Minister_of_Labour_(Canada)

Minister of Labour (Canada)

Minister of Labour (Canada)

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The minister of Labour (French: Ministre du Travail) is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for the labour portfolio of Employment and Social Development Canada. From 2015 to 2019, the portfolio was included in that of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, but was split in 2019 during the government of Justin Trudeau. The office has been held by Seamus O'Regan since 2021, who is also the Minister of Seniors.

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History

The Department of Labour was created in 1900. Previously, the responsibility for labour affairs was handled by the postmaster general.

The Department of Labour was created in 1900 through the efforts of postmaster general William Mulock and William Lyon Mackenzie King, becoming, respectively, the first minister and deputy minister.[6][7] Until June, 1909, the postmaster general acted as minister of labour.[8][9]

The Ministry of Labour oversaw a variety of issues, including union riots against immigration in 1907,[10] post-war promotion of the federal Labour-Management Cooperation Service,[11] and legislation surrounding the formation of unions.[12]

In 1996, the Department of Labour was abolished, but the ministerial position continued within Human Resources Development Canada from 1996 to 2003 and Human Resources and Social Development Canada from 2003 to date.[13]

From 1993 to 1996, the Department of Labour was amalgamated with the Department of Employment and Immigration to create Human Resources Development Canada. Although the intent was to replace two Cabinet posts with a single minister of human resources development, the desire to appoint "star candidate" Lucienne Robillard's to Cabinet in 1995 gave the position a reprieve from amalgamation—Robillard was given the title and positioned as a second minister inside HRDC, responsible for the Labour Program.

A December, 2003, reorganization had seen HRDC dismantled and labour responsibilities passing to a successor department, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, again with two ministers: a minister of labour and a minister of human resources and skills development. The name change to Labour and Housing occurred seven months later. The Ministry of HRDC was reconstituted in February, 2006, as Human Resources and Social Development Canada, but still with two ministers.

In 2004, the portfolio was renamed from Labour to Labour and Housing.

From 2004 to 2006, the position was styled the minister of labour and housing (French: ministre du travail et du logement), a name change corresponding with responsibility for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation being transferred to the portfolio at that time. Minister of labour remains the title for legal purposes.[14]

In 2015, the Labour portfolio was merged into the expanded ministry of Employment, Workforce, and Labour, gaining some responsibilities previously held by the minister of employment and social development.[15]

In 2019, following the 2019 Canadian federal election, the portfolio was split between the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, with Filomena Tassi being appointed the new minister of Labour on November 20.[16]

List of ministers

Key:

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

  1. [1]
    "The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  2. [2]
    "Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials" (PDF).
  3. [3]
    "Constitutional Duties". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  4. [4]
    "House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions". www.ourcommons.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  5. [5]
    "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". Library of Parliament. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on June 1, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  6. [6]
    "Mulock, Sir William". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. Hurtig Publishers. 1988. p. 1401.
  7. [7]
    Loudon, William James (1932). Sir William Mulock: A Short Biography. Toronto: Macmillan. pp. 106–134.
  8. [8]
    "Canada. Department of Labour". Trent University Archives. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
  9. [9]
    Frances Stanford (2004). Prime Ministers of Canada Gr. 4-8. On The Mark Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-77072-750-2.
  10. [10]
    Julie F Gilmour (22 April 2014). The History of Canada Series: Trouble on Main Street: Mackenzie King Reason Race And The 1907 Vancouver Riots. Penguin Canada. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-14-319191-9.
  11. [11]
    Frank A. Kunz (15 December 1965). The Modern Senate of Canada 1925-1963. University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division. pp. 94–95. ISBN 978-1-4875-9107-6.
  12. [12]
    "How “Anti-Union” Laws Saved Canadian Labour". Érudit, Volume 57, Number 1, winter 2002, pp. 3-221
  13. [13]
    "What’s in a name? A look at cabinet changes since Confederation". Hill Times, By Laura Ryckewaert Jun. 28, 2017
  14. [14]
    "Harper defends Air Canada labour dispute intervention". CTV News, March 9, 2012
  15. [15]
    "Here are all 30 cabinet ministers at a glance".The Ottawa Citizen , November 11, 2015
  16. [16]
    "Vancouver-area MPs Jonathan Wilkinson, Carla Qualtrough, Harjit Sajjan, and Joyce Murray back in Trudeau cabinet". The Georgia Straight. 2019-11-20. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  17. [17]
    Frank A. Kunz (15 December 1965). The Modern Senate of Canada 1925-1963. University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division. pp. 94–95. ISBN 978-1-4875-9107-6.
  18. [18]
    Philip Slayton (19 May 2015). Mayors Gone Bad. Penguin Canada. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-14-319451-4.
  19. [19]
    "Justin Trudeau adds fresh faces in cabinet shuffle". Maclean's, Joan Bryden, Jan 10, 2017
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