The minister of foreign affairs () is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the Government of Canada's international relations and is the lead minister responsible for Global Affairs Canada, though the minister of international trade leads on trade issues. In addition to Global Affairs Canada, the minister is also the lead in overseeing the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development and the International Development Research Centre.
From 1909 to 1993, the office was called the secretary of state for external affairs. The first two secretaries of state for external affairs, from 1909 until 1912, (Charles Murphy under Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William James Roche under Sir Robert Borden) concurrently served as the secretary of state of Canada. The two portfolios were permanently separated in 1912, and the external affairs portfolio was then held by the prime minister of Canada until 1946.
History Ministers holding the external affairs and foreign affairs portfolios have sometimes played prominent international roles:
Lester B. Pearson (a future prime minister) defused the Suez Crisis and established the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces and as a result received the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize. Joe Clark (a former prime minister) led opposition to South Africa's Apartheid system within the Commonwealth of Nations, against initial resistance from the British government of Margaret Thatcher. Lloyd Axworthy brought about the Ottawa Treaty, banning anti-personnel landmines in most countries of the world.
As in Pearson's case (and that of Louis St. Laurent, his predecessor), the portfolio can be a final stepping stone to the prime minister's Office. Until 1946, it was customary for the office to be held by the sitting prime minister. John Diefenbaker would hold the portfolio on two subsequent occasions.
Prior and subsequent diplomatic services
Lester Pearson is the only minister to have been a diplomat prior to their appointment. Pearson entered the Canadian foreign service in 1927 and rose to become Canadian ambassador to the United States from 1944 to 1946.
Paul Martin, Sr. served as Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom after his retirement from active politics. Following his defeat in the 2011 election, Lawrence Cannon has served as Canadian ambassador to France since 2012, while Stéphane Dion was named Canadian ambassador to the European Union and Germany immediately after leaving cabinet in 2017. Unlike Pearson, none were career diplomats.
List of ministers Key:
No.PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyMinistrySecretary of State for External Affairs 1Charles Murphy May 19, 1909 October 6, 1911 Liberal8 2William James Roche October 10, 1911 April 1, 1912 Conservative (historical)9 3Robert Borden April 1, 1912 October 11, 1917 Conservative (historical) October 12, 1917 July 9, 1920 Unionist10 4Arthur Meighen July 10, 1920 December 29, 1921 National Liberal and Conservative11 5William Lyon Mackenzie King December 29, 1921 June 28, 1926 Liberal12 Arthur Meighen June 29, 1926 September 25, 1926 Conservative (historical)13 William Lyon Mackenzie King September 25, 1926 August 7, 1930 Liberal14 6Richard Bedford Bennett August 7, 1930 October 23, 1935 Conservative (historical)15 William Lyon Mackenzie King October 23, 1935 September 3, 1946 Liberal16 7Louis St. Laurent September 4, 1946 September 9, 1948 Liberal 8Lester B. Pearson September 10, 1948 November 15, 1948Liberal November 15, 1948 June 20, 195717 9John Diefenbaker June 21, 1957 September 12, 1957 Progressive Conservative18 10Sidney Earle Smith September 13, 1957 March 17, 1959 Progressive Conservative –John Diefenbaker March 19, 1959 June 3, 1959 Progressive Conservative 11Howard Charles Green June 4, 1959 April 21, 1963 Progressive Conservative 12Paul Martin Sr. April 22, 1963 April 20, 1968 Liberal19 13 Mitchell Sharp April 20, 1968 August 7, 1974 Liberal20 14Allan MacEachen August 8, 1974 September 13, 1976 Liberal 15Don Jamieson September 14, 1976 June 3, 1979 Liberal 16Flora MacDonald June 4, 1979 March 2, 1980 Progressive Conservative21 17Mark MacGuigan March 3, 1980 September 9, 1982 Liberal22 Allan MacEachen September 10, 1982 June 29, 1984 Liberal 18Jean Chrétien June 30, 1984 September 16, 1984 Liberal23 19Joe Clark September 17, 1984 April 20, 1991 Progressive Conservative24 20Barbara McDougall April 21, 1991 June 24, 1993 Progressive Conservative 21Perrin Beatty June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative25 22André Ouellet November 4, 1993 May 13, 1995 Liberal26 Minister of Foreign Affairs André Ouellet May 13, 1995 January 24, 1996 Liberal26 23Lloyd Axworthy January 25, 1996 October 16, 2000 Liberal 24John Manley October 17, 2000 January 15, 2002 Liberal 25Bill Graham January 15, 2002 December 11, 2003Liberal December 12, 2003 July 19, 200427 26Pierre Pettigrew July 20, 2004 February 5, 2006 Liberal 27Peter MacKay February 6, 2006 August 14, 2007 Conservative28 28Maxime Bernier August 14, 2007 May 26, 2008 Conservative 29David Emerson May 25, 2008 October 29, 2008 Conservative 30Lawrence Cannon October 30, 2008 May 18, 2011 Conservative 31John Baird May 18, 2011 February 3, 2015 Conservative –Ed Fast (acting) February 3, 2015 February 9, 2015 Conservative 32Rob Nicholson February 9, 2015 November 4, 2015 Conservative 33Stéphane Dion November 4, 2015 January 10, 2017 Liberal29 34Chrystia Freeland January 10, 2017 November 20, 2019 Liberal 35François-Philippe Champagne November 20, 2019 January 12, 2021 Liberal 36Marc Garneau January 12, 2021 October 26, 2021 Liberal 37Mélanie Joly October 26, 2021 March 14, 2025 LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Mélanie Joly March 14, 2025 May 13, 2025 Liberal30 Minister of Foreign Affairs 38 Anita Anand May 13, 2025 Incumbent Liberal30
References
External links Department of Foreign Affairs: History: Introduction Department of Foreign Affairs Canada