January 3, 1993
30.	Kim Campbell	Cabinet of Mulroney	January 4, 1993 – June 24, 1993
31.	Tom Siddon	Cabinet of Campbell	June 25, 1993 – November 3, 1993
32.	David Collenette	Cabinet of Chrétien	November 4, 1993 – October 4, 1996
33.	Doug Young	Cabinet of Chrétien	October 5, 1996 – June 10, 1997
34.	Art Eggleton	Cabinet of Chrétien	June 11, 1997 – June 25, 2002
35.	John McCallum	Cabinet of Chrétien	June 26, 2002 – December 11, 2003
36.	David Pratt	Cabinet of Martin	December 12, 2003 – July 19, 2004
37.	Bill Graham	Cabinet of Martin	July 20, 2004 – February 5, 2006
38.	Gordon O'Connor	Cabinet of Harper	February 6, 2006 – August 14, 2007
39.	Peter MacKay	Cabinet of Harper	August 14, 2007 –

[edit] Critics

• Ujjal Dosanjh 2006-Present

[edit] Ministers with military experience

• Colonel James Ralston, Canadian Army; commander (Lieutenant Colonel) of the 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalion, CEF
• General Andrew McNaughton, 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles, Canadian Expeditionary Force, commander of the Canadian Corps, Canadian Militia/Permanent Active Militia and Canadian Army
• Battery Sergeant-Major Brooke Claxton, Victoria Rifles of Canada
• Major General George Pearkes, Canadian Expeditionary Force, commander of the Canadian Corps, Canadian Militia and Canadian Army
• Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Harkness, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Army
• Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Churchill, Vickers Machine Gunner, Canadian Expeditionary Force; commander of the Fort Garry Horse and commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Carrier Regiment (Canada Corps)
• Brigadier General Charles Drury, commanding officer 4th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery, General Staff Officer of the 2nd Canadian Division and acting commander of the Royal Artillery 4th Canadian Division (Canadian Army)
• Lieutenant Barney Danson, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
• Pilot Officer James Armstrong Richardson, Liberator anti-submarine patrol squadron of the RCAF
• Major Allan Bruce McKinnon, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
• Flight Lieutenant Gilles Lamontagne, bomber pilot RCAF
• Brigadier General Gordon O'Connor, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, Canadian Forces

[edit] See also

• Minister of Militia and Defence (Canada)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• National Defence and Canadian Forces

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