Minister of the Interior (Canada)

The Minister of the Interior was the member of the Canadian Cabinet who oversaw the Department of the Interior, which was responsible for federal land management, immigration, Indian affairs, and natural-resources extraction.

The position was created in 1873 by Statute 36 Victoria, c. 4, to replace the Secretary of State for the Provinces. The Act designated the Minister as ex officio the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. From 30 March 1912 to 9 February 1913, and from 31 December 1919 to 6 August 1930, the Minister of the Interior was also designated ex officio the Minister of Mines.

In 1917 the responsibility for passports was transferred to the Minister of Immigration and Colonization.

It was superseded in 1936 by the Minister responsible for Indian Affairs and Minister of Mines and Resources.

Ministers

Key:

  Liberal Party of Canada

  Historical conservative parties: Liberal-Conservative, Conservative (historical), Unionist, National Liberal and Conservative, Progressive Conservative

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Ministry
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 1	File:Sir Alexander Campbell.jpg	Alexander Campbell	July 1, 1873	November 5, 1873	Liberal-Conservative	1 (Macdonald)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 2	File:Davidlaird.png	David Laird	November 7, 1873	October 6, 1876	Liberal	2 (Mackenzie)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| –	File:Sir Richard William Scott.jpg	Richard William Scott (Acting)	October 7, 1876	October 23, 1876	Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 3	File:David Mills (Canada).jpg	David Mills	October 24, 1876	October 8, 1878	Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 4	File:Brady-Handy John A Macdonald - cropped.jpg	John A. Macdonald	October 17, 1878	October 2, 1887	Liberal-Conservative	3 (Macdonald)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 5	File:Thomas White.jpg	Thomas White	October 3, 1887	April 21, 1888	Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| –	File:Brady-Handy John A Macdonald - cropped.jpg	John A. Macdonald (Acting)	May 8, 1888	September 24, 1888	Liberal-Conservative
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 6	File:Edgar Dewdney.jpg	Edgar Dewdney	September 25, 1888	June 6, 1891	Conservative
June 16, 1891			October 16, 1892	4 (Abbott)
rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 7	File:ThomasMayneDaly23.jpg	Thomas Mayne Daly	October 17, 1892		November 24, 1892	Liberal-Conservative
December 5, 1892			December 12, 1894	5 (Thompson)
December 21, 1894			April 27, 1896	6 (Bowell)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 8	File:Hugh John Macdonald.jpg	Hugh John Macdonald	May 1, 1896	July 8, 1896	Conservative (historical)	7 (Tupper)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| –	File:Sir Richard William Scott.jpg	Richard William Scott (Acting)	July 17, 1896	November 16, 1896	Liberal	8 (Laurier)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 9	File:Clifford Sifton.jpg	Clifford Sifton	November 17, 1896	February 28, 1905	Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| –	File:The Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier Photo C (HS85-10-16873) - tight crop.jpg	Wilfrid Laurier (Acting)	March 13, 1905	April 7, 1905	Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 10	File:Frank Oliver2.jpg	Frank Oliver	April 8, 1905	October 6, 1911	Liberal
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 11	File:Robert Rogers.jpg	Robert Rogers	October 10, 1911	October 28, 1912	Conservative	9 (Borden)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 12	File:William James Roche.jpg	William James Roche	October 29, 1912	October 12, 1917	Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 13	File:Former PM Arthur Meighen (cropped).jpg	Arthur Meighen	October 12, 1917	July 10, 1920	Unionist	10 (Borden)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 14	File:James Alexander Lougheed.jpg	James Alexander Lougheed	July 10, 1920	December 29, 1921	National Liberal and Conservative	11 (Meighen)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 15	File:Charles Stewart2.jpg	Charles Stewart (First time)	December 29, 1921	June 28, 1926	Liberal	12 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| –	File:Henry Herbert Stevens.jpg	Henry Herbert Stevens (Acting)	June 29, 1926	July 12, 1926	Conservative	13 (Meighen)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| –	File:Richard Bedford Bennett.jpg	Richard Bedford Bennett (Acting)	July 13, 1926	September 24, 1926	Conservative
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| (15)	File:Charles Stewart2.jpg	Charles Stewart (Second time)	September 25, 1926	August 6, 1930	Liberal	14 (King)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour; color:white"| 16	File:No image.svg	Thomas Gerow Murphy	August 7, 1930	October 23, 1935	Conservative	15 (Bennett)
style="background:Template:Canadian party colour;"| 17	File:CRERAR.jpg	Thomas Crerar	October 23, 1935	November 30, 1936	Liberal	16 (King)

See also

• Secretary of State for the Provinces - post preceding the Minister of Interior
• Secretary of State for Canada