Secretary of state (Canada)


In Canada from 1993 to 2003, from 2007 to 2008, and again since 2025, secretary of state is a title given to junior ministers of state in the Government of Canada that sit outside Cabinet. Because it is a position that is assigned to assist Cabinet ministers, a secretary of state is legally a minister of state; the distinction is that, unlike a minister, a secretary is not a full cabinet portfolio itself and thus not considered a member of Cabinet. The Secretary of State , 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 are, however, members of the ministry and the King's Privy Council for Canada.
This generic usage should not be confused with the former cabinet positions of Secretary of State for Canada, Secretary of State for the Provinces, and Secretary of State for External Affairs.

History

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.
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.
Mark Carney resumed the use of secretaries of state in a cabinet shuffle on 13 May 2025.

List of secretaries of state in Canada

External affairs

Between 1993 and 2003, there were at least three junior Minister of State positions within the Department of External Affairs responsible for assisting the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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 .

Heritage

Several Secretaries of State assisted the Minister of Canadian Heritage with the various portfolios of the Department of Canadian Heritage, including multiculturalism, which at one point fell under the Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship.
Title and portfolioNameTook positionLeft positionParty
Secretary of State
communications, multiculturalism, status of women		Sheila Finestone1993 November 41996 January 24Liberal
Secretary of State
communications, multiculturalism, status of women		Hedy Fry1996 January 252002 January 27Liberal
Secretary of State
multiculturalism		Claudette Bradshaw2002 January 152002 May 25Liberal
Secretary of State
multiculturalism		Jean Augustine2002 May 262003 December 11Liberal
Secretary of State
multiculturalism, Canadian identity		Jason Kenney2007 January 42008 October 29Conservative
Secretary of State
official languages, Vancouver-Whistler Olympics,		James Moore2008 July 252008 October 29Conservative
Secretary of State
amateur sport		Denis Coderre1999 August 32002 January 14Liberal
Secretary of State
amateur sport		Paul DeVillers2002 January 152003 July 16Liberal
Secretary of State
sport		Paul DeVillers2003 July 172003 December 11Liberal
Secretary of State
sport		Helena Guergis2007 January 42008 October 29Conservative
Secretary of State
National Parks		Andy Mitchell1997 July 111999 August 2Liberal
Secretary of State
National Parks, environment		Nathalie Provost2025 May 13presentLiberal
Secretary of State
sport		Adam van Koeverden2025 May 13presentLiberal

Industry

The Secretary of State was a position introduced in 1993 to assist the Minister of Industry within Industry Canada.
The Secretary of State was introduced in 1996 to provide assistance to the Minister of Western Economic Diversification within their department.
Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the office of Secretary of State was introduced. On 2008 October 30, a ministerial position was established by Harper as the Minister of State .
NamePortfolioTook officeLeft office
Jon GerrardScience, Research and Development1993 November 41997 June 11
Jon GerrardWestern Economic Diversification1996 January 251997 June 11
Ron DuhamelScience, Research and Development1997 June 111999 August 3
Ron DuhamelWestern Economic Diversification1997 June 112002 January 15
Gilbert NormandScience, Research and Development1999 August 32002 January 15
Andy MitchellRural Development 1999 August 32003 December 11
Maurizio BevilacquaScience, Research and Development2002 January 152002 May 26
Rey PagtakhanScience, Research and Development2002 May 262003 December 11
Stephen OwenWestern Economic Diversification 2002 January 152003 December 11
Gerry RitzSecretary of State 2007 January 42007 August 13
Diane AblonczySecretary of State 2007 August 142008 October 29
Buckley BelangerSecretary of State 2025 May 13present
Rechie ValdezSecretary of State 2025 May 13present

Labour

The Secretary of State 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 .
Between 2007 and 2008 during the conservative Harper government, Human Resources Development included a Secretary of State to assist with the seniors portfolio.
NameRoleTook officeLeft office
Ethel Blondin-AndrewSecretary of State 1993 November 41997 July 10
Ethel Blondin-AndrewSecretary of State 1997 July 112003 December 11
Marjory LeBretonSecretary of State 2007 January 42008 October 30
Anna GaineySecretary of State 2025 May 13present
Stephanie McLeanSecretary of State 2025 May 13present
John ZerucelliSecretary of State 2025 May 13present