Minister of National Defence (Canada)

The Minister of National Defence (Ministre de la Défense nationale) is a Minister of the Crown and is the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the management and direction of all matters relating to the national defence of Canada and the Canadian Forces. The Department of National Defence is headed by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, the Department’s senior civil servant, while the Canadian Forces are headed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Canada’s senior serving officer. Both are responsible to the Minister. Although the Governor General of Canada is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces, the minister is ultimately responsible for "the management and direction of the Canadian Forces", while all orders and instructions are issued by the Chief of the Defence Staff. The Department of National Defence exists to aid the minister in carrying out his responsibilities, and acts as the civilian support system for the Canadian Forces.

The current Minister of National Defence is The Honourable Rob Nicholson, who replaced Peter MacKay, one of Canada's longest serving Ministers of National Defence.

History
Historically, the position was pre-dated by the Minister of Militia and Defence. During World War II, the Minister of National Defence was assisted by two subordinate ministers, the Minister of National Defence for Air and Minister of National Defence for Naval Services. The portfolio was merged into a single ministry following the end of the war.

The Defence Portfolio
The Defence portfolio for the Minister of National Defence includes:


 * Department of National Defence


 * Canadian Forces
 * The Office of the Legal Advisor to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (DND/CF LA)
 * National Search and Rescue Secretariat
 * Defence Research and Development Canada
 * Communications Security Establishment


 * Cadets Canada and Junior Canadian Rangers


 * Canadian Forces Housing Agency
 * Judge Advocate General
 * Military Police Complaints Commission
 * Canadian Forces Grievance Board
 * Office of the Chief Military Judge
 * Office of the National Defence and Canadian Forces Ombudsman
 * Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency

The Minister of National Defence is also the designated Lead Minister for Search and Rescue (LMSAR) within the federal government.

Ministers
Key:

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Ministers with military experience

 * Colonel James Ralston, Canadian Army; commander (Lieutenant Colonel) of the 85th (Nova Scotia Highlanders) Battalion, CEF
 * General Andrew McNaughton, 5th Battalion Canadian Mounted Rifles, Canadian Expeditionary Force, commander of the Canadian Corps, Canadian Militia/Permanent Active Militia and Canadian Army
 * Battery Sergeant-Major Brooke Claxton, Victoria Rifles of Canada
 * Major General George Pearkes, Canadian Expeditionary Force, commander of the Canadian Corps, Canadian Militia and Canadian Army
 * Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Harkness, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Army
 * Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Churchill, Vickers Machine Gunner, Canadian Expeditionary Force; commander of the Fort Garry Horse and commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Carrier Regiment (Canada Corps)
 * Brigadier General Charles Drury, commanding officer 4th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery, General Staff Officer of the 2nd Canadian Division and acting commander of the Royal Artillery 4th Canadian Division (Canadian Army)
 * Lieutenant Barney Danson, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
 * Pilot Officer James Armstrong Richardson, Liberator anti-submarine patrol squadron of the RCAF
 * Major Allan Bruce McKinnon, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery and Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
 * Flight Lieutenant Gilles Lamontagne, bomber pilot RCAF
 * Brigadier General (Ret'd) Gordon O'Connor, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, Canadian Army