The office of Solicitor General of Canada was created on June 23 1887 but did not come into force until December 3 1892. The Solicitor General was designated an officer to assist the Minister of Justice and was not initially a position in the Canadian Cabinet though it was considered part of the Ministry. While the position of Solicitor General was not a Cabinet position its occupant was often sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and attended Cabinet meetings. The position first became a de facto Cabinet position on October 2 1915. On October 4 1917 the position was again removed from Cabinet. On July 5 1919 it again became a de facto Cabinet position. On September 5 1925 the position was again removed from Cabinet. On August 23 1926 the position was again reinstated as a de facto cabinet position and remained so until 1966 when the modern position of Solicitor General was created with the repeal of the previous Solicitor General Act and the passage of a new statute creating the ministerial office of the Solicitor General of Canada.

(*) Not in Cabinet