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Guide to Canadian Ministries Since Confederation

Third Ministry

LIBERAL-CONSERVATIVE[1]
17 October 1878 to 6 June 1891

PRIME MINISTER
The Right Honourable Sir John Alexander Macdonald[2]

THE MINISTRY

Minister of Agriculture
Hon. John Henry Pope[3] 17 Oct.1878 - 24 Sept. 1885
Hon. John Carling 25 Sept 1885 - 6 June 1891
 
Minister of Customs
Vacant 17 Oct.1878 - 18 Oct. 1878
Hon. Mackenzie Bowell 19 Oct. 1878 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Finance[4]
Hon. Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley[5] 17 Oct. 1878 - 19 May 1879

 
Minister of Finance and Receiver General
Hon. Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley 20 May 1879 - 10 Nov. 1885
Vacant 11 Nov. 1885 - 9 Dec. 1885
Hon. Archibald Woodbury McLelan[6] 10 Dec. 1885 - 26 Jan. 1887
Hon. Sir Charles Tupper 27 Jan. 1887 - 22 May 1888
Vacant 23 May 1888 - 28 May 1888
Hon. George Eulas Foster 29 May 1888 - 6 June 1891

 
Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs[7]
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald 17 Oct. 1878 - 2 Oct. 1887
Hon. Thomas White 3 Oct.1887 - 21 Apr. 1868
Vacant 22 Apr. 1888 - 7 May 1888
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald Acting Minister 8 May 1888 - 24 Sept. 1888
Hon. Edgar Dewdney 25 Sept. 1888 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Inland Revenue
Vacant 17 Oct. 1878 - 25 Oct. 1878
Hon. Louis François Georges Baby 26 Oct. 1878 - 28 Oct. 1880
Vacant 29 Oct. 1880 - 7 Nov. 1880
Hon. James Cox Aikins Senator 8 Nov. 1880 - 22 May 1882
Hon. John Costigan 23 May 1882 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of the Interior[8]
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald 17 Oct. 1878 - 16 Oct. 1883
Hon. Sir David Lewis Macpherson Senator 17 Oct. 1883 - 4 Aug. 1885
Hon. Thomas White 5 Aug. 1885 - 21 Apr. 1888
Vacant 22 Apr. 1888 - 7 May 1888
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald Acting Minister 8 May 1888 - 24 Sept. 1888
Hon. Edgar Dewdney 25 Sept. 1888 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Hon. James McDonald 17 Oct. 1878 - 19 May 1881
Hon. Sir Alexander Campbell[9] Senator 20 May 1881 - 24 Sept. 1885
Vacant 25 Sept. 1885
Hon. Sir John Sparrow David Thompson 26 Sept. 1885 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Marine and Fisheries
Vacant 17 Oct.1878 - 18 Oct. 1878
Hon. James Colledge Pope 19 Oct. 1878 - 9 July 1882
Hon. Archibald Woodbury McLelan[10] 10 July 1882 - 9 Dec. 1885
Hon. George Eulas Foster[11] 10 Dec.1885 - 28 May 1888
Vacant 29 May 1888 - 31 May 1888
Hon. Charles Hibbert Tupper 1 June 1888 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Militia and Defence
Vacant 17 Oct. 1878 - 18 Oct. 1878
Hon. Louis François Rodrigue Masson[12] 19 Oct. 1878 - 15 Jan. 1880
Hon. Sir Alexander Campbell[13] Senator 16 Jan. 1880 - 7 Nov. 1880
Hon. Sir Joseph Philippe René Adolphe Caron 8 Nov. 1880 - 6 June 1891

 
Postmaster General
Vacant 17 Oct.1878 - 18 Oct. 1878
Hon. Hector Louis Langevin[14] 19 Oct.1878 - 19 May 1879
Hon. Sir Alexander Campbell[15] Senator 20 - May 1879 - 15 Jan. 1880
Hon. John O'Connor[16] 16 Jan.1880 - 7 Nov. 1880
Hon. Sir Alexander Campbell[17] Senator 8 Nov.1880 - 19 May 1881
Hon. John O'Connor 20 May 1881 - 22 May 1882
Hon. John Carling[18] 23 May 1882 - 24 Sept. 1885
Hon. Sir Alexander Campbell Senator 25 Sept. 1885 - 26 Jan. 1887
Hon. Archibald Woodbury McLelan 27 Jan. 1887 - 9 July 1888
Vacant 10 July 1888
Hon. John Carling Acting Minister 11 July 1888 - 5 Aug. 1888
Hon. John Graham Haggart 6 Aug. 1888 - 6 June 1891

 
President of the Privy Council[19]
Hon. John O'Connor[20] 17 Oct. 1878 - 15 Jan. 1880
Hon. Louis François Rodrigue Masson 16 Jan 1880 - 31 July 1880
Vacant 1 Aug. 1880 - 7 Nov. 1880
Hon. Joseph-Alfred Mousseau[21] 8 Nov. 1880 - 19 May 1881
Hon. Archibald Woodbury McLelan[22] 20 May 1881 - 9 July 1882
Vacant 10 July 1882 - 16 Oct. 1883
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald 17 Oct. 1883 - 27 Nov. 1889
Hon. Charles Carrol Colby 28 Nov.1889 - 30 Apr. 1891
Vacant 1 May 1891 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Public Works
Hon. Sir Charles Tupper[23] 17 Oct. 1878 - 19 May 1879
Hon. Sir Hector Louis Langevin 20 May 1879 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister of Railways and Canals[24].
Hon. Sir Charles Tupper[25] 20 May 1879 - 28 May 1884
Hon. John Henry Pope Acting Minister 29 May 1884 - 24 Sept. 1885
Hon. John Henry Pope 25 Sept. 1885 - 1 Apr. 1889
Vacant 2 Apr. 1889 - 9 Apr. 1889
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald Acting Minister 10 Apr. 1889 - 27 Nov. 1889
Rt. Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald 28 Nov. 1889 - 6 June 1891

 
Receiver General
Vacant 17 Oct. 1878 - 7 Nov. 1878
Hon. Alexander Campbell [26] Senator 8 Nov.1878 - 19 May 1879

 
Secretary of State of Canada[27]
Vacant 17 Oct.1878 - 18 Oct. 1878
Hon. James Cox Aikins [28] Senator 19 Oct.1878 - 7 Nov. 1880
Hon. John O'Connor[29] 8 Nov.1880 - 19 May 1881
Hon. Joseph-Alfred Mousseau 20 May 1881 - 28 July 1882
Hon. Joseph Adolphe Chapleau 29 July 1882 - 6 June 1891

 
Minister without Portfolio
Hon. Robert Duncan Wilmot Senator 8 Nov.1878 - 10 Feb. 1880
Hon. David Lewis Macpherson[30] Senator 11 Feb. 1880 - 16 Oct. 1883
Hon. Frank Smith Senator 2 Aug.1882 - 6 June 1891
Hon. John Joseph Caldwell Abbott Senator 13 May 1887 - 6 June 1891

 

[1] The Mackenzie Government was defeated in the general election of 17 Sept. 1878. On 8 Oct. Mackenzie resigned and the next day Macdonald was invited to form a Government. Eight days later, on 17 Oct., six members of the Third Ministry assumed office. Five more portfolios were filled on 19 Oct., one on 26 Oct. and two on 8 Nov.

[2] During the Third Ministry Macdonald held successively the portfolios of the Interior, Privy Council, and Railways and Canals.

[3] Pope was appointed Minister of Railways and Canals on 25 Sept. 1885.

[4] Under the provisions of Statute 42 Vict., c. 7, assented to on 15 May 1879 and proclaimed in force on 20 May 1879, the Minister of Finance was to be ex officio the Receiver General of Canada

[5] Tilley was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General on 20 May 1879.

[6] McLelan was appointed Postmaster General on 27 Jan. 1887.

[7] See Minister of the Interior.

[8] Until 1883 the Minister of the Interior was ex officio the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. In that year Statute 46 Vict., c. 6, assented to on 25 May 1883, provided for the Minister of the Interior, or the head of any other department appointed for that purpose by the Governor in Council, to hold the office ex officio. By Order in Council dated 17 Oct. 1883 the President of the Privy Council was designated to be Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. On 3 Oct. 1887 the office was transferred back to the Minister of the Interior, who then, except for a brief period in 1930, continued to hold the office ex officio until its abolition in 1936. The Department of Indian Affairs was created by Statute 43 Vict., c. 28, assented to on 7 May 1880.

[9] Campbell was appointed Postmaster General on 25 Sept. 1885.

[10] McLelan was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General on 10 Dec. 1885.

[11] Foster was appointed Minister of Finance and Receiver General on 29 May 1885.

[12] Masson was appointed President cf the Privy Council on 16 Jan. 1880.

[13] Campbell was appointed Postmaster General on 8 Nov. 1880.

[14] Langevin was appointed Minister of Public Works on 20 May 1879.

[15] Campbell was appointed Minister of Militia and Defence on 16 Jan. 1880.

[16] O'Connor was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on 8 Nov. 1880.

[17] Campbell was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General on 20 May 1881.

[18] Carling was appointed Minister of Agriculture on 25 Sept. 1885.

[19] See Note 8.

[20] O'Connor was appointed Postmaster General on 16 Jan 1880.

[21] Mousseau was appointed Secretary of State of Canada on 20 May 1881.

[22] McLelan was appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries on 10 July 1882.

[23] Tupper was appointed Minister of Railways and Canals on 20 May 1879.

[24] The Office of Minister of Railways and Canals was created by Statute 42 Vict., c. 7, assented to on 15 May 1879, and proclaimed in force on 20 May 11879.

[25] On 30 May 1883 Sir Charles Tupper was appointed High Commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom, but an arrangement was made whereby he would serve in this capacity without salary. He continued to hold the portfolio of Minister of Railways and Canals until 28 May 1884 when a new commission was issued to him granting a salary as High Commissioner. This effected his resignation from the ministry. On 27 Jan. 1887 Tupper resigned as High Commissioner and re-entered the ministry as Minister of Finance.

[26] Campbell was appointed Postmaster General on 20 May 1879.

[27] The Secretary of State of Canada was ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.

[28] Aikins was appointed Minister of Inland Revenue on 8 Nov. 1880.

[29] O'Connor was appointed Postmaster General on 20 May 1881.

[30] Macpherson was appointed Minister of the Interior on 17 Oct. 1883.

 

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