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Last Update: 2006.01.03
Last Verified: 2006.01.03
The designation, Deputy Prime Minister, is strictly an honorary title conferred at the discretion of the Prime Minister on a member of the Cabinet. It has no standing in law, and does not carry any formal duties or tasks, though the Prime Minister may negotiate or assign specific tasks in conjunction with the title.
The title originates with Prime Minister Trudeau who first coined it when he designated the Hon. Allan J. MacEachen Deputy Prime Minister as well as Government House leader in an interview with the press subsequent to the nomination of his Cabinet, September 16th, 1977. Since then there has been only the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark who has never named a Deputy Prime Minister.
From the Hon. Erik Nielsen's designation as Deputy Prime Minister, current practice holds that this title be assigned by "instrument of advice". An instrument of advice is essentially a private letter addressed to the Crown or its duly appointed representative, the Governor General, by the Prime Minister directly. Instruments of advice are usually used when the Prime Minister wishes to inform or solicit the Crown in matters related to the Royal Prerogative. In Canada, there are in general 5 instances where this applies: 1. Dissolution of Parliament - recommendation and request of consent; 2. Nominations to the Cabinet and Senate; 3. Appointment of a Governor General; 4. Grants under the Queen's own personal fund; 5. Changes to the Crowns prerogative - e.g. garnishment of civil servants wages.
Instruments are not public and are not gazetted, though they may lead to a notice which is gazetted. At present, PCO retains all instruments from 1953 on. Instruments prior to this period have been transferred to the Public Archives where they may be consulted.
SOURCES:
27th Ministry | MARTIN, Paul Edgar Philippe | |
MCLELLAN, A. Anne | Written into instrument of advice | 2003.12.12 - |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness | ||
26th Ministry | CHRÉTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques | |
MANLEY, John Paul | Written into instrument of advice | 2002.01.15 - 2003.12.11 |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations | ||
Minister with political responsibility for Ontario | ||
Minister of Finance | ||
Minister of Infrastructure | ||
GRAY, Herbert Eser (Herb) | Written into instrument of advice | 1997.06.11 - 2002.01.14 |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister responsible for the Millenium Bureau of Canada | ||
COPPS, Sheila Maureen | Written into instrument of advice | 1996.06.19 - 1997.06.10 |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister of Communications | ||
Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship | ||
Minister of Canadian Heritage | ||
COPPS, Sheila Maureen | Written into instrument of advice | 1993.11.04 - 1996.04.30 |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister of the Environment | ||
Minister of Communications | ||
Minister of Multiculturalism and Citizenship | ||
25th Ministry | CAMPBELL, A. Kim | |
CHAREST, Jean J. | Written into instrument of advice | 1993.06.25 - 1993.11.03 |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs | ||
Minister of Industry, Science and Technology | ||
Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development - Quebec | ||
24th Ministry | MULRONEY, Martin Brian | |
MAZANKOWSKI, Donald Frank | Written into instrument of advice | 1986.06.30 - 1993.06.24 |
Other portfolios: | ||
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | ||
President of the Privy Council | ||
Progressive Conservative Party House Leader | ||
Minister responsible for Privatization and Regulatory Affairs | ||
President of the Treasury Board | ||
Minister of Agriculture | ||
Minister of Finance | ||
NIELSEN, Erik | Written into instrument of advice | 1984.09.17 - 1986.06.29 |
Other portfolios: | ||
President of the Privy Council | ||
Minister of National Defence | ||
Acting Minister of Fisheries and Oceans | ||
23rd Ministry | TURNER, John Napier | |
CHRÉTIEN, Jean Joseph Jacques | 1984.06.30 - 1984.09.16 | |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister responsible for La Francophonie | ||
Secretary of State for External Affairs | ||
22nd Ministry | TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott | |
MACEACHEN, Allan Joseph | 1980.03.03 - 1984.06.29 | |
Other portfolios: | ||
Minister of Finance | ||
Secretary of State for External Affairs | ||
21st Ministry | CLARK, Charles Joseph (Joe) | |
20th Ministry | TRUDEAU, Pierre Elliott | |
MACEACHEN, Allan Joseph | 1977.09.16 - 1979.06.03 | |
Other portfolios: | ||
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons | ||
Liberal Party House Leader | ||
President of the Privy Council |
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