Principal Secretary (Canada)

Last updated
Principal Secretary to the
Prime Minister of Canada
David Lametti, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic at the Creative Commons Global Summit 2017 (33940702440) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
David Lametti
since July 14, 2025
Office of the Prime Minister
Style Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada
TypePolitical Advisor
Reports to Prime Minister
Seat Langevin Block
Appointer Prime Minister
FormationJuly 1, 1867
First holder Hewitt Bernard
Website Prime Minister's Office

In Canada, the principal secretary is a senior aide, often the most senior political aide, to a head of government. Formerly, the position of principal secretary was the most senior one in the Canadian Prime Minister's office (PMO). However, since 1987, it has been second to the chief of staff position.

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The Leader of the Official Opposition and most Premiers also have a principal secretary.

The role of the principal secretary may vary, depending on how the prime minister or premier structures the workflow in their office. This has sometimes led to ambiguity in clearly defining the distinction between the roles of principal secretary and chief of staff to the general public. [1]

List of principal secretaries to the prime minister

The organizational structure of the Prime Minister's office has traditionally been hierarchical. Depending on the personal approach of the Prime Minister, the duties of managing, administrating and co-ordinating the activities of the PMO may belong to the Principal Secretary, the Chief of Staff, or another key advisor.

The Government of Canada does not maintain an official, complete list of persons that have held leadership positions in the PMO. The following list includes persons that have held the position of Principal Secretary, Private Secretary, Principal Private Secretary, Personal Secretary, or Secretary.

No.NameTitleTerm of OfficePolitical PartyMinistry
1 Hewitt Bernard Private Secretary18671873 Liberal-Conservative 1 (Macdonald)
2 William Buckingham Secretary18731878 Liberal 2 (Mackenzie)
3 Fred White Private Secretary18781882Liberal-Conservative 3 (Macdonald)
4 Joseph Pope Private Secretary18821891Liberal-Conservative
—VacantLiberal-Conservative 4 (Abbott)
5Douglas StewartSecretary18921894Liberal-Conservative 5 (Thompson)
—Vacant Conservative 6 (Bowell)
6Austin Ernest BlountPrivate Secretary18961896Conservative 7 (Tupper)
7 Ernest Joseph Lemaire Private Secretary19041912Liberal 8 (Laurier)
8Austin Ernest BlountPrivate Secretary19111917Conservative 9 (Borden)
—Vacant Conservative (Unionist) 10 (Borden)
9Arthur MerriamPrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19201921 Conservative (Unionist) 11 (Meighan)
10Laurent BeaudryPrivate Secretary19211922Liberal 12 (King)
Fred A. McGregorSecretary19211922Liberal
11Leslie Clare MoyerPrivate Secretary19221926Liberal
12 Ralph Campney Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19251926Liberal
—VacantConservative 13 (Meighan)
13Howard MeasuresPersonal Secretary19251930Liberal 14 (King)
14Leslie Clare MoyerPrivate Secretary19261927Liberal
15Harry BaldwinPrincipal Private Secretary19291930Liberal
16Rob FinlaysonPrincipal Senior Secretary19301935Conservative 15 (Bennett)
17Howard R. L. HenryPrivate Secretary19351935Liberal 16 (King)
18 Arnold Heeney Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19381940Liberal
19Walter J. TurnbullPrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19401945Liberal
20Gideon MattePrivate Secretary19451948Liberal
21Pierre AsselinPrivate Secretary19521958Liberal 17 (St-Laurent)
Dale Thomson Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19521953Liberal
22 Derek Bedson Private Secretary19571958Conservative 18 (Diefenbaker)
23 Marc Lalonde Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19671968Liberal 19 (Pearson)
24John HodgsonPrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19661967Liberal
25 Marc Lalonde Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19681972Liberal 20 (Trudeau)
26 Martin O'Connell Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19731974Liberal
27 Jack Austin Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19741975Liberal
28 Jim Coutts Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19751979Liberal
—Vacant Progressive Conservative 21 (Clark)
29 Jim Coutts Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19801981Liberal 22 (Trudeau)
30 Tom Axworthy Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister19811984Liberal
31John SwiftPrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19841984Liberal 23 (Turner)
32Bernard A. RoyPrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19841988Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
33Peter G. WhitePrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19881989Progressive Conservative
34Jean RiouPrincipal Secretary to the Prime Minister19931993Progressive Conservative 25 (Campbell)
—VacantLiberal 26 (Chrétien)
35 Francis Fox Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister20042004Liberal 27 (Martin)
36 Ray Novak Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister20082013 Conservative 28 (Harper)
37 Gerald Butts Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister20152019Liberal 29 (Trudeau)
—VacantLiberal
38Tom PitfieldInterim Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister20252025Liberal 30 (Carney)
39 David Lametti Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister2025presentLiberal

See also

References

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