Minister of International Trade Diversification
{{short description|Canadian federal Cabinet position}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Minister of International Trade
| body =
| flag =
| flagsize =
| flagcaption =
| insigniacaption =
| image = Dominic LeBlanc 2023-nb.jpg
| incumbent = Dominic LeBlanc
| incumbentsince = March 14, 2025
| department = Global Affairs Canada
| style = The Honourable
| member_of = {{hlist|House of Commons|Privy Council|{{nowrap|Cabinet}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/OurProcedure/ParliamentaryFramework/c_g_parliamentaryframework-e.htm|title=The Canadian Parliamentary system - Our Procedure - House of Commons|website=www.ourcommons.ca|access-date=2020-04-20}}}}
| reports_to = {{hlist|Parliament|{{nowrap|Prime Minister}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/rev-exa/ar-er-eng.pdf|title=Review of the Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Ministers and Senior Officials}}}}
| residence =
| seat =
| appointer = Monarch (represented by the governor general);{{Cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/en/role/responsibilities/constitutional-duties|title=Constitutional Duties|website=The Governor General of Canada|access-date=2020-04-20}}
| appointer_qualified = on the advice of the prime minister{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcommons.ca/procedure-book-livre/Document.aspx?sbdid=73CC891E-0676-4773-850B-CCDCB472AD8C&sbpid=BE842475-5632-4969-835B-FC015CE50169&Language=E&Mode=1|title=House of Commons Procedure and Practice - 1. Parliamentary Institutions - Canadian Parliamentary Institutions|website=www.ourcommons.ca|access-date=2020-04-20}}
| termlength = genderp=~}}}} Majesty's pleasure
| termlength_qualified =
| formation = 8 December 1983
| inaugural = Gerald Regan
| salary = {{nowrap|CA$299,900 (2024){{cite web |url = https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/Salaries?ggCheckbox=false&senateCheckbox=false&HocCheckbox=true |title=Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances |date=April 1, 2024 |access-date=March 15, 2025 }}}}
| website = {{url|http://www.international.gc.ca}}
| native_name = {{small|{{nobold|{{lang|fr|Ministre du commerce international}}}}}}
}}
{{Politics of Canada}}
The Minister of International Trade ({{Langx|fr|Ministre du Commerce international}}) is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet responsible for the federal government's international trade portfolio. Along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, it is one of two ministers associated with Global Affairs Canada.
The position is currently held by Dominic LeBlanc, who is also responsible for intergovernmental affairs; consequently, the position's official title is currently Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs ({{Langx|fr|Ministre du Commerce international et des Affaires intergouvernementales}}).
History
The post was first established in 1983 as the Minister for International Trade by the Government Organization Act, 1983, which re-organized various governmental functions and updated the Department of External Affairs Act. The lead responsibility for international trade was reassigned from the Department of Industry to the Department of External Affairs, and the position was created to assist the senior departmental minister, the Secretary of State for External Affairs at the time, in carrying out their responsibilities relating to international trade. Gerald Regan, then the Minister of State (International Trade), was appointed to be the first office holder.
While the name of the department and the title of the senior departmental minister changed numerous times, this formal title remains unchanged. However the minister has been styled differently since 2006.
Starting in 2006, the minister has been styled with a variety of titles. When Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper formed his first government on February 6, 2006, he appointed David Emerson, who was re-elected days earlier as a Liberal candidate, to the office styled Minister of International Trade (along with Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics). Subsequent ministers were styled as Minister of International Trade until 2018, when the position was renamed Minister of International Trade Diversification.
In 2019, the portfolio was merged with Small Business and Export Promotion and renamed Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade. In 2021, the role gained additional responsibility for economic development, being renamed Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development.{{Cite news|last1=Curry|first1=Bill|last2=Kirkup|first2=Kristy|last3=Raman-Wilms|first3=Menaka|last4=Dickson|first4=Janice|date=2021-10-26|title=Trudeau cabinet shuffle: Anita Anand moves to Defence, Steven Guilbeault to Environment, Mélanie Joly to Foreign Affairs|language=en-CA|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-justin-trudeau-shuffles-cabinet-to-appoint-guilbeault-at-environment/|access-date=2021-10-26}} In 2023, the role lost responsibility for small business to the Minister of Small Business, at which point it was renamed Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, a title it had until 2025, when it lost responsibility for economic development.{{cn |date=March 2025}}
Ministers
Key:
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|Liberal Party of Canada|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}|Progressive Conservative|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}|Conservative Party of Canada|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}
| class="wikitable"
!No. !Portrait !Name !colspan=2|Term of office !Political party !Ministry |
| colspan="7" |Minister for International Trade |
|---|
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 1
| | December 8, 1983 || June 29, 1984 | rowspan="2" | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 2
| | June 30, 1984 || September 16, 1984 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}};" | 3
| | September 17, 1984 || June 29, 1986 | rowspan="5" | Progressive Conservative |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}};" | 4
| 50px | June 30, 1986 || March 30, 1988 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}};" | 5
| 50px | March 31, 1988 || April 20, 1991 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}};" | 6
| 50px | April 21, 1991 || June 24, 1993 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}};" | 7
| | June 25, 1993 || November 3, 1993 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 8
| | November 4, 1993 || January 24, 1996 | rowspan="5" | Liberal |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 9
| 50px | January 25, 1996 || June 10, 1997 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 10
| | June 11, 1997 || August 2, 1999 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 11
| 50px | August 3, 1999 || December 11, 2003 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 12
| | December 12, 2003 || February 5, 2006 |
| colspan="7" |Minister of International Trade |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};" | 13
| | February 6, 2006 || June 24, 2008 | rowspan="5" | Conservative |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};" | 14
| 50px | June 25, 2008 || October 29, 2008 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};" | 15
| 50px | October 30, 2008 || January 19, 2010 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};" | 16
| 50px | January 19, 2010 || May 18, 2011 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}};" | 17
|50px | Ed Fast | May 18, 2011 || November 4, 2015 |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 18
|50px | November 4, 2015 || January 10, 2017 | rowspan="2" | Liberal | rowspan="2" |29 (J. Trudeau) |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white" | 19
| 50px | January 10, 2017 || July 18, 2018 |
| colspan=7|Minister of International Trade Diversification |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 20
| 50px | Jim Carr | July 18, 2018 || November 20, 2019 | Liberal | rowspan=1|29 (J. Trudeau) |
| colspan=7|Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 21
|50px |November 20, 2019 || October 26, 2021 | Liberal | rowspan=1 |29 (J. Trudeau) |
| colspan=7|Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| (21)
|50px |October 26, 2021 || July 26, 2023 | Liberal | rowspan=1 |29 (J. Trudeau) |
| colspan=7|Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| (21)
|50px |July 26, 2023 || March 14, 2025 | Liberal |29 (J. Trudeau) |
| colspan=7|Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs |
| style="background:{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; color:white"| 22
|50px |March 14, 2025 || Incumbent | Liberal |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cabinet of Canada}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minister Of International Trade (Canada)}}