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In Canada from 1993 to 2003 and again from 2007 to 2008, secretary of state was a title given to junior ministers of state in the Government of Canada that sat outside Cabinet.[1] Because it was a position that was assigned to assist Cabinet ministers, a secretary of state was legally a minister of state;[citation needed] the distinction is that, unlike a minister, a secretary is not a full cabinet portfolio itself and thus not considered a member of Cabinet. (They were hence considered junior to ministers of state.) The Secretary of State (Training and Youth), for instance, would assist the Minister for Human Resources and Development. This usage is opposite to that in the United Kingdom, where junior ministers generally report to more senior secretaries of state. Secretaries of state were, however, members of the ministry and the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
This generic usage should not be confused with the former cabinet positions of Secretary of State for Canada (1867–1996), Secretary of State for the Provinces (1867–1873), and Secretary of State for External Affairs (1909–1995).
These positions were first used by Jean Chrétien as a way to decrease the size of the Cabinet without substantially decreasing the size of the ministry. When Paul Martin became Prime Minister in 2003, this usage ended, and he instead appointed ministers of state and increased the powers of parliamentary secretaries to act in junior policy positions.[2]
Martin's successor, Stephen Harper, resumed the use of secretaries of state in a cabinet shuffle on 4 January 2007, but went back to ministers of state in his October 2008 cabinet.
External affairs
Between 1993 and 2003, there were at least three junior Minister of State positions within the Department of External Affairs (renamed in 1995 to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade)[3] responsible for assisting the Minister of Foreign Affairs (known until 1993 as the Secretary of State for External Affairs).[4]
- the Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) — relations within the Asia-Pacific
- the Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) — relations with Latin America and Africa.
- the Secretary of State (Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East) — relations with Central & Eastern Europe and the Middle East (introduced by Order-in-Council in 2002).[3]
Between 2007 and 2008, the Conservative Harper government included a less narrow position to assist with the Foreign Affairs minister, called the Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade).
| Name[4][3] | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific | ||
| Raymond Chan | 1993 November 4 | 2001 January 8 |
| Rey Pagtakhan | 2001 January 9 | 2002 January 14 |
| David Kilgour | 2002 January 15 | 2003 December 11 |
| Latin America and Africa | ||
| Christine Stewart | 1993 November 4 | 1997 June 10 |
| David Kilgour | 1997 June 11 | 2002 January 14 |
| Denis Paradis | 2002 January 15 | 2003 December 11 |
| Central and Eastern Europe and Middle East | ||
| Gar Knutson | 2002 January 15 | 2003 December 11 |
| Foreign Affairs and International Trade | ||
| Helena Guergis | 2007 January 4 | 2008 October 29 |
Heritage
Several Secretaries of State assisted the Minister of Canadian Heritage (and antecedents) with the various portfolios of the Department of Canadian Heritage (formerly Department of Communications), including multiculturalism, which at one point fell under the Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship.[5]
| Title and portfolio[5] | Name | Took position | Left position | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women) | Sheila Finestone | 1993 November 4 | 1996 January 24 | Liberal |
| Hedy Fry | 1996 January 25 | 2002 January 27 | Liberal | |
| Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) | Claudette Bradshaw | 2002 January 15 | 2002 May 25 | Liberal |
| Jean Augustine | 2002 May 26 | 2003 December 11 | Liberal | |
| Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity) | Jason Kenney | 2007 January 4 | 2008 October 29 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State (2010 Olympics) (Official Languages) | James Moore | 2008 July 25 | 2008 October 29 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State (Amateur Sport) | Denis Coderre | 1999 August 3 | 2002 January 14 | Liberal |
| Paul DeVillers | 2002 January 15 | 2003 July 16 | Liberal | |
| Secretary of State (Physical Activity and Sport) | 2003 July 17 | 2003 December 11 | Liberal | |
| Secretary of State (Sport) | Helena Guergis | 2007 January 4 | 2008 October 29 | Conservative |
| Secretary of State (Parks) | Andy Mitchell | 1997 July 11 | 1999 August 2 | Liberal |
Industry
The Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) was a position introduced in 1993 to assist the Minister of Industry within Industry Canada.
The Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) (Western Economic Diversification) was introduced in 1996 to provide assistance to the Minister of Western Economic Diversification within their department.[6]
Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the office of Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) was introduced. On 2008 October 30, a ministerial position was established by Harper as the Minister of State (Science & Technology).[5]
| Name | Portfolio[6][5] | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Gerrard | Science, Research and Development | 1993 November 4 | 1997 June 11 |
| Western Economic Diversification | 1996 January 25 | ||
| Ron Duhamel | Science, Research and Development | 1997 June 11 | 1999 August 3 |
| Western Economic Diversification | 15 January 2002 | ||
| Gilbert Normand | Science, Research and Development | 1999 August 3 | 2002 January 15 |
| Andy Mitchell | Rural Development (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario) | 1999 August 3 | 2003 December 11 |
| Maurizio Bevilacqua | Science, Research and Development | 2002 January 15 | 2002 May 26 |
| Rey Pagtakhan | Science, Research and Development | 2002 May 26 | 2003 December 11 |
| Stephen Owen | Western Economic Diversification (including Indian Affairs and Northern Development) | 2002 January 15 | 2003 December 11 |
| Gerry Ritz | Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) | 2007 January 4 | 2007 August 13 |
| Diane Ablonczy | Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) | 2007 August 14 | 2008 October 29 |
| Name | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| Gary Goodyear | 2008 October 30 | 2013 July 15 |
| Greg Rickford | 2013 July 15 | 2014 March 19 |
| Ed Holder | 2014 March 19 | 2015 October 19 |
Labour
The Secretary of State (Training and Youth) assisted the Minister of Labour for the Department of Labour until July 1996, when the labour ministry was abolished and transferred to the Human Resources Development. In 1997, the secretarial position was changed to Secretary of State (Children and Youth).[7][8]
Between 2007 and 2008 during the conservative Harper government, Human Resources Development included a Secretary of State (Seniors) to assist with the seniors portfolio.[5]
| Name | Role | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethel Blondin-Andrew[7][8] | Secretary of State (Training and Youth) | 1993 November 4 | 1997 July 10 |
| Secretary of State (Children and Youth) | 1997 July 11 | 2003 December 11 | |
| Marjory LeBreton[5] | Secretary of State (Seniors) | 2007 January 4 | 2008 October 30 |
Others
| Title[5] | Name | Department | Portfolio | Took position | Left position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans) | Fernand Robichaud | Agriculture and Agri-Food (formerly Agriculture); and Fisheries and Oceans | agriculture, agrifood, fisheries, oceans | 1994/09/15 | 1997/06/10 |
| Secretary of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food) (Fisheries and Oceans) | Gilbert Normand | 1997/06/11 | 1999/08/02 | ||
| Secretary of State (Agriculture) | Christian Paradis | Agriculture and Agri-Food | agriculture, agrifood | 2008/06/25 | 2008/10/29 |
| Secretary of State (Veterans) | Lawrence MacAulay | National Defence; and Veterans Affairs | veterans, national defence | 1993/11/04 | 1996/01/24 |
| Secretary of State (Veterans) (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) | Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; and Veterans Affairs | 1996/01/25 | 1997/06/10 | ||
| George Baker | 1999/08/03 | 2000/10/16 | |||
| Fred J. Mifflin | 1997/06/11 | 1999/08/02 | |||
| Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions) | Douglas Peters | Finance | International financial institutions | 1993/11/04 | 1997/06/10 |
| Jim Peterson | 1997/06/11 | 2002/01/14 | |||
| John McCallum | 2002/01/15 | 2002/05/25 | |||
| Maurizio Bevilacqua | 2002/05/26 | 2003/12/11 | |||
| Secretary of State (Parliamentary Affairs) | Alfonso Gagliano | Government House Leader; and Solicitor General | parliamentary affairs | 1994/09/15 | 1996/01/24 |
| Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec) | Claude Drouin | Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec | economic development for regions of Quebec | 1999/08/03 | 2003/12/11 |
| Secretary of State (Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec) | Martin Cauchon | Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec | 1996/01/25 | 2002/01/14 | |
| Secretary of State (Selected Crown Corporations) | Steve Mahoney | Transportation | Crown corporations | 2003/04/11 | 2003/12/11 |
| Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific Gateway) | James Moore | Asia-Pacific Gateway | 2008/06/25 | 2008/10/29 |
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