Postmaster General of Canada

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Postmasters General of Canada, 1851-1929
Credit: Agnes Macdonald, Baroness Macdonald of Earnscliffe Collection. / Library and Archives Canada / PA-066694 Postmasters General of Canada 1831 to 1929.jpg
Postmasters General of Canada, 1851-1929
Credit: Agnes Macdonald, Baroness Macdonald of Earnscliffe Collection. / Library and Archives Canada / PA-066694

The Postmaster General of Canada was the Canadian cabinet minister responsible for the Post Office Department (Canada Post). In 1851, management of the post office was transferred from Britain (Royal Mail) to the provincial governments of the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The position of Postmaster General was established in each province. With Canadian Confederation in 1867, a single position was created replacing this post in all of the above provinces except Newfoundland. this position was abolished in 1981 when the post office was transformed from a government department into a crown corporation. Since 1981 Canada Post has been led by a President and CEO. From 1900 until 1909 the Postmaster General was also responsible for the Department of Labour. [1] It now reports to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement.

Contents

Canada Post Corporation has had its own CEO and President since 1981, who has most of the administrative responsibilities previously exercised by the Postmaster General. With the abolition of the position of Postmaster General the legislative and certain other duties previously exercised by the Postmaster General were transferred to the new position of Minister responsible for Canada Post Corporation.

List of postmasters general

Key:

   Liberal Party of Canada
  Historical conservative parties: Liberal-Conservative, Conservative (historical), Unionist, National Liberal and Conservative, Progressive Conservative
No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistry
1 Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg Alexander Campbell July 1, 1867June 30, 1873 Conservative 1 (Macdonald)
2 John O'Connor.jpg John O'Connor July 1, 1873November 5, 1873Conservative
3 DonaldAlexanderMacdonald23.jpg Donald Alexander Macdonald November 7, 1873May 17, 1875 Liberal 2 (Mackenzie)
4 Telesphore Fournier.jpg Télesphore Fournier May 19, 1875October 7, 1875Liberal
5 LuciusSethHuntington23.jpg Lucius Seth Huntington October 9, 1875October 8, 1878Liberal
6 HectorLangevin23.jpg Hector-Louis Langevin October 19, 1878May 19, 1879Conservative 3 (Macdonald)
(1)Alexander CampbellMay 20, 1879January 15, 1880Conservative
(2)John O'ConnorJanuary 16, 1880November 7, 1880Conservative
(1)Alexander CampbellNovember 8, 1880May 18, 1881Conservative
(2)John O'ConnorMay 20, 1881May 22, 1882Conservative
7 JohnCarling23.jpg John Carling May 23, 1882September 24, 1885 Liberal-Conservative
(1)Alexander CampbellSeptember 25, 1885January 26, 1887Conservative
8 Archibald Woodbury McLelan.jpg Archibald McLelan January 27, 1887July 9, 1888Conservative
John Carling

(Acting)

July 11, 1888August 5, 1888Liberal-Conservative
9 John Graham Haggart.jpg John Graham Haggart August 6, 1888June 6, 1891Conservative
June 16, 1891January 24, 1892 4 (Abbott)
10 Joseph-Philippe-Rene-Adolphe Caron.jpg Adolphe-Philippe Caron January 25, 1892November 24, 1892Conservative
December 5, 1892December 12, 1894 5 (Thompson)
December 21, 1894April 27, 1896 6 (Bowell)
11 Louis-Olivier Taillon.jpg Louis-Olivier Taillon May 1, 1896July 8, 1896Conservative 7 (Tupper)
12 WilliamMulock.jpeg William Mulock July 13, 1896October 15, 1905Liberal 8 ( Laurier)
13 Allen Bristol Aylesworth.jpg Allen Bristol Aylesworth October 16, 1905June 3, 1906Liberal
14 Rodolphe Lemieux.jpg Rodolphe Lemieux June 4, 1906August 10, 1911Liberal
15 Henri Severin Beland.jpg Henri Sévérin Béland August 19, 1911October 6, 1911Liberal
16 Louis-Philippe Pelletier.png Louis-Philippe Pelletier October 10, 1911October 19, 1914Conservative 9 ( Borden)
17 Thomas Chase-Casgrain.jpg Thomas Chase-Casgrain October 20, 1914December 29, 1916Conservative
18 Pierre Edouard Blondin.jpg Pierre-Édouard Blondin January 8, 1917October 12, 1917Conservative
October 12, 1917July 10, 1920 10 ( Borden)
July 10, 1920September 20, 1921 11 (Meighen )
19 Louis de Gonzague Belley.png Louis de Gonzague Belley September 21, 1921December 28, 1921Conservative
20 Charles Murphy.jpg Charles Murphy December 29, 1921June 28, 1926Liberal 12 (King )
21 MP Robert Manion.jpg Robert James Manion June 29, 1926September 24, 1926Conservative 13 (Meighen )
22 Peter Veniot as Postmaster General.jpg Peter John Veniot September 25, 1926August 6, 1930Liberal 14 (King )
23 Arthur Sauve.jpg Arthur Sauvé August 7, 1930August 13, 1935Conservative 15 (Bennett )
24 Samuel Gobeil August 16, 1935October 22, 1935Conservative
25 Hon. J.C. Elliott, Minister of Public Works (Portrait).jpg John Campbell Elliott October 23, 1935January 22, 1939Liberal 16 (King )
26 Norman Alexander McLarty.jpg Norman Alexander McLarty January 23, 1939September 18, 1939Liberal
27 Charles Gavan Power portrait.jpg Charles Gavan Power September 19, 1939May 22, 1940Liberal
James Lorimer Ilsley portrait (5457858).jpg James Lorimer Ilsley

(Acting)

May 23, 1940July 7, 1940Liberal
28 William Pate Mulock.jpg William Pate Mulock July 8, 1940June 8, 1945Liberal
29 Ernest Bertrand.jpg Ernest Bertrand August 29, 1945November 14, 1948Liberal
November 15, 1948August 23, 1949 17 (St. Laurent )
30 Édouard Rinfret August 25, 1949February 12, 1952Liberal
31 Alcide Côté February 13, 1952August 7, 1955Liberal
Roch Pinard

(Acting)

August 16, 1955November 2, 1955Liberal
32 Hugues Lapointe November 3, 1955June 20, 1957Liberal
33 William McLean Hamilton June 21, 1957July 12, 1962 Progressive Conservative 18 (Diefenbaker )
Angus MacLean 1980 (cropped).jpg Angus MacLean

(Acting)

July 18, 1962August 8, 1962Progressive Conservative
34 Ellen Fairclough 1940s.jpg Ellen Fairclough August 9, 1962April 21, 1963Progressive Conservative
35 Azellus Denis (homme politique canadien).jpg Azellus Denis April 22, 1963February 2, 1964Liberal 19 (Pearson )
36 John Robert Nicholson February 3, 1964February 14, 1965Liberal
37 René Tremblay February 15, 1965December 17, 1965Liberal
38 Jean-Pierre Côté December 18, 1965April 19, 1968Liberal
April 20, 1968July 5, 1968 20 (Trudeau )
39 Eric Kierans in Montreal Star.jpg Eric Kierans July 6, 1968April 28, 1971Liberal
(38)Jean-Pierre CôtéApril 29, 1971November 26, 1972Liberal
40 André Ouellet November 27, 1972August 7, 1974Liberal
41 Bryce Mackasey August 8, 1974September 13, 1976Liberal
42 Jean-Jacques Blais September 14, 1976February 1, 1978Liberal
43 Gilles Lamontagne February 2, 1978June 3, 1979Liberal
44 John Allen Fraser June 4, 1979March 2, 1980Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark )
(40)André OuelletMarch 3, 1980October 15, 1981Liberal 20 (Trudeau )

See also

  1. "Profile - Post Office". lop.parl.ca. Retrieved 2025-05-14.