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 36 Natural Resources Deputy Ministers. Learn more about each below.
![John F.G. Hannaford](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dm_hannaford_130x160bw.png)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2022 – 2023
![Jean-François Tremblay](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/JFT-dm-photo_130x160px.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2020 – 2022
![Christyne Tremblay](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dmchristine Tremblay-photo_bw-130x160.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2016 – 2020
![Bob Hamilton](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/DM Bob Hamilton 130x162px-BW.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2014 – 2016
![Serge P. Dupont](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/NRCan-DM_2010%20%E2%80%93%202014-B%26W.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2010 – 2014
![Cassie J. Doyle](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/cassie-doyle.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2006 – 2010
![Richard B. Fadden](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/richard-fadden.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2005 – 2006
![George Anderson](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/george-anderson.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
2002 – 2005
![Peter Harrison](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/peter-harrison.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
1999 – 2002
![Jean C. McCloskey](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/jean-mcclosky.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Natural Resources
Canada
1994 – 1999
![Ronald Bilodeau](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/ronald-bilodeau.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1993 – 1994
![Bruce Howe](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/bruce-howe.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1988 – 1993
![Arthur Kroeger](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/arthur-kroeger.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1986 – 1988
![de Montigny Marchand](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/de-montigny-marchand.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1985 – 1986
![Paul Tellier](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/paul-tellier.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1982 – 1985
![Ian Stewart](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/ian-stewart.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1979 – 1980
![Marshall Cohen](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/marshall-cohen.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1978 – 1979 ;
1980 – 1982
![Gordon MacNabb](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/gordon-macnabb.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1975 – 1978
![T.K. Shoyama](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/t-k-shoyama.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1974 – 1975
![Jacob Austin](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/jacob-austin.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1970 – 1974
![Claude M. Isbister](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/claude-isbister.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Energy, Mines and
Resources
1966 – 1970
![Dr. W.E. Van Steenburgh](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dr-w-e-van-steenburgh.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines and Technical
Survey
1963 – 1966
![Dr. Marc Boyer](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dr-marc-boyer.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines and Technical
Survey
1950 - 1962
![Dr. Hugh L. Keenleyside](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dr-hugh-keenleyside.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines
1947 – 1950
![Dr. Charles Camsell](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dr-charles-camsell.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines
1920 - 1946
![Richard G. McConell](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/richard-mcconell.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines
1914 - 1920
![Dr. Reginald W. Brock](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dr-reginald-brock.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines
1914
![Dr. Albert P. Low](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/dr-albert-low.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Mines
1907 – 1913
![William W. Cory](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/william-cory.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Interior
1905 – 1931
![James A. Smart](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/james-smart.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Interior
1897 – 1904
![Alexander M. Bergess](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/alexander-bergess.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Interior
1883 - 1897
![Lindsay Russel](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/lindsay-russel.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Interior
1882 – 1883
![Colonel John S. Dennis](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/col-john-dennis.jpg)
Deputy Minister
Interior
1867 – 1881
![Etienne Parent](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/etienne-parent.jpg)
Assistant Secretary of
the Province of Canada
Canada East
1847 – 1867
![Edmund Meredith](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/edmund-meredith.jpg)
Assistant Secretary of
the Province of Canada
Canada West
1847 – 1867
![Christopher Dunkin](/sites/nrcan/files/images/dm/christopher-dunkin.jpg)
Deputy Provincial
Secretary
Canada East
1842 – 1847
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