Former Deputy Ministers

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) traces its beginnings to the founding of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) on April 14, 1842 — a full 25 years before Confederation — when Christopher Dunkin was appointed first Deputy Provincial Secretary for Canada East.

The title of Deputy Minister wasn’t adopted until Confederation in 1867, when the Office of the Secretary of State for the Provinces was abolished and the Ministry of Interior was officially created.

Since the establishment of the Department in 1842, there have been 35 Natural Resources Deputy Ministers. Learn more about each below.

Jean-François Tremblay Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2020 – 2022	Christyne Tremblay Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2016 – 2020	Bob Hamilton Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2014 – 2016	Serge P. Dupont Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2010 – 2014	Cassie J. Doyle Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2006 – 2010
Richard B. Fadden Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2005 – 2006	George Anderson Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 2002 – 2005	Peter Harrison Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 1999 – 2002	Jean C. McCloskey Deputy Minister Natural Resources Canada 1994 – 1999	Ronald Bilodeau Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1993 – 1994
Bruce Howe Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1988 – 1993	Arthur Kroeger Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1986 – 1988	de Montigny Marchand Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1985 – 1986	Paul Tellier Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1982 – 1985	Ian Stewart Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1979 – 1980
Marshall Cohen Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1978 – 1979 ; 1980 – 1982	Gordon MacNabb Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1975 – 1978	T.K. Shoyama Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1974 – 1975	Jacob Austin Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1970 – 1974	Claude M. Isbister Deputy Minister Energy, Mines and Resources 1966 – 1970
Dr. W.E. Van Steenburgh Deputy Minister Mines and Technical Survey 1963 – 1966	Dr. Marc Boyer Deputy Minister Mines and Technical Survey 1950 - 1962	Dr. Hugh L. Keenleyside Deputy Minister Mines 1947 – 1950	Dr. Charles Camsell Deputy Minister Mines 1920 - 1946	Richard G. McConell Deputy Minister Mines 1914 - 1920
Dr. Reginald W. Brock Deputy Minister Mines 1914	Dr. Albert P. Low Deputy Minister Mines 1907 – 1913	William W. Cory Deputy Minister Interior 1905 – 1931	James A. Smart Deputy Minister Interior 1897 – 1904	Alexander M. Bergess Deputy Minister Interior 1883 - 1897
Lindsay Russel Deputy Minister Interior 1882 – 1883	Colonel John S. Dennis Deputy Minister Interior 1867 – 1881	Etienne Parent Assistant Secretary of the Province of Canada Canada East 1847 – 1867	Edmund Meredith Assistant Secretary of the Province of Canada Canada West 1847 – 1867	Christopher Dunkin Deputy Provincial Secretary Canada East 1842 – 1847