Minister of International Trade Diversification

Last updated
Minister of International Trade
Ministre du commerce international
Maninder Sidhu - G20 Foreign Ministers Meetings - 000111591 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Maninder Sidhu
since May 13, 2025
Global Affairs Canada
Style The Honourable
Member of
Reports to
Appointer Monarch (represented by the governor general); [3]
on the advice of the prime minister [4]
Term length At His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holder Gerald Regan
Formation8 December 1983
Salary CA$299,900 (2024) [5]
Website www.international.gc.ca

The Minister of International Trade (French : Ministre du Commerce international) is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet responsible for the federal government's international trade portfolio. Along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, it is one of two ministers associated with Global Affairs Canada.

Contents

The position is currently held by Maninder Sidhu; the position's official title is currently Minister of International Trade (French : Ministre du Commerce international).

History

The post was first established in 1983 as the Minister for International Trade by the Government Organization Act, 1983, which re-organized various governmental functions and updated the Department of External Affairs Act. The lead responsibility for international trade was reassigned from the Department of Industry to the Department of External Affairs, and the position was created to assist the senior departmental minister, the Secretary of State for External Affairs at the time, in carrying out their responsibilities relating to international trade. Gerald Regan, then the Minister of State (International Trade), was appointed to be the first office holder.

While the name of the department and the title of the senior departmental minister changed numerous times, this formal title remains unchanged. However the minister has been styled differently since 2006.

Starting in 2006, the minister has been styled with a variety of titles. When Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper formed his first government on February 6, 2006, he appointed David Emerson, who was re-elected days earlier as a Liberal candidate, to the office styled Minister of International Trade (along with Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics). Subsequent ministers were styled as Minister of International Trade until 2018, when the position was renamed Minister of International Trade Diversification.

In 2019, the portfolio was merged with Small Business and Export Promotion and renamed Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade. In 2021, the role gained additional responsibility for economic development, being renamed Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development. [6] In 2023, the role lost responsibility for small business to the Minister of Small Business, at which point it was renamed Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, a title it had until 2025, when it lost responsibility for economic development.[ citation needed ]

Ministers

Key:

   Liberal Party of Canada
   Progressive Conservative
   Conservative Party of Canada
No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistry
Minister for International Trade
1 Gerald Regan December 8, 1983June 29, 1984 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
2 Francis Fox June 30, 1984September 16, 1984 23 (Turner)
3 James F. Kelleher September 17, 1984June 29, 1986 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
4 Pat Carney.jpg Pat Carney June 30, 1986March 30, 1988
5 Crosbie 1983-2 crop.jpg John Crosbie March 31, 1988April 20, 1991
6 Diplomat Michael Wilson.png Michael Wilson April 21, 1991June 24, 1993
7 Tom Hockin June 25, 1993November 3, 1993 25 (Campbell)
8 Roy MacLaren November 4, 1993January 24, 1996Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
9 Art Eggleton 1.JPG Art Eggleton January 25, 1996June 10, 1997
10 Sergio Marchi June 11, 1997August 2, 1999
11 PierrePettigrew.JPG Pierre Pettigrew August 3, 1999December 11, 2003
12 Jim Peterson December 12, 2003February 5, 2006 27 (Martin)
Minister of International Trade
13 David Emerson February 6, 2006June 24, 2008 Conservative 28 (Harper)
14 Michael Fortier.jpg Michael Fortier June 25, 2008October 29, 2008
15 Stockwell Day - July 2010.jpg Stockwell Day October 30, 2008January 19, 2010
16 Peter Van Loan December 2010.jpg Peter Van Loan January 19, 2010May 18, 2011
17 Ed Fast visits University of the Fraser Valley.jpg Ed Fast May 18, 2011November 4, 2015
18 Chrystia Freeland in Ukraine - 2017 (cropped).jpg Chrystia Freeland November 4, 2015January 10, 2017Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
19 Francois-Philippe Champagne.jpg François-Philippe Champagne January 10, 2017July 18, 2018
Minister of International Trade Diversification
20 Jim Carr.jpg Jim Carr July 18, 2018November 20, 2019Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade
21 Head of the Canadian Delegation to the 12th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference Mary Ng (cropped).jpg Mary Ng November 20, 2019October 26, 2021Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development
(21) Head of the Canadian Delegation to the 12th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference Mary Ng (cropped).jpg Mary Ng October 26, 2021July 26, 2023Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
(21) Head of the Canadian Delegation to the 12th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference Mary Ng (cropped).jpg Mary Ng July 26, 2023March 14, 2025Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs
22 Dominic LeBlanc 2023-nb.jpg Dominic LeBlanc March 14, 2025May 13, 2025Liberal 30 (Carney)
Minister of International Trade
23 Maninder Sidhu - G20 Foreign Ministers Meetings - 000111591 (cropped).jpg Maninder Sidhu May 13, 2025IncumbentLiberal 30 (Carney)

References

  1. "The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  2. "Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials" (PDF).
  3. "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  4. "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  5. "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". April 1, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  6. Curry, Bill; Kirkup, Kristy; Raman-Wilms, Menaka; Dickson, Janice (2021-10-26). "Trudeau cabinet shuffle: Anita Anand moves to Defence, Steven Guilbeault to Environment, Mélanie Joly to Foreign Affairs". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-10-26.