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Guide to Canadian Ministries Since Confederation

Eighth Ministry

LIBERAL[1]
11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911

PRIME MINISTER
The Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier[2]

THE MINISTRY

Minister of Agriculture
Hon. Sydney Arthur Fisher 13 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Customs[3]
Hon. William Paterson 30 June 1897 - 6 Oct.1911
 
Minister of Finance and Receiver General
Vacant 13 July 1896 - 19 July 1896
Hon. William Stevens Fielding 20 July 1896 - 6 Oct.1911
 
Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs[4]
Vacant 13 July 1896 - 16 July 1896
Hon. Richard William Scott Senator - Acting Minister 17 July 1896 - 16 Nov. 1896
Hon. Clifford Sifton 17 Nov. 1896 - 28 Feb. 1905
Vacant 29 Feb. 1905 - 12 Mar. 1905
Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Acting Minister 13 Mar. 1905 - 7 Apr. 1905
Hon. Frank Oliver 8 Apr. 1905 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Inland Revenue
Hon. Sir Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière 30 June 1897- 21 June 1900
Hon. Michel Esdras Bernier 22 June 1900 - 18 Jan. 1904
Hon. Louis-Philippe Brodeur[5] 19 Jan. 1904 - 5 Feb 1906
Hon. William Templeman 6 Feb. 1906 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of the Interior[6]
Vacant 13 July 1896 - 16 July 1896
Hon. Richard William Scott Senator - Acting Minister 17 July 1896 - 16 Nov. 1896
Hon. Clifford Sifton 17 Nov.1896 - 28 Feb. 1905
Vacant 29 Feb. 1905 - 12 Mar. 1905
Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Acting Minister 13 Mar. 1905 - 7 Apr. 1905
Hon. Frank Oliver 8 Apr. 1905 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Justice and Attorney General
Hon. Sir Oliver Mowat Senator 13 July 1896 - 17 Nov. 1897
Hon. David Mills Senator 18 Nov. 1897 - 7 Feb. 1902
Vacant 8 Feb.1902 - 10 Feb. 1902
Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick 11 Feb. 1902 - 3 June 1906
Hon. Sir Allen Bristol Aylesworth 4 June 1906 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Labour[7]
Vacant 19 May 1909 - 1 June 1909
Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King 2 June 1909 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Marine and Fisheries
Hon. Sir Louis Henry Davies 13 July 1896 - 24 Sept. 1901
Vacant 25 Sept. 1901 - 14 Jan. 1902
Hon. James Sutherland[8] 15 Jan. 1902 - 10 Nov. 1902
Hon. Joseph Raymond Fournier Préfontaine 11 Nov. 1902 - 25 Dec. 1905
Vacant 26 Dec. 1905 - 5 Jan. 1906
Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier Acting Minister 6 Jan. 1906 - 5 Feb. 1906
Hon. Louis-Philippe Brodeur 6 Feb. 1906 - 10 Aug. 1911
Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux 11 Aug 1911 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Militia and Defence
Hon. Sir Frederick William Borden 13 July 1896 - 6 Oct.1911
 
Minister of Mines[9]
Vacant 27 Apr. 1907 - 2 May 1907
Hon. William Templeman 3 May 1907 - 6 Oct.1911
 
Minister of the Naval Service[10]
Hon. Louis-Philippe Brodeur 4 May 1910 - 10 Aug. 1911
Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux 11 Aug. 1911 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Postmaster General
Hon. Sir William Mulock 13 July 1896 - 15 Oct. 1905
Hon. Allen Bristol Aylesworth[11] 16 Oct. 1905 - 3 June 1906
Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux[12] 4 June 1906 - 10 Aug. 1911
Vacant 11 Aug. 1911 - 18 Aug. 1911
Hon. Henri Sévérin Béland 19 Aug. 1911 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
President of the Privy Council
Rt. Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier 11 July 1896 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Public Works
Hon. Joseph Israël Tarte 13 July 1896 - 21 Oct. 1902
Vacant 22 Oct. 1902 - 10 Nov. 1902
Hon. James Sutherland 11 Nov. 1902 - 3 May 1905
Vacant 4 May 1905 - 21 May 1905
Hon. Charles Smith Hyman 22 May 1905 - 29 Aug. 1907
Hon. William Pugsley 30 Aug. 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Railways and Canals
Vacant 13 July 1896 - 19 July 1896
Hon. Andrew George Blair 20 July 1896 - 20 July 1903
Hon. William Stevens Fielding Acting Minister 21 July 1903 - 14 Jan. 1904
Hon. Henry Robert Emmerson 15 Jan.1904 - 2 Apr. 1907
Vacant 3 Apr.1907 - 8 Apr. 1907
Hon. William Stevens Fielding Acting Minister 9 Apr.1907 - 29 Aug. 1907
Hon. George Perry Graham 30 Aug. 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Secretary of State of Canada[13]
Hon. Richard William Scott[14] Senator 13 July 1896 - 8 Oct. 1908
Hon. Charles Murphy 9 Oct. 1908 - 6 Oct. 1911
 
Minister of Trade and Commerce
Rt. Hon. Sir Richard John Cartwright Senator 13 July 1896 - 6 Oct.1911
 
Minister without Portfolio
Hon. Richard Reid Dobell 13 July 1896 - 11 Jan. 1902
Hon. Christophe Alphonse Geoffrion 21 Aug. 1896 - 18 July 1899
Hon. James Sutherland[15] 30 Sept. 1899 - 14 Jan.1902
Hon. William Templeman[16] Senator 25 Feb. 1902 - 5 Feb. 1906
Hon. Charles Smith Hyman[17] 5 Feb. 1904 - 21 May 1905
 
NOT OF THE CABINET
Controller of Customs
Hon. William Paterson[18] 13 July 1896 - 29 June 1897
 
Controller of Inland Revenue
Hon. Sir Henri Gustave Joly de Lotbinière[19] 13 July 1896 - 29 June 1897
 
Solicitor General of Canada
Hon. Charles Fitzpatrick[20] 13 July 1896 - 9 Feb. 1902
Hon. Henry George Carroll 10 Feb.1902 - 28 Jan. 1904
Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux[21] 29 Jan. 1904 - 3 June 1906
Vacant 4 June 1906 - 13 Feb. 1907
Hon. Jacques Bureau 14 Feb. 1907 - 6 Oct. 1911



[1] With the defeat of the Government in the general election of 23 June 1896 Tupper resigned from office on 8 July 1896. The next day the Governor General invited Laurier to reform a Government. On 11 July Laurier, acting alone as the Committee of the Privy Council, advised his own appointment as President of the Privy Council and on 13 July the remainder of the Cabinet was appointed to office.

[2] Laurier was also President of the Privy Council.

[3] Statute 60-61 Vict., c. 18, assented to on 29 June 1897, revived the offices of Minister of Customs and Minister of Inland Revenue, See Controller of Customs and Controller of Inland Revenue.

[4] See Note 6.

[5] Brodeur was appointed Minister Of Marine and Fisheries on 6 Feb. 1906.

[6] The Minister of the Interior was ex officio the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs.

[7] The Department of Labour was established pursuant to the Conciliation Act, 1900 (Statute 63-64 Vict., c. 24, assented to on 18 July 1900). The department was under the control of the minister designated by the Governor in Council to administer the aforesaid Act. Mulock, Aylesworth and Lemieux, who were successively Postmasters General, were so designated during their terms in that portfolio. The office of Minister of Labour was created by Statute 8-9 Edw. VII, c. 22, and assented to on 19 May 1909

[8] Sutherland was appointed Minister of Public Works on 11 Nov. 1902.

[9] The Department of Mines was created by Statute 6-7 Edw,. VII, c. 29. and assented to on 27 Apr. 1907. The department was to be presided over by the minister of another department who was to be named by the Governor in Council and who was to be called "The Minister of Mines". The Minister of Inland Revenue was the first to be named Minister of Mines.

[10] The Department of the Naval Service was created by Statute 9-10 Edw, VII, c. 43, was assented to on 4 May 1910, and was to be presided over by the Minister of Marine and Fisheries, who was to be the Minister of the Naval Service.

[11] Aylesworth was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General on 4 June 1906.

[12] Lemieux was appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries on 11 Aug. 1911.

[13] The Department of External Affairs was created by Statute 8-9 Edw. VII, c. 13, assented to on 19 May 1909, proclaimed in force on 1 June 1909, and was to be presided over by the Secretary of State of Canada, who was also ex officio the Registrar General of Canada.

[14] Scott resigned on 16 Sept. 1908, but on the Prime Minister's request continued to administer the department until his successor took charge.

[15] Sutherland was appointed Minister of Marine and Fisheries on 15 Jan. 1902.

[16] Templeman was appointed Minister of Inland Revenue on 6 Feb. 1906.

[17] Hyman was appointed Minister of Public Works on 22 May 1905.

[18] Paterson was appointed Minister of Customs on 30 June 1897.

[19] Joly de Lotbiniére was appointed Minister of Inland Revenue on 29 June 1897.

[20] Fitzpatrick was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General on 11 Feb. 1902.

[21] Lemieux was appointed Postmaster General on 4 June 1906.

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