# Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

The minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour (French: ministre de l’emploi, du développement de la main-d’œuvre et du travail) was the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who was responsible for Employment and Social Development Canada, the Government of Canada department that oversees programs such as employment insurance, the Canada pension plan, old age security, and Canada student loans. On March 14, 2025 the position was abolished, its responsibilities being consolidated into the new position of Minister of Jobs and Families.

## History

The ministerial responsibility for employment has its origins in the October 1, 1966 cabinet reshuffle, when Jean Marchand's portfolio was renamed from Minister of Immigration and Citizenship to Minister of Manpower and Immigration, Along with this change, minister Marchand was tasked by Prime Minister Lester Pearson to draft a White paper to renew Canada's immigration policy. Pearson wanted to removed all discriminatory clauses remaining in Canada's immigration regulations, and instead facilitate the immigration of qualified workers from Asia.
The following year, Canada introduced its first point system to rank potential immigrants for eligibility. It originally consisted of 9 categories: education, occupation, professional skills, age, arranged employment, knowledge of English and/or French, relatives in Canada and "personal characteristics". To qualify for immigration 50 points out of 100 were necessary in 1967.
In 1977, the portfolio was renamed Minister of Employment and Immigration, a move that reflected the importance of attracting and retaining economic immigrants for Canadian governments in the 1980s and 1990s.
On 12 July 1996, the office of the Minister of Employment and Immigration was abolished and replaced with the office of Minister of Human Resources Development. The portfolio for immigration was transferred to the office of Minister of Citizenship and Immigration following the reorganization of the government and formation of the department for Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
On February 6, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper transferred the responsibilities of the Minister of Social Development into this portfolio. Although the legislated names did not change, in accordance with this amalgamation the Minister was for a while styled the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and the department operated as Human Resources and Social Development Canada. This ceased on October 30, 2008, and the name returned to the legislated one.
In 2015, the Employment portfolio was merged into the expanded ministry of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
In 2019, following the 2019 Canadian federal election, the portfolio was split between the Minister of Labour and Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, with Carla Qualtrough being appointed the new minister on November 20.
In 2023, the Official Languages portfolio was merged into the expanded ministry of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, with Randy Boissonnault being appointed the new minister on July 26, 2023.
In 2024, responsibility for labour was folded back into the portfolio while responsibility for official languages was split off; consequently, the position reverted to its former title of Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, with incumbent Labour minister Steven MacKinnon being appointed to the post. The position was abolished the following year and its responsibilities consolidated into the new position of Minister of Jobs and Families, with MacKinnon becoming its inaugural holder.

## List of ministers

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry |
| Minister of Manpower and Immigration |||||||
| 1 | Jean Marchand | October 1, 1966 | April 20, 1968 | Liberal | 19 (Pearson) |
| 1 | Jean Marchand | April 20, 1968 | July 5, 1968 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 2 | Allan MacEachen | July 5, 1968 | September 23, 1970 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 3 | Otto Lang | September 24, 1970 | January 27, 1972 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 4 | Bryce Mackasey | January 28, 1972 | November 26, 1972 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 5 | Bob Andras | November 27, 1972 | September 13, 1976 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 6 | Bud Cullen | September 14, 1976 | August 14, 1977 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Employment and Immigration |||||||
| (6) | Bud Cullen | August 15, 1977 | June 3, 1979 | Liberal | 20 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 7 | Ron Atkey | June 4, 1979 | March 2, 1980 | Progressive Conservative | 21 (Clark) |
| 8 | Lloyd Axworthy | March 3, 1980 | August 11, 1983 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 9 | John Roberts | August 12, 1983 | June 29, 1984 | Liberal | 22 (P. E. Trudeau) |
| 9 | John Roberts | June 30, 1984 | September 16, 1984 | Liberal | 23 (Turner) |
| 10 | Flora MacDonald | September 17, 1984 | June 29, 1986 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| 11 | Benoît Bouchard | June 30, 1986 | March 30, 1988 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| 12 | Barbara McDougall | March 31, 1988 | April 20, 1991 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| 13 | Bernard Valcourt | April 21, 1991 | June 24, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | 24 (Mulroney) |
| 13 | Bernard Valcourt | June 25, 1993 | November 3, 1993 | Progressive Conservative | 25 (Campbell) |
| (8) | Lloyd Axworthy (second time) | November 4, 1993 | January 24, 1996 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| 14 | Doug Young | January 25, 1996 | July 11, 1996 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| Minister of Human Resources Development |||||||
| (14) | Doug Young | July 12, 1996 | October 3, 1996 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| 15 | Pierre Pettigrew | October 4, 1996 | August 2, 1999 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| 16 | Jane Stewart | August 3, 1999 | December 11, 2003 | Liberal | 26 (Chrétien) |
| Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development |||||||
| 17 | Joe Volpe | December 12, 2003 | January 14, 2005 | Liberal | 27 (Martin) |
| 18 | Lucienne Robillard | January 14, 2005 | May 17, 2005 | Liberal | 27 (Martin) |
| 19 | Belinda Stronach | May 17, 2005 | February 5, 2006 | Liberal | 27 (Martin) |
| Minister of Human Resources and Social Development |||||||
| 20 | Diane Finley | February 6, 2006 | January 3, 2007 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| 21 | Monte Solberg | January 4, 2007 | October 29, 2008 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development |||||||
| (20) | Diane Finley | October 30, 2008 | July 15, 2013 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Minister of Employment and Social Development |||||||
| 22 | Jason Kenney | July 15, 2013 | February 9, 2015 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| 23 | Pierre Poilievre | February 9, 2015 | November 4, 2015 | Conservative | 28 (Harper) |
| Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour |||||||
| 24 | MaryAnn Mihychuk | November 4, 2015 | January 10, 2017 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| 25 | Patty Hajdu | January 10, 2017 | November 20, 2019 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion |||||||
| 26 | Carla Qualtrough | November 20, 2019 | July 26, 2023 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages |||||||
| 27 | Randy Boissonnault | July 26, 2023 | November 20, 2024 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| 28 | Ginette Petitpas Taylor | November 20, 2024 | December 20, 2024 | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour |||||||
| 29 | Steven MacKinnon | December 20, 2024 | Incumbent | Liberal | 29 (J. Trudeau) |
| Position discontinued, replaced by the Minister of Jobs and Families |||||||