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Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada) facts for kids

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Minister of Foreign Affairs
Joly cropped.jpg
Incumbent
Mélanie Joly

since 26 October 2021
Global Affairs Canada
Style The Honourable
Member of
Reports to
Appointer Monarch (represented by the Governor General)
on the advice of the Prime Minister
Term length At His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holder André Ouellet
Formation 4 November 1993
Salary CA$269,800 (2019)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs (French: Ministre des Affaires étrangères) is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the Government of Canada's international relations and is the lead minister responsible for Global Affairs Canada, though the minister of international trade leads on trade issues. In addition to Global Affairs Canada, the minister is also the lead in overseeing the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development and the International Development Research Centre.

From 1909 to 1993, the office was called the Secretary of State for External Affairs. The first two secretaries of state for external affairs, from 1909 until 1912, (Charles Murphy under Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William James Roche under Sir Robert Borden) concurrently served as the Secretary of State for Canada. The two portfolios were permanently separated in 1912, and the external affairs portfolio was then held by the prime minister of Canada until 1946.

History

Ministers holding the external affairs and foreign affairs portfolios have sometimes played prominent international roles:

As in Pearson's case (and that of Louis St. Laurent, his predecessor), the portfolio can be a final stepping stone to the Prime Minister's Office. Until 1946, it was customary for the office to be held by the sitting prime minister. John Diefenbaker would hold the portfolio on two subsequent occasions.

Prior and subsequent diplomatic services

Lester Pearson is the only minister to have been a diplomat prior to their appointment. Pearson entered the Canadian foreign service in 1927 and rose to become Canadian ambassador to the United States from 1944 to 1946.

Paul Martin, Sr. served as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom after his retirement from active politics. Following his defeat in the 2011 election, Lawrence Cannon has served as Canadian ambassador to France since 2012, while Stéphane Dion was named Canadian ambassador to the European Union and Germany immediately after leaving cabinet in 2017. Unlike Pearson, none were career diplomats.

List of ministers

Key:      Liberal Party of Canada      Historical conservative parties: Liberal-Conservative, Conservative (historical), Unionist, National Liberal and Conservative, Progressive Conservative      Conservative Party of Canada

Secretaries of State for External Affairs (1909–1993)

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry
1 Charles Murphy.jpg Charles Murphy May 19, 1909 October 6, 1911 Liberal 8 (Laurier)
2 William James Roche.jpg William James Roche October 10, 1911 April 1, 1912 Conservative (historical) 9 (Borden)
3 RobertLBorden.jpg Robert Borden April 1, 1912 October 11, 1917 Conservative (historical)
October 12, 1917 July 9, 1920 Unionist 10 (Borden)
4 Former PM Arthur Meighen.jpg Arthur Meighen
1st time
July 10, 1920 December 29, 1921 National Liberal and Conservative 11 (Meighen)
5 Wm Lyon Mackenzie King.jpg William Lyon Mackenzie King
1st time
December 29, 1921 June 28, 1926 Liberal 12 (King)
(4) Former PM Arthur Meighen.jpg Arthur Meighen
2nd time
June 29, 1926 September 25, 1926 Conservative (historical) 13 (Meighen)
(5) Wm Lyon Mackenzie King.jpg William Lyon Mackenzie King
2nd time
September 25, 1926 August 7, 1930 Liberal 14 (King)
6 Richard Bedford Bennett.jpg Richard Bedford Bennett August 7, 1930 October 23, 1935 Conservative (historical) 15 (Bennett)
(5) Wm Lyon Mackenzie King.jpg William Lyon Mackenzie King
3rd time
October 23, 1935 September 3, 1946 Liberal 16 (King)
7 Louisstlaurent.jpg Louis St. Laurent September 4, 1946 September 9, 1948 Liberal
8 Lester B. Pearson with a pencil.jpg Lester B. Pearson September 10, 1948 November 15, 1948 Liberal
November 15, 1948 June 20, 1957 17 (St. Laurent)
9 John G. Diefenbaker.jpg John Diefenbaker June 21, 1957 September 12, 1957 Progressive Conservative 18 (Diefenbaker)
10 Sidney Smith.JPG Sidney Earle Smith September 13, 1957 March 17, 1959 Progressive Conservative
John G. Diefenbaker.jpg John Diefenbaker
2nd time; Acting Minister
March 19, 1959 June 3, 1959 Progressive Conservative
11 Howard Charles Green.jpg Howard Charles Green June 4, 1959 April 21, 1963 Progressive Conservative
12 Paul Martin Sr Portrait 1943 (cropped).jpg Paul Martin Sr. April 22, 1963 April 20, 1968 Liberal 19 (Pearson)
13 Mitchell Sharp 1962 Toronto Star (Restored) (cropped 3-4).jpg Mitchell Sharp April 20, 1968 August 7, 1974 Liberal 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
14 Allan MacEachen.jpg Allan MacEachen
1st time
August 8, 1974 September 13, 1976 Liberal
15 Don-Jamieson.jpg Don Jamieson September 14, 1976 June 3, 1979 Liberal
16 Flora MacDonald in 1987. (48198888636).jpg Flora MacDonald June 4, 1979 March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
17 No image.svg Mark MacGuigan March 3, 1980 September 9, 1982 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
(14) Allan MacEachen.jpg Allan MacEachen
2nd time
September 10, 1982 June 29, 1984 Liberal
18 Jean Chrétien1.jpg Jean Chrétien June 30, 1984 September 16, 1984 Liberal 23 (Turner)
19 JoeClark.jpg Joe Clark September 17, 1984 April 20, 1991 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
20 No image.svg Barbara McDougall April 21, 1991 June 24, 1993 Progressive Conservative
21 No image.svg Perrin Beatty June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative 25 (Campbell)

Ministers of Foreign Affairs (1993–present)

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry
1 No image.svg André Ouellet November 4, 1993 January 24, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
2 Lloyd Axworthy (1999).JPEG Lloyd Axworthy January 25, 1996 October 16, 2000 Liberal
3 John Manley IMF.jpg John Manley October 17, 2000 January 15, 2002 Liberal
4 Bill Graham by Rod Brito.jpg Bill Graham January 15, 2002 December 11, 2003 Liberal
December 12, 2003 July 19, 2004 27 (Martin)
5 PierrePettigrew.JPG Pierre Pettigrew July 20, 2004 February 5, 2006 Liberal
6 Peter MacKay 2014.jpg Peter MacKay February 6, 2006 August 14, 2007 Conservative 28 (Harper)
7 Maxime Bernier.jpg Maxime Bernier August 14, 2007 May 26, 2008 Conservative
8 No image.svg David Emerson
Acting Minister until
June 25, 2008
May 25, 2008 October 29, 2008 Conservative
9 Lawrence Cannon on March 29, 2010.jpg Lawrence Cannon October 30, 2008 May 18, 2011 Conservative
10 John Baird - Canadian MP.jpg John Baird May 18, 2011 February 3, 2015 Conservative
Ed Fast visits University of the Fraser Valley.jpg Ed Fast (acting) February 3, 2015 February 9, 2015 Conservative
11 Rob Nicholson 2013 crop.jpg Rob Nicholson February 9, 2015 November 4, 2015 Conservative
12 Canadian Foreign Minister Stéphane Dion - 2016 (28405975206) (cropped).jpg Stéphane Dion November 4, 2015 January 10, 2017 Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
13 Chrystia Freeland at OSCE - 2017 (38910129611) (cropped).jpg Chrystia Freeland January 10, 2017 November 20, 2019 Liberal
14 François-Philippe Champagne, 2017 (cropped).jpg François-Philippe Champagne November 20, 2019 January 12, 2021 Liberal
15 Marc Garneau - 2018 (42748534304) (cropped).jpg Marc Garneau January 12, 2021 October 26, 2021 Liberal
16 Mélanie Joly, Foreign Minister of Canada in 2024 (cropped).jpg Mélanie Joly October 26, 2021 Incumbent Liberal
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