Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
This article does not cite any references (sources). (December 2009) |
Minister of Veterans Affairs of Canada | |
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Department of Veterans Affairs | |
Style | The Honourable |
Member of | |
Appointer | Governor General of Canada |
Term length | At Her Majesty's pleasure |
Inaugural holder | Ian Alistair Mackenzie |
Formation | 18 October 1944 |
Website | www.vac-acc.gc.ca |
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Canada |
Government |
The Minister of Veterans Affairs (French: Ministre des Anciens Combattants) is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet whose position was created in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs Canada was split from the Department of Pensions and National Health and was given the responsibility of administering benefits and pensions for war veterans. Its first responsibility was assisting in the reintegration of demobilised soldiers into civilian life and assisting them with health care, education, employment, loans and pensions. Today the department is largely responsible for medical care and pensions for aging veterans via the Canadian Pension Commission, War Veterans Appeal Board, and Bureau of Pensions Advocates.
Ministers[edit]
Key:
No. | Name | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ian Alistair Mackenzie | October 18, 1944 | January 18, 1948 | Liberal | 16 (King) |
2 | Milton Gregg | January 19, 1948 | November 15, 1948 | Liberal | |
November 15, 1948 | August 6, 1950 | 17 (St. Laurent) | |||
3 | Hugues Lapointe | August 7, 1950 | June 20, 1957 | Liberal | |
4 | Alfred Johnson Brooks | June 21, 1957 | October 10, 1960 | Progressive Conservative | 18 (Diefenbaker) |
5 | Gordon Churchill | October 11, 1960 | February 11, 1963 | Progressive Conservative | |
6 | Marcel Lambert | February 12, 1963 | April 21, 1963 | Progressive Conservative | |
7 | Roger Teillet | April 22, 1963 | April 19, 1968 | Liberal | 19 (Pearson) |
April 20, 1968 | July 5, 1968 | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) | |||
8 | Jean-Eudes Dubé | July 6, 1968 | January 27, 1972 | Liberal | |
9 | Arthur Laing | January 28, 1972 | November 26, 1972 | Liberal | |
10 | Daniel J. MacDonald | November 27, 1972 | June 3, 1979 | Liberal | |
11 | Allan McKinnon | June 4, 1979 | March 2, 1980 | Progressive Conservative | 21 (Clark) |
(10) | Daniel J. MacDonald (2nd time) | March 3, 1980 | September 30, 1980 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
– | Gilles Lamontagne (acting) | October 1, 1980 | September 21, 1981 | Liberal | |
12 | W. Bennett Campbell | September 22, 1981 | June 29, 1984 | Liberal | |
June 30, 1984 | September 16, 1984 | 23 (Turner) | |||
13 | George Hees | September 17, 1984 | September 14, 1988 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
14 | Gerald Stairs Merrithew | September 18, 1988 | January 3, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | |
15 | Kim Campbell | January 4, 1993 | June 24, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | |
16 | Peter McCreath | June 25, 1993 | November 3, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | 25 (Campbell) |
17 | David Collenette | November 4, 1993 | October 4, 1996 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
18 | Doug Young | October 5, 1996 | June 10, 1997 | Liberal | |
19 | Fred Mifflin | June 11, 1997 | August 2, 1999 | Liberal | |
20 | George Baker | August 3, 1999 | October 17, 2000 | Liberal | |
21 | Ron Duhamel | October 18, 2000 | January 14, 2002 | Liberal | |
22 | Rey Pagtakhan | January 15, 2002 | December 11, 2003 | Liberal | |
23 | John McCallum | December 12, 2003 | July 19, 2004 | Liberal | 27 (Martin) |
24 | Albina Guarnieri | July 20, 2004 | February 5, 2006 | Liberal | |
25 | Greg Thompson | February 6, 2006 | January 16, 2010 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
26 | Jean-Pierre Blackburn | January 19, 2010 | May 18, 2011 | Conservative | |
27 | Steven Blaney | May 18, 2011 | July 15, 2013 | Conservative | |
28 | Julian Fantino | July 15, 2013 | January 5, 2015 | Conservative | |
29 | Erin O'Toole | January 5, 2015 | November 4, 2015 | Conservative | |
30 | Kent Hehr | November 4, 2015 | Incumbent | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
Prior to 1944, the responsibilities of the current Veterans Affairs portfolio were part of the now-defunct post of Minister of Pensions and National Health.
Military Service[edit]
A few ministers have had prior military experience, although the posting does not require it:
Name | Branch, Unit | Rank | Service Period |
---|---|---|---|
Milton Fowler Gregg | Canadian Army - Royal Canadian Regiment, Black Watch | Brigadier | World War I, World War II |
Hugues Lapointe | Canadian Army - Regiment de la Chaudière | Lieutenant Colonel | World War II |
Gordon Churchill | Canadian Army - 1st Canadian Carrier Regiment | Lieutenant Colonel | World War I, World War II |
Marcel Lambert | Canadian Army - King's Own Calgary Regiment | Lieutenant Colonel | World War II |
Roger Teillet | Royal Canadian Air Force - 35 Squadron | Flight Lieutenant | World War II |
Daniel J. MacDonald | Canadian Army - Prince Edward Island Highlanders, Cape Breton Highlanders | Lieutenant Colonel | World War II |
Allan McKinnon | Canadian Army - Princess Patricia Light Infantry | Major | World War II |
Gilles Lamontagne | Royal Canadian Air Force - 425th Night Fighter Squadron | Flight Lieutenant | World War II |
George Hees | Canadian Army - 5th Canadian Infantry Regiment, Calgary Highlanders | Brigade major | World War II |
Gerald Merrithew | Canadian Army - Royal New Brunswick Regiment | Lieuteant Colonel | Militia pre-1970s |
Fred Mifflin | Royal Canadian Navy (Canadian Navy - Maritime Command) | Rear Admiral | Cold War 1954-1987 |
Erin O'Toole | Royal Canadian Air Force - 423 Squadron (12 Wing) | Captain | 1995-2000s |