Minister of Militia and Defence

The Minister of Militia and Defence was the federal government minister in charge of the volunteer army units in Canada, the Canadian Militia.

From 1855 to 1906, the minister was responsible for Canadian militia units only, as the British Army was still stationed in Canada. From 1906 to 1923, the minister was in charge of the Department of Militia and Defence (Canada). After 1923, the position was merged with the Minister of the Naval Service and the Minister of Aviation into the new position of Minister of National Defence. The Minister of National Defence became responsible for the Canadian Militia, the Royal Canadian Navy and, from 1924, the Royal Canadian Air Force.

List of ministers Pre-Confederation (1855–1867)

The following individuals were named the Minister of Militia and Defence for the Province of Canada.

Key:

No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical party 1 Étienne-Paschal Taché 1855 1860 Parti bleu 2 John A. Macdonald 1860 1867 Tories

Post-Confederation (1867–1922) The following individuals were named the Minister of Militia and Defence for Canada.

Key:

No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistryRef. 1 George-Étienne Cartier 1 July 1867 20 May 1873 Liberal-Conservative1 (Macdonald) – Hector-Louis Langevin(Acting) 21 May 1873 30 June 1873 2 Hugh McDonald 1 July 1873 4 November 1873 3 William Ross 7 November 1873 29 September 1874Liberal2 (Mackenzie) 4 William Berrian Vail 30 September 1874 20 January 1878 5 Alfred Gilpin Jones 21 January 1878 8 October 1878 6 Louis-Rodrigue Masson 19 October 1878 15 January 1880 Conservative 3 (Macdonald) 7 Alexander Campbell 16 January 1880 7 November 1880 8Adolphe-Philippe Caron 8 November 1880 6 June 1891 16 June 1891 24 January 18924 (Abbott) 9 Mackenzie Bowell 25 January 1892 24 November 1892 10James Colebrooke Patterson 5 December 1892 12 December 1894 5 (Thompson) 21 December 1894 26 March 18956 (Bowell) 11 Arthur Rupert Dickey 26 March 1895 5 April 1896 12 Mackenzie Bowell 6 January 1896 14 January 1896 13 Alphonse Desjardins 15 January 1896 27 April 1896 14 David Tisdale 1 May 1896 8 July 1896 7 (Tupper) 15 Frederick William Borden 13 July 1896 6 October 1911 Liberal 8 (Laurier) 16 Sam Hughes 10 October 1911 12 October 1916Conservative9 (Borden) 17 Albert Edward Kemp 23 November 1916 11 November 1917 18 Sydney Chilton Mewburn 12 October 1917 15 January 1920Unionist10 (Borden) – James Alexander Calder(Acting) 16 January 1920 23 January 1920 19Hugh Guthrie24 January 1920 28 December 1921 National Liberal and Conservative 11 (Meighen) 20 George Perry Graham 29 December 1921 31 December 1922 Liberal 12 (King)

Ministers with military experience

Several individuals that served as the Minister of Militia and Defence have served with the Canadian Militia. They include: Private John Alexander Macdonald, Sedentary Militia during 1837 Rebellion Lieutenant Étienne-Paschal Taché, 5th Battalion of Select Embodied Militia, Chasseurs Canadiens Militia Lieutenant Colonel David Tisdale, 39th Norfolk Battalion of Infantry Assistant Surgeon Frederick William Borden, 68th (Kings) Battalion of Infantry, Non-Permanent Active Militia Colonel Sir Sam Hughes, 45th Canadian Volunteer Militia (45th West Durham Battalion of Infantry, later The Victoria and Haliburton Regiment and lastly as 45th Medium Battery, RCA) merged into what is 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales Rangers), RCA) in 1960; Canadian volunteer to the British Army Major Sydney Chilton Mewburn, Commanding Officer of Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, Permanent Active Militia

Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence

Eugène Fiset 1906-1922

Fiset was a retired as Surgeon Colonel of Royal Canadian Regiment

Minister of Militia and Defence

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