Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation: July 1, 1867, February 1, 1982

Toby Rupert was a librarian living in Toronto.

This is a listing of the 22 ministries in Canada, from Sir John A. Macdonald through to P. E. Trudeau. It was first issued in 1957, with a second edition in 1974. This third edition, which has some slight changes in format, is in two parts. Part one gives the reader, on the left-hand side of the page, a chronological list of the ministries, with the departmental and ministerial incumbents (plus their dates of service). On the right hand side are footnotes for explanations and other data necessary to interpret certain dates. Part two, an appendix of some 80 pages, is an alphabetical list of everybody in part one, with a summary of each career (and including life dates).

The introduction to this book presents a number of problems with regard to dates and people. It tries to explain when the first day of a ministry occurs, when the last day occurs, how ministers are appointed, and what exactly are “Ministers without Portfolio,” “Acting Ministers,” “Officers of the Ministry but not of the Cabinet,” “Parliamentary Assistants,” and “Parliamentary Secretaries not of the Ministry.” Fascinating.