Minister of Western Economic Diversification

The Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (French: Ministre responsable de Développement économique des Prairies Canada du Canada) is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who served as the chief executive of Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD). The post was traditionally held by an MP from Western Canada, although occasionally the responsibilities were accorded to a more senior cabinet minister, such as the Industry minister.

Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada of Canada
Incumbent
Dan Vandal
since October 26, 2021
Government of Canada
StyleThe Honourable
Member of
AppointerGovernor General of Canada
Term lengthAt Her Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural holderBill McKnight
FormationJune 28, 1988

As of November 4, 2015, WD, along with Canada's other regional development agencies, is operated as part of the Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) portfolio, led by Minister Navdeep Bains.

Related regional development posts include Minister for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, positions which have also been folded into ISED under Minister Bains.

On August 5, 2021, the Government of Canada announced that Western Economic Diversification would be divided into two new agencies—PacifiCan for BC; and PrairiesCan for Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.[1][2]

Ministers

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Key:

No. Name Term of office Political party Ministry
Minister of Western Economic Diversification
1 Bill McKnight June 28, 1988 January 29, 1989 Progressive Conservative 24 (Mulroney)
2 Charlie Mayer January 30, 1989 January 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative
3 Mary Collins January 4, 1993 June 24, 1993 Progressive Conservative
4 Larry Schneider June 25, 1993 November 3, 1993 Progressive Conservative 25 (Campbell)
5 Lloyd Axworthy November 4, 1993 January 24, 1996 Liberal 26 (Chrétien)
6 John Manley January 25, 1996 October 16, 2000 Liberal
7 Brian Tobin October 17, 2000 January 14, 2002 Liberal
8 Allan Rock January 15, 2002 December 11, 2003 Liberal
9 Rey Pagtakhan December 12, 2003 July 20, 2004 Liberal 27 (Martin)
10 Stephen Owen July 20, 2004 February 6, 2006 Conservative
11 Carol Skelton February 6, 2006 January 4, 2007 Conservative 28 (Harper)
12 Rona Ambrose January 4, 2007 October 30, 2008 Conservative
13 Jim Prentice October 30, 2008 November 5, 2010 Conservative
(12) Rona Ambrose November 5, 2010 May 18, 2011 Conservative
14 Lynne Yelich May 18, 2011 July 16, 2013 Conservative
15 Michelle Rempel July 16, 2013 November 4, 2015 Conservative
16 Navdeep Bains November 4, 2015 October 26, 2021 Liberal 29 (Trudeau)
Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
17 Dan Vandal October 26, 2021 Incumbent Liberal 29 (Trudeau)

References

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  1. ^ West at aglance wd-deo.gc.ca
  2. ^ "About Western Economic Diversification Canada". www.wd-deo.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-21.