The minister of families, children and social development(french: ministre de la famille, des enfants et du développement social) is a

minister of the Crown Minister of the Crown is a formal constitutional term used in Commonwealth realms to describe a minister of the reigning sovereign or viceroy. The term indicates that the minister serves at His Majesty's pleasure, and advises the sovereign or ...

in the

Cabinet of Canada The Cabinet of Canada (french: Cabinet du Canada) is a body of Minister of the Crown, ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada. Chaired by the ...

. The associated department is

Employment and Social Development Canada Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC; french: Emploi et Développement social Canada; french: EDSC, label=none)''Employment and Social Development Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Dep ...

. The position is currently held by

Karina Gould Karina Gould (born June 28, 1987) is a Canadian politician who has been the minister of families, children and social development since October 26, 2021. A member of the Liberal Party, she serves as a member of Parliament (MP) and has represent ...

, who has served since October 26, 2021.

History

The position of Minister of Social Development was created in 2000 to be responsible for overseeing Social Development Canada a new federal department concerned with the needs of seniors,

children A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...

and people with

disabilities Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...

. Prior to 2003, the responsibilities in this portfolio were in the hands of the

Minister of Human Resources Development The Department of Human Resources Development, also referred to as Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), was a department of the Government of Canada with the responsibility over a wide portfolio of social services. HRDC was based at a gov ...

. On February 4, 2006,

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Stephen Harper Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada from 2006 to 2015. Harper is the first and only prime minister to come from the modern-day Conservative Party of Canada, ...

merged the personnel and responsibilities of Social Development Canada into

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC; french: Emploi et Développement social Canada; french: EDSC, label=none)''Employment and Social Development Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Dep ...

using an

Order in Council An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' Ki ...

, and did not name anybody to the post of Minister of Social Development. The post and the department remain legally in existence, however, until Parliament amends the relevant legislation. The recombined department has been styled the Department of Human Resources and Social Development, and the minister was

Diane Finley Diane Finley (born October 3, 1957) is a former Canadian politician. From 2006 through 2015, she served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Her ministerial portfolios included Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, M ...

until January 9, 2007. On November 4, 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau transferred the employment responsibilities to the

Minister of Labour Minister of Labour (in British English) or Labor (in American English) is typically a cabinet-level position with portfolio responsibility for setting national labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, traini ...

and changed the name of the portfolio to Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

Role

The Minister is also responsible for the: *

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) (french: Société canadienne d'hypothèques et de logement) (SCHL) is Canada's national housing agency, and state-owned mortgage insurer. It was originally established after World War II, to help re ...

* Canada Pension Plan: Pension Appeals Board * Canada Pension Plan: Review Tribunals

List of ministers

Key:

Minister of State for Social Development

On July 15, 2012, MP Candice Bergen was appointed

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...

for Social Development, a newly created position that was abolished two years later.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minister Of Employment and Social Development Development (Canada) Families, Children and Social Development Labour relations in Canada