Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)

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Minister of Veterans Affairs
Ministre des Anciens Combattants
since March 14, 2025
Veterans 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 Ian Alistair Mackenzie
Formation18 October 1944
Salary CA$299,900 (2024) [5]
Website www.veterans.gc.ca

The minister of veterans affairs (French : ministre des anciens combattants) is a member of the Cabinet of Canada and the minister of the Crown responsible for Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). Since 2015, the minister has concurrently been appointed the associate minister of national defence.

Contents

VAC is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for administering benefits for members and veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and their family members and caregivers.

History

The position was created in the Canadian Cabinet in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs was created out of the Department of Pensions and National Health, and was given the responsibility of administering benefits for war veterans. Its first responsibility was assisting in the reintegration of demobilized soldiers into civilian life and assisting them with health care, education, employment, income support, and pensions.

The department is largely responsible for medical care, rehabilitation, and disability pensions and awards for veterans. Appeals from departmental decisions on disability pensions and awards are presented by veterans to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; Veterans Affairs Canada provides veterans appearing before the Board with the assistance of lawyers from the semi-autonomous Bureau of Pensions Advocates free of charge.

List of ministers

Key:

   Liberal Party of Canada
   Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
   Conservative Party of Canada

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.

No.NameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistry
1 Ian Alistair Mackenzie October 18, 1944January 18, 1948 Liberal 16 (King)
2 Milton Gregg January 19, 1948November 15, 1948Liberal
November 15, 1948August 6, 1950 17 (St. Laurent)
3 Hugues Lapointe August 7, 1950June 20, 1957Liberal
4 Alfred Johnson Brooks June 21, 1957October 10, 1960 Progressive Conservative 18 (Diefenbaker)
5 Gordon Churchill October 11, 1960February 11, 1963Progressive Conservative
6 Marcel Lambert February 12, 1963April 21, 1963Progressive Conservative
7 Roger Teillet April 22, 1963April 19, 1968 Liberal 19 (Pearson)
April 20, 1968July 5, 1968 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
8 Jean-Eudes Dubé July 6, 1968January 27, 1972Liberal
9 Arthur Laing January 28, 1972November 26, 1972Liberal
10 Daniel J. MacDonald November 27, 1972June 3, 1979Liberal
11 Allan McKinnon June 4, 1979March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
(10) Daniel J. MacDonald (2nd time)March 3, 1980September 30, 1980 Liberal 22 (P. E. Trudeau)
– Gilles Lamontagne (acting)October 1, 1980September 21, 1981Liberal
12 W. Bennett Campbell September 22, 1981June 29, 1984Liberal
June 30, 1984September 16, 1984 23 (Turner)
13 George Hees September 17, 1984September 14, 1988 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
14 Gerald Merrithew September 18, 1988January 3, 1993Progressive Conservative
15 Kim Campbell January 4, 1993June 24, 1993Progressive Conservative
16 Peter McCreath June 25, 1993November 3, 1993Progressive Conservative 25 (Campbell)
17 David Collenette November 4, 1993October 4, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
18 Doug Young October 5, 1996June 10, 1997Liberal
19 Fred Mifflin June 11, 1997August 2, 1999Liberal
20 George Baker August 3, 1999October 17, 2000Liberal
21 Ron Duhamel October 18, 2000January 14, 2002Liberal
22 Rey Pagtakhan January 15, 2002December 11, 2003Liberal
23 John McCallum December 12, 2003July 19, 2004Liberal 27 (Martin)
24 Albina Guarnieri July 20, 2004February 5, 2006Liberal
25 Greg Thompson February 6, 2006January 16, 2010 Conservative 28 (Harper)
26 Jean-Pierre Blackburn January 19, 2010May 18, 2011Conservative
27 Steven Blaney May 18, 2011July 15, 2013Conservative
28 Julian Fantino July 15, 2013January 5, 2015Conservative
29 Erin O'Toole January 5, 2015November 4, 2015Conservative
30 Kent Hehr November 4, 2015August 28, 2017Liberal 29 (J. Trudeau)
31 Seamus O'Regan August 28, 2017January 14, 2019Liberal
32 Jody Wilson-Raybould January 14, 2019February 12, 2019Liberal
– Harjit Sajjan (acting)February 12, 2019March 1, 2019Liberal
33 Lawrence MacAulay March 1, 2019July 26, 2023Liberal
34 Ginette Petitpas Taylor July 26, 2023December 20, 2024Liberal
35 Darren Fisher December 20, 2024March 14, 2025Liberal
36 Élisabeth Brière March 14, 2025IncumbentLiberal

Military service

Many ministers, all of whom were officers, have had prior military experience. The posting does not, however, require prior military service.

NameBranchNotable unitsRankService period
Milton Fowler Gregg Canadian Army Royal Canadian Regiment, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada Brigadier World War I, World War II
Hugues LapointeCanadian Army Régiment de la Chaudière Lieutenant colonel World War II
Gordon ChurchillCanadian Army 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment Lieutenant colonelWorld War I, World War II
Marcel LambertCanadian Army King's Own Calgary Regiment Lieutenant colonelWorld War II
Roger Teillet Royal Canadian Air Force No. 35 Squadron RAF Flight lieutenant World War II
Daniel J. MacDonaldCanadian Army - The Prince Edward Island Highlanders, Cape Breton Highlanders Lieutenant colonelWorld War II
Allan McKinnonCanadian Army Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Major World War II
Gilles LamontagneRoyal Canadian Air Force 425 Bomber Squadron Flight lieutenantWorld War II
George HeesCanadian Army 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Brigade major World War II
Gerald MerrithewCanadian Army Royal New Brunswick Regiment Lieutenant colonelMilitia pre-1970s
Fred Mifflin Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Saguenay, HMCS Skeena, deputy commander – Maritime Command Rear admiral Cold War 1954–1987
Erin O'TooleRoyal Canadian Air Force 423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron Captain 1991–2000s
Harjit Sajjan (acting)Canadian Army The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) Lieutenant-colonel 1989–2015

References

  1. ↑ "The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons". ourcommons.ca. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials" (PDF).
  3. ↑ "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  4. ↑ "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". ourcommons.ca. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". April 1, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
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