Minister of Health (Canada)


The minister of health is the minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing health-focused government agencies including Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as enforcing the Canada Health Act, the law governing Canada's universal health care system. The current minister is Patty Hajdu.
The minister of health is responsible for maintaining and improving the health of Canadians. The minister is responsible for the Health Portfolio, which comprises:
The Health Portfolio consists of approximately 12,500 full-time equivalent employees and an annual budget of over $3.8 billion.

History

The first Department of Health was established in 1919, and unlike most other departments, had no designated minister. The president of the Privy Council was the first designated to manage the department, which was followed by the minister of immigration and colonization in 1921 under Arthur Meighen, then the minister of soldiers' civil re-establishment later that year under William Lyon Mackenzie King. The minister of soldiers' civil re-establishment managed the Department of Health through the next Meighen and King governments.
In 1928, the Department of Health and minister of soldiers' civil re-establishment were abolished and replaced with the Department and minister of pensions and national health. In 1944, the position was again split into two roles, with the war veteran portfolio going to the minister of veterans affairs, and the rest of the portfolio moving to the minister of national health and welfare.
The role of minister of national health and welfare was abolished in 1996, and replaced with the current minister of health. Jane Philpott was the first medical doctor to hold the post.

Ministers

Key:

Health Portfolio

The Health Portfolio is an institution of several governmental departments, an annual budget of over, that supports the Minister of Health's responsibility of maintaining and improving the health of Canadians. Along with Health Canada, the portfolio consists of: the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Patented Medicine Prices Review Board. and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Department hierarchies

CIHR Institutes