Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation

The Ministries

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Eighteenth Ministry

Progressive-Conservative 1
21 June 1957 - 22 April 1963

Prime Minister
Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker 2

The Ministry
Position Title
NameService Date /
Termination Date
Minister of Agriculture
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness Acting Minister 21 June 1957 - 6 Aug. 1957
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness 3 7 Aug. 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Francis Alvin George Hamilton 11 Oct. 1960 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Hon. Edmund Davie Fulton Acting Minister 21 June 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough 4 12 May 1958 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Richard Albert Bell 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Defence Production
Hon. Howard Charles Green Acting Minister 21 June 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. Raymond Joseph Michael O'Hurley 12 May 1958 - 22 April 1963

Secretary of State for External Affairs
Rt Hon. John George Diefenbaker 21 June 1957 - 12 Sept. 1957
Hon. Sidney Earle Smith 13 Sept. 1957 - 17 March 1959
Vacant 18 March 1959 - 18 March 1959
Rt Hon. John George Diefenbaker Acting Minister 19 March 1959 - 3 June 1959
Hon. Howard Charles Green 4 June 1959 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Finance and Receiver General
Hon. Donald Methuen Fleming 5 21 June 1957 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. George Clyde Nowlan 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Fisheries
Hon. John Angus MacLean 21 June 1957 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Forestry6
Vacant 1 Oct. 1960 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Hugh John Flemming 7 11 Oct. 1960 - 17 March 1963
Hon. Martial Asselin 18 March 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Hon. Edmund Davie Fulton 5  8 21 June 1957 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Donald Methuen Fleming 5 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Labour
Hon. Michael Starr 21 June 1957 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys
Hon. Léon Balcer Acting Minister 21 June 1957 - 6 Aug. 1957
Hon. Paul Comtois 7 Aug. 1957 - 6 Oct. 1961
Vacant 7 Oct. 1961 - 9 Oct. 1961
Hon. Walter Gilbert Dinsdale Acting Minister 10 Oct. 1961 - 27 Dec. 1961
Hon. Jacques Flynn 28 Dec. 1961 - 12 July 1962
Vacant 13 July 1962 - 17 July 1962
Hon. Hugh John Flemming Acting Minister 18 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Paul Martineau 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister without Portfolio
Hon. William Joseph Browne 9 21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. James MacKerras Macdonnell 21 June 1957 - 19 Aug. 1959
Hon. John Thomas Haig Senator 9 Oct. 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. George Ernest Halpenny 10 11 Oct. 1960 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Malcolm Wallace McCutcheon Senator 11 9 Aug. 1962 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Frank Charles McGee 18 March 1963 - 22 April 1963
Hon. Théogène Ricard 18 March 1963 - 22 April 1963

Associate Minister of National Defence
Vacant 21 June 1957 - 19 Aug. 1959
Hon. Joseph Pierre Albert Sévigny 20 Aug. 1959 - 8 Feb. 1963
Vacant 9 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of National Defence
Hon. George Randolph Pearkes 21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness 3 11 Oct. 1960 - 3 Feb. 1963
Vacant 4 Feb. 1963 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Gordon Churchill 12 12 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of National Health and Welfare
Hon. Alfred Johnson Brooks Acting Minister 21 June 1957 - 21 Aug. 1957
Hon. Jay Waldo Monteith 22 Aug. 1957 - 22 April 1963

Minister of National Revenue
Hon. George Clyde Nowlan 13 21 June 1957 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Hugh John Flemming 7 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources
Hon. Douglas Scott Harkness 3 21 June 1957 - 18 Aug. 1957
Vacant 19 Aug. 1957 - 21 Aug. 1957
Hon. Francis Alvin George Hamilton 14 22 Aug. 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Walter Gilbert Dinsdale 11 Oct. 1960 - 22 April 1963

Postmaster General
Hon. William McLean Hamilton 21 June 1957 - 12 July 1962
Vacant 13 July 1962 - 17 July 1962
Hon. John Angus MacLean Acting Minister 18 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough 4 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

President of the Privy Council
Vacant 21 June 1957 - 27 Dec. 1961
Hon. Noël Dorion 15 28 Dec. 1961 - 5 July 1962
Vacant 6 July 1962 - 20 Dec. 1962
Rt Hon. John George Diefenbaker 21 Dec. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Public Works
Hon. Howard Charles Green 16 21 June 1957 - 19 Aug. 1959
Hon. David James Walker 20 Aug. 1959 - 12 July 1962
Vacant 13 July 1962 - 17 July 1962
Hon. Howard Charles Green Acting Minister 18 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. Edmund Davie Fulton 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Secretary of State of Canada17
Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough 4 21 June 1957 - 11 May 1958
Hon. Henri Courtemanche 12 May 1958 - 19 Jan. 1960
Vacant 20 Jan. 1960 - 20 Jan. 1960
Hon. Léon Balcer Acting Minister 21 Jan. 1960 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Noël Dorion 15 11 Oct. 1960 - 5 July 1962
Vacant 6 July 1962 - 10 July 1962
Hon. Léon Balcer Acting Minister 11 July 1962 - 8 Aug. 1962
Hon. George Ernest Halpenny 9 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Solicitor General of Canada
Hon. Léon Balcer 18 21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. William Joseph Browne 11 Oct. 1960 - 9 Aug. 1962
Vacant 10 Aug. 1962 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Trade and Commerce
Hon. Gordon Churchill 12 21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. George Harris Hees 11 Oct. 1960 - 8 Feb. 1963
Vacant 9 Feb. 1963 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Malcolm Wallace McCutcheon Senator 12 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Transport
Hon. George Harris Hees 19 21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Léon Balcer 11 Oct. 1960 - 22 April 1963

Minister of Veterans Affairs
Hon. Alfred Johnson Brooks 21 June 1957 - 10 Oct. 1960
Hon. Gordon Churchill 12 11 Oct. 1960 - 11 Feb. 1963
Hon. Marcel Joseph Aimé Lambert 12 Feb. 1963 - 22 April 1963

Footnotes

  • [1] With the defeat of the Government in the general election of June 10, 1957, St-Laurent resigned on June 21, 1957 and the Eighteenth Ministry assumed office the same day.
  • [2] Diefenbaker was also President of the Privy Council and Secretary of State for External Affairs.
  • [3] Harkness was appointed Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources on June 21, 1957; Minister of Agriculture on August 7, 1957; and Minister of National Defence on October 11, 1960.
  • [4] Fairclough was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on June 21, 1957; Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on May 12, 1958; and Postmaster General on August 9, 1962.
  • [5] Fleming was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General of Canada on August 21, 1957; and Minister of Justice and Attorney General on August 9, 1962.
  • [6] The office of Minister of Forestry was created by Statute 8-9 Eliz. II, c. 41, assented to on August 1, 1960 and proclaimed in force on October 1, 1960.
  • [7] Flemming was appointed Minister of Forestry on October 11, 1960; and Minister of National Revenue on August 9, 1962.
  • [8] Fulton was appointed Minister of Public Works on August 9, 1962.
  • [9] Browne was appointed Solicitor General of Canada on October 11, 1960.
  • [10] Halpenny was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on August 9, 1962.
  • [11] McCutcheon was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on February 12, 1963.
  • [12] Churchill was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on June 21, 1957; Minister of Veterans Affairs on October 11, 1960; and Minister of National Defence on February 12, 1963.
  • [13] Nowlan was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General on August 9, 1962.
  • [14] Hamilton was appointed Minister of Agriculture on October 11, 1960.
  • [15] Dorion was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on October 11, 1960; and President of the Privy Council on December 28, 1961.
  • [16] Green was also Secretary of State for External Affairs.
  • [17] The Secretary of State of Canada was ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.
  • [18] Balcer was appointed Minister of Transport on October 11, 1960.
  • [19] Hees was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce on October 11, 1960.

The Canadian Ministry was prepared using an earlier publication (Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation) and new information compiled by the Orders in Council Division of the Privy Council Office. Any inaccuracy should be brought to the attention of Christine Moreau-Tremblay at christine.moreau-tremblay@bnet.pco-bcp.gc.ca.