# Minister of the Interior (Canada)

The Minister of the Interior was the member of the Canadian Cabinet who oversaw the Department of the Interior, which was responsible for federal land management, immigration, Indian affairs, and natural-resources extraction.
The position was created in 1873 by Statute 36 Victoria, c. 4, to replace the Secretary of State for the Provinces. The Act designated the Minister as ex officio the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs. From 30 March 1912 to 9 February 1913, and from 31 December 1919 to 6 August 1930, the Minister of the Interior was also designated ex officio the Minister of Mines.
In 1917 the responsibility for passports was transferred to the Minister of Immigration and Colonization.
It was superseded in 1936 by the Minister responsible for Indian Affairs and Minister of Mines and Resources.

## Ministers

Key:
| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry |
| 1 | Alexander Campbell | July 1, 1873 | November 5, 1873 | Liberal-Conservative | 1 (Macdonald) |
| 2 | David Laird | November 7, 1873 | October 6, 1876 | Liberal | 2 (Mackenzie) |
| – | Richard William Scott (Acting) | October 7, 1876 | October 23, 1876 | Liberal | 2 (Mackenzie) |
| 3 | David Mills | October 24, 1876 | October 8, 1878 | Liberal | 2 (Mackenzie) |
| 4 | John A. Macdonald | October 17, 1878 | October 2, 1887 | Liberal-Conservative | 3 (Macdonald) |
| 5 | Thomas White | October 3, 1887 | April 21, 1888 | Conservative | 3 (Macdonald) |
| – | John A. Macdonald (Acting) | May 8, 1888 | September 24, 1888 | Liberal-Conservative | 3 (Macdonald) |
| 6 | Edgar Dewdney | September 25, 1888 | June 6, 1891 | Conservative | 3 (Macdonald) |
| 6 | Edgar Dewdney | June 16, 1891 | October 16, 1892 | Conservative | 4 (Abbott) |
| 7 | Thomas Mayne Daly | October 17, 1892 | November 24, 1892 | Liberal-Conservative | 4 (Abbott) |
| 7 | Thomas Mayne Daly | December 5, 1892 | December 12, 1894 | Liberal-Conservative | 5 (Thompson) |
| 7 | Thomas Mayne Daly | December 21, 1894 | April 27, 1896 | Liberal-Conservative | 6 (Bowell) |
| 8 | Hugh John Macdonald | May 1, 1896 | July 8, 1896 | Conservative (historical) | 7 (Tupper) |
| – | Richard William Scott (Acting) | July 17, 1896 | November 16, 1896 | Liberal | 8 (Laurier) |
| 9 | Clifford Sifton | November 17, 1896 | February 28, 1905 | Liberal | 8 (Laurier) |
| – | Wilfrid Laurier (Acting) | March 13, 1905 | April 7, 1905 | Liberal | 8 (Laurier) |
| 10 | Frank Oliver | April 8, 1905 | October 6, 1911 | Liberal | 8 (Laurier) |
| 11 | Robert Rogers | October 10, 1911 | October 28, 1912 | Conservative | 9 (Borden) |
| 12 | William James Roche | October 29, 1912 | October 12, 1917 | Conservative | 9 (Borden) |
| 13 | Arthur Meighen | October 12, 1917 | July 10, 1920 | Unionist | 10 (Borden) |
| 14 | James Alexander Lougheed | July 10, 1920 | December 29, 1921 | National Liberal and Conservative | 11 (Meighen) |
| 15 | Charles Stewart (First time) | December 29, 1921 | June 28, 1926 | Liberal | 12 (King) |
| – | Henry Herbert Stevens (Acting) | June 29, 1926 | July 12, 1926 | Conservative | 13 (Meighen) |
| – | Richard Bedford Bennett (Acting) | July 13, 1926 | September 24, 1926 | Conservative | 13 (Meighen) |
| (15) | Charles Stewart (Second time) | September 25, 1926 | August 6, 1930 | Liberal | 14 (King) |
| 16 | Thomas Gerow Murphy | August 7, 1930 | October 23, 1935 | Conservative | 15 (Bennett) |
| 17 | Thomas Crerar | October 23, 1935 | November 30, 1936 | Liberal | 16 (King) |