3rd Canadian Ministry

The Third Canadian Ministry was the second cabinet chaired by Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. It governed Canada from 17 October 1878 to 6 June 1891, including the 4th, 5th, and 6th Canadian Parliaments, as well as the first three months of the 7th. The government was formed by the Liberal-Conservative Party in coalition with the old Conservative Party of Canada. Macdonald was also Prime Minister in the First Canadian Ministry.

Ministries

 * Prime Minister
 * 17 October 1878 – 6 June 1891: John A. Macdonald
 * Minister of Agriculture
 * 17 October 1878 – 25 September 1885: John Henry Pope
 * 25 September 1885 – 6 June 1891: John Carling
 * Minister of Customs
 * 17 October 1878 – 19 October 1878: Vacant (James Johnson was acting)
 * 19 October 1878 – 6 June 1891: Mackenzie Bowell
 * Minister of Finance
 * 17 October 1878 – 11 November 1885: Samuel Leonard Tilley
 * 11 November 1885 – 10 December 1885: Vacant (John Mortimer Courtney was acting)
 * 10 December 1885 – 27 January 1887: Archibald McLelan
 * 27 January 1887 – 29 May 1888: Charles Tupper
 * 29 May 1888 – 6 June 1891: George Eulas Foster
 * Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs
 * 17 October 1878 – 17 October 1883: The Minister of the Interior (Ex Officio)
 * 17 October 1878 – 17 October 1883: John A. Macdonald
 * 17 October 1883 – 3 October 1887: The President of the Privy Council (Ex officio)
 * 17 October 1883 – 3 October 1887: John A. Macdonald
 * 3 October 1887 – 6 June 1891: The Minister of the Interior (Ex Officio)
 * 3 October 1887 – 22 April 1888: Thomas White
 * 22 April 1888 – 8 May 1888: Vacant (Alexander Mackinnon Burgess was acting)
 * 8 May 1888 – 25 September 1888: John A. Macdonald (Acting)
 * 25 September 1888 – 6 June 1891: Edgar Dewdney
 * Minister of Inland Revenue
 * 17 October 1878 – 26 October 1878: Vacant (Alfred Brunel was acting)
 * 26 October 1878 – 8 November 1880: Louis François Georges Baby
 * 8 November 1880 – 23 May 1882: James Cox Aikins
 * 23 May 1882 – 6 June 1891: John Costigan
 * Minister of the Interior
 * 17 October 1878 – 17 October 1883: John A. Macdonald
 * 17 October 1883 – 4 August 1885: David Lewis Macpherson
 * 5 August 1885 – 21 April 1888: Thomas White
 * 22 April 1888 – 7 May 1888: Vacant (Alexander Mackinnon Burgess was acting)
 * 8 May 1888 – 24 September 1888: John A. Macdonald (acting)
 * 25 September 1888 – 6 June 1891: Edgar Dewdney
 * Minister of Justice
 * 17 October 1878 – 20 May 1881: James McDonald
 * 20 May 1881 – 26 September 1885: Alexander Campbell
 * 26 September 1885 – 6 June 1891: John Sparrow David Thompson
 * Attorney General of Canada
 * 17 October 1878 – 6 June 1891: The Minister of Justice (Ex officio)
 * 17 October 1878 – 20 May 1881: James McDonald
 * 20 May 1881 – 26 September 1885: Alexander Campbell
 * 26 September 1885 – 6 June 1891: John Sparrow David Thompson
 * Leader of the Government in the Senate
 * 17 October 1878 – 7 February 1887: Alexander Campbell
 * 7 February 1887 – 12 May 1887: Frank Smith (acting)
 * 12 May 1887 – 6 June 1891: John Abbott
 * Minister of Marine and Fisheries
 * 17 October 1878 – 19 October 1878: Vacant (William Smith was acting)
 * 19 October 1878 – 10 July 1882: James Colledge Pope
 * 10 July 1882 – 10 December 1885: Archibald McLelan
 * 10 December 1885 – 1 June 1888: George Eulas Foster
 * 1 June 1888 – 6 June 1891: Charles Hibbert Tupper
 * Minister of Militia and Defence
 * 17 October 1878 – 19 October 1878: Vacant (Charles-Eugène Panet was acting)
 * 19 October 1878 – 16 January 1880: Louis François Rodrigue Masson
 * 16 January 1880 – 8 November 1880: Alexander Campbell
 * 8 November 1880 – 6 June 1891: Joseph Philippe René Adolphe Caron
 * Postmaster General
 * 17 October 1878 – 19 October 1878: Vacant (William Henry Griffin was acting)
 * 19 October 1878 – 20 May 1879: Hector Louis Langevin
 * 20 May 1879 – 16 January 1880: Alexander Campbell
 * 16 January 1880 – 8 November 1880: John O'Connor
 * 8 November 1880 – 20 May 1881: Alexander Campbell
 * 20 May 1881 – 23 May 1882: John O'Connor
 * 23 May 1882 – 25 September 1885: John Carling
 * 25 September 1885 – 27 January 1887: Alexander Campbell
 * 27 January 1887 – 11 July 1888: Archibald McLelan
 * 11 July 1888 – 6 August 1888: John Carling (Acting)
 * 6 August 1888 – 6 June 1891: John Graham Haggart
 * President of the Privy Council
 * 17 October 1878 – 16 January 1880: John O'Connor
 * 16 January 1880 – 1 August 1880: Louis François Rodrigue Masson
 * 1 August 1880 – 8 November 1880: John A. Macdonald (acting)
 * 8 November 1880 – 20 May 1881: Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
 * 20 May 1881 – 10 July 1882: Archibald McLelan
 * 10 July 1882 – 17 October 1883: John A. Macdonald (acting)
 * 17 October 1883 – 28 November 1889: John A. Macdonald
 * 28 November 1889 – 1 May 1891: Charles Carroll Colby
 * 1 May 1891 – 6 June 1891: John A. Macdonald (acting)
 * Minister of Public Works
 * 17 October 1878 – 20 May 1879: Charles Tupper
 * 20 May 1879 – 6 June 1891: Hector Louis Langevin
 * Minister of Railways and Canals
 * 20 May 1879 – 29 May 1884: Charles Tupper
 * 29 May 1884 – 25 September 1885: John Henry Pope (Acting)
 * 25 September 1885 – 1 April 1889: John Henry Pope
 * 1 April 1889 – 10 April 1889: Vacant (Toussaint Trudeau was acting)
 * 10 April 1889 – 28 November 1889: John A. Macdonald (acting)
 * 28 November 1889 – 6 June 1891: John A. Macdonald
 * Receiver General of Canada
 * 17 October 1878 – 8 November 1878: Vacant (John Mortimer Courtney was acting)
 * 8 November 1878 – 20 May 1879: Alexander Campbell
 * 20 May 1879 – 6 June 1891: The Minister of Finance (Ex officio)
 * 20 May 1879 – 11 November 1885: Samuel Leonard Tilley
 * 11 November 1885 – 10 December 1885: Vacant (John Mortimer Courtney (acting)
 * 10 December 1885 – 27 January 1887: Archibald McLelan
 * 27 January 1887 – 29 May 1888: Charles Tupper
 * 29 May 1888 – 6 June 1891: George Eulas Foster
 * Secretary of State of Canada
 * 17 October 1878 – 19 October 1878: Vacant (Edouard-Joseph Langevin (acting)
 * 19 October 1878 – 8 November 1880: James Cox Aikins
 * 8 November 1880 – 20 May 1881: John O'Connor
 * 20 May 1881 – 29 July 1882: Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
 * 29 July 1882 – 6 June 1891: Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
 * Registrar General of Canada
 * 17 October 1878 – 6 June 1891: The Secretary of State of Canada (Ex officio)
 * 17 October 1878 – 19 October 1878: Vacant (Edouard-Joseph Langevin was acting)
 * 19 October 1878 – 8 November 1880: James Cox Aikins
 * 8 November 1880 – 20 May 1881: John O'Connor
 * 20 May 1881 – 29 July 1882: Joseph-Alfred Mousseau
 * 29 July 1882 – 6 June 1891: Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau
 * Minister without Portfolio
 * 8 November 1878 – 11 February 1880: Robert Duncan Wilmot
 * 11 February 1880 – 17 October 1883: David Lewis Macpherson
 * 2 August 1882 – 6 June 1891: Frank Smith
 * 13 May 1887 – 6 June 1891: John Abbott