Minister of National Defence (Canada)
| Minister of National Defence of Canada | |
|---|---|
 |
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| The Defence Portfolio | |
| Style | The Honourable |
| Member of | |
| Appointer | Governor General of Canada on behalf of the Queen of Canada |
| Term length | At Her Majesty's pleasure |
| Inaugural holder | George Perry Graham |
| Formation | 1 January 1923 |
| Salary | $251,900 (CAD) |
| Website | www.forces.gc.ca |
The Minister of National Defence (French: 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. The Department of National Defence is headed by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, the Department’s senior civil servant, while the Canadian Armed Forces are headed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Canada’s senior serving military officer. Both are responsible to the Minister. The Queen of Canada (represented by the Governor General of Canada) is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces and has final authority on all orders and laws for the "defence of the realm" (see Queen-in-Council). The minister is responsible, through the tenets of responsible government, to Parliament for "the management and direction of the Canadian Forces". Any orders and instructions for the Canadian Armed Forces are issued by or through 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 Harjit Sajjan.
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.
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