The position was based on the Solicitor General in the British system and was originally designated as an officer to assist the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
It was not initially a position in the Canadian Cabinet, although after 1917 its occupant was often sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and attended Cabinet meetings.
the Solicitor General's department was responsible for administering the prison system, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the National Parole Board and other matters relating to internal security.
In 2003, the position was styled Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the portfolio expanded.
In 2005, the position of Solicitor General was formally abolished.