In 1968, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau designated the government house leader as president of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

Under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, the roles of government house leader and president of the Privy Council were separated in 1989.

Since 2003, this minister of state status has been obscured in all but the most official circumstances by the use of a "Leader of the Government in the House of Commons" style in its place.

Prime Minister Paul Martin's first House Leader, Jacques Saada was also the minister responsible for democratic reform; however, with the election of a minority government in the 2004 election, Martin appointed Tony Valeri to the position of leader of the government in the House of Commons with no additional responsibilities.

For a time, with the position having evolved into a full-time job, government house leaders have been named to cabinet as ministers of state with no portfolio specified.