Minister of Militia and Defence facts for kids

The Minister of Militia and Defence was a special government job in Canada. This person was in charge of Canada's volunteer army units, known as the Canadian Militia.

From 1855 to 1906, the minister was only responsible for Canadian militia units. This was because the British Army still had soldiers stationed in Canada. From 1906 to 1923, the minister led the Department of Militia and Defence (Canada).

After 1923, this job was combined with two other roles: the Minister of the Naval Service (who looked after the navy) and the Minister of Aviation (who looked after air travel). They all became one new job called the Minister of National Defence. This new minister was then responsible for the Canadian Militia, the Royal Canadian Navy, and, from 1924, the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Who Served as Minister?

Before Canada Became a Country (1855–1867)

These people were the Minister of Militia and Defence for the Province of Canada, before Canada became its own country in 1867.

Key:      Historical conservative parties: Parti bleu, Upper Canada Tories

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party
1		Étienne-Paschal Taché	1855	1860	Parti bleu
2		John A. Macdonald	1860	1867	Tories

After Canada Became a Country (1867–1922)

These people were the Minister of Militia and Defence for Canada, after it became a country in 1867.

Key:      Liberal Party of Canada      Historical conservative parties: Liberal-Conservative, Conservative (historical), Unionist, National Liberal and Conservative

No.	Portrait	Name	Term of office		Political party	Ministry	Ref.
1		George-Étienne Cartier	1 July 1867	20 May 1873	Liberal-Conservative	1 (Macdonald)
–		Hector-Louis Langevin (Acting)	21 May 1873	30 June 1873
2		Hugh McDonald	1 July 1873	4 November 1873
3		William Ross	7 November 1873	29 September 1874	Liberal	2 (Mackenzie)
4		William Berrian Vail	30 September 1874	20 January 1878
5		Alfred Gilpin Jones	21 January 1878	8 October 1878
6		Louis-Rodrigue Masson	19 October 1878	15 January 1880	Conservative	3 (Macdonald)
7		Alexander Campbell	16 January 1880	7 November 1880
8		Adolphe-Philippe Caron	8 November 1880	6 June 1891
			16 June 1891	24 January 1892		4 (Abbott)
9		Mackenzie Bowell	25 January 1892	24 November 1892
10		James Colebrooke Patterson	5 December 1892	12 December 1894		5 (Thompson)
			21 December 1894	26 March 1895		6 (Bowell)
11		Arthur Rupert Dickey	26 March 1895	5 April 1896
12		Mackenzie Bowell	6 January 1896	14 January 1896
13		Alphonse Desjardins	15 January 1896	27 April 1896
14		David Tisdale	1 May 1896	8 July 1896		7 (Tupper)
15		Frederick William Borden	13 July 1896	6 October 1911	Liberal	8 (Laurier)
16		Sam Hughes	10 October 1911	12 October 1916	Conservative	9 (Borden)
17		Albert Edward Kemp	23 November 1916	11 November 1917
18		Sydney Chilton Mewburn	12 October 1917	15 January 1920	Unionist	10 (Borden)
–		James Alexander Calder (Acting)	16 January 1920	23 January 1920
19		Hugh Guthrie	24 January 1920	28 December 1921
					National Liberal and Conservative	11 (Meighen)
20		George Perry Graham	29 December 1921	31 December 1922	Liberal	12 (King)
This job was replaced by the Minister of National Defence

Ministers with Military Experience

Many of the people who served as Minister of Militia and Defence had also served in the Canadian Militia themselves. Here are some examples:

• Private John Alexander Macdonald was part of the Sedentary Militia during the 1837 Rebellion.
• Lieutenant Étienne-Paschal Taché served in the 5th Battalion of Select Embodied Militia and the Chasseurs Canadiens Militia.
• Lieutenant Colonel David Tisdale was part of the 39th Norfolk Battalion of Infantry.
• Assistant Surgeon Frederick William Borden served with the 68th (Kings) Battalion of Infantry in the Non-Permanent Active Militia.
• Colonel Sir Sam Hughes was with the 45th Canadian Volunteer Militia. This unit later became part of the 50th Field Artillery Regiment (The Prince of Wales Rangers), RCA. He also volunteered with the British Army.
• Major Sydney Chilton Mewburn was the Commanding Officer of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in the Permanent Active Militia.

Sir Sam Hughes, dressed in the uniform of a colonel of the Canadian Militia, 1914.

Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence

The Deputy Minister helps the Minister with their duties.

• Eugène Fiset held this role from 1906 to 1922. He had retired as a Surgeon Colonel from the Royal Canadian Regiment.

See also

• Minister of Aviation
• Minister of the Naval Service
• Minister of National Defence
• Minister of National Defence for Naval Services
• Minister of National Defence for Air
• Minister of Overseas Military Forces