The minister of Science is a vacant office that was in the Cabinet of Canada and existed under various forms from 1971 to 2019, when the portfolio's responsibilities were absorbed into the innovation, science and industry portfolio.

Minister for Science of Canada
Incumbent
Vacant
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
AppointerMonarch (represented by the governor general);[1]
on the advice of the prime minister[2]
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderAlastair Gillespie
FormationAugust 12, 1971
Final holderKirsty Duncan
Salary$255,300 (2017)[3] (CAD)
Websitescience.gc.ca

History

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The portfolio was called the Minister of State for Science and Technology from 1971 until 1990, when a cabinet reshuffle saw the creation of two new science-related full cabinet positions: the Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, and the Minister for Science. The former combined aspects of the now-defunct post of Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion and the Minister of State for Science and Technology. While it was active, two of the three full ministers for science were simultaneously Minister of State for Small Business.

When Jean Chrétien came to power in 1993, he did not nominate a full minister for science. Instead, he created the position of Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development), which was assigned by Order-in-Council to assist the Minister of Industry. While this position subsequently changed name in 2008 to Minister of State (Science and Technology), its role did not change much until 2015.

In 2015 under the first Trudeau government, Kirsty Duncan was appointed to the newly created position of Minister of Science. However, this position remained under the same legal framework as its predecessor, responsible for assisting the senior portfolio of Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (the restyled Minister of Industry).[4] Duncan's portfolio was expected to oversee basic research, while Navdeep Bains would oversee applied science.[5] In July 2018, the office's portfolio was expanded to include responsibility for Sport Canada and was renamed to Minister of Science and Sport.[6]

Following the 2019 federal election, the portfolio became vacant and Bains' portfolio was expanded—he was appointed as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (previously called, Innovation, Science and Economic Development).[7][8]

Ministers

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Key:

  Historical conservative parties: Progressive Conservative
Portrait Name Term of office Political party Ministry Concurrent positions Notes
Minister of State (Science and Technology), 1971–1990
  Alastair Gillespie 12 Aug. 1971 26 Nov. 1972 Lib 20 (P. E. Trudeau)
  Jeanne Sauvé 27 Nov. 1972 7 Aug. 1974
Charles Mills Drury 8 Aug. 1974 13 Sept. 1976 Minister of Public Works
  James Hugh Faulkner 14 Sept. 1976 15 Sept. 1977 Secretary of State of Canada
  J. Judd Buchanan 16 Sept. 1977 23 Nov. 1978 Minister of Public Works
  Alastair Gillespie 24 Nov. 1978 3 June 1979 Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources
Ramon John Hnatyshyn 4 June 1979 8 Oct. 1979 PC 21 (Clark) Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources
  William Heward Grafftey 8 Oct. 1979 2 March 1980
  John Roberts 3 March 1980 29 June 1984 Lib 22 (P. E. Trudeau) Minister of the Environment (1980–83), Minister of Employment and Immigration (1983–94)
  Edward Lumley 30 June 1984 16 Sept. 1984 23 (Turner) Minister of Communications
  Thomas Edward Siddon 17 Sept. 1984 19 Nov. 1985 PC 24 (Mulroney)
  Frank Oberle 20 Nov. 1985 29 Jan. 1989 Oberle's term overlaps with Côté and de Cotret. He was assigned by Order in Council to assist the Minister of State for Science and Technology.
  Michel Côté 11 Aug. 1987 26 Aug. 1987 Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion
  Robert René de Cotret 27 Aug. 1987 29 Jan. 1989 Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion
  William Charles Winegard 30 Jan. 1989 22 Feb. 1990 Winegard's term overlaps with Andre. Andre was formally appointed as both Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion and Minister of State for Science and Technology. Winegard was assigned by Order in Council to assist the Minister of State for Science and Technology.
  Harvie Andre 30 Jan. 1989 22 Feb. 1990
Minister for Science, 1990–1993
  William Charles Winegard 23 Feb. 1990 3 Jan. 1993 Progressive
Conservative
24 (Mulroney)
  Tom Hockin 4 Jan. 1993 24 June 1993 Minister of State (Small Businesses and Tourism)
  Robert Douglas Nicholson 25 June 1993 3 Nov. 1993 25 (Campbell) Minister responsible for Small Businesses
Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development), 1993–2003
  Jon Gerrard 4 Nov. 1993 10 June 1997 Lib 26 (Chrétien) Assigned by Order in Council to assist the Minister of Industry
  Ronald J. Duhamel 11 June 1997 2 Aug. 1999
  Gilbert Normand 3 Aug. 1999 14 Jan. 2002
  Maurizio Bevilacqua 15 Jan. 2002 25 May 2002
  Rey Pagtakhan 26 May 2002 11 Dec. 2003
Minister of State (Science and Technology), 2008–2015
  Gary Goodyear 30 Oct. 2008 15 July 2013 Cons 28 (Harper) Assigned by Order in Council to assist the Minister of Industry
  Greg Rickford 15 July 2013 19 March 2014
  Ed Holder 19 March 2014 3 Nov. 2015
Minister of Science, 2015–2018
  Kirsty Duncan 4 Nov. 2015 18 Jul. 2018 Lib 29 (J. Trudeau) Assigned by Order in Council to assist the Minister of Industry
Minister of Science and Sport, 2018–2019
  Kirsty Duncan 18 Jul. 2018 21 Nov. 2019 Lib 29 (J. Trudeau)

References

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  1. ^ "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  2. ^ "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  3. ^ "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". Parliament of Canada.
  4. ^ "Order in Council PC Number: 2015-1225". Privy Council Office. Government of Canada. 2015-11-04. Archived from the original on 2015-11-09. Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  5. ^ "Why Canada now has two science ministers". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  6. ^ "Complete list of Justin Trudeau's updated cabinet". CBC News. July 18, 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Deputy PM Freeland to oversee relations with U.S. and provinces in Trudeau's new cabinet". Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  8. ^ "Trudeau expands cabinet, promotes several rookies and shakes up existing ministers | CTV News". www.ctvnews.ca. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
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