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List of prime ministers of Canada by time in office

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Canada's three longest-serving prime ministers, left to right:
William Lyon Mackenzie King; 21 years, 154 days
Sir John A. Macdonald; 18 years, 359 days
Pierre Trudeau; 15 years, 164 days
All served non-consecutive terms.
Canada's three shortest-serving prime ministers, left to right:
Sir Charles Tupper; 68 days
John Turner; 79 days
Kim Campbell; 132 days
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the longest consecutively serving prime minister

The prime minister of Canada is the head of government of Canada. Since Canadian Confederation in 1867, there have been 23 prime ministers who have formed 29 Canadian ministries. The first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, took office on July 1, 1867. The position does not have a set term of office, and does not have term limits. Instead, prime ministers can stay in office as long as their government has the confidence of a majority in the House of Commons of Canada under the system of responsible government.[1] Under this system, William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada's longest-serving prime minister, holding office for a total of 21 years and 154 days over three non-consecutive terms.[2]

The prime minister's term begins upon appointment by the governor general of Canada, usually after winning a general election. One prime minister can also succeed another with no election—usually, but not necessarily, when they are successive leaders of the same party. A prime minister stays in office until they resign, die or are dismissed by the governor general.[3] Two prime ministers have died in office (Macdonald[4] and Sir John Thompson[5]). All others have resigned, either after losing an election, a parliamentary no confidence vote, or upon retirement. Theoretically, the governor general can dismiss a prime minister, but that has never happened.

The prime ministerial term is not tied directly to the term of the House of Commons, which the Constitution sets as a maximum of five years from the most recent general election.[6][7] A prime minister takes office after winning an election, and resigns after losing an election, but the term in office does not match up directly to the term of the Parliament. An incoming prime minister will normally take office a few weeks after the election, and an outgoing prime minister will usually stay in office for a few weeks after losing the election. The transition period and the date for the transfer of office are negotiated by the incoming and the outgoing prime ministers.

A prime minister who holds office in consecutive parliaments is not re-appointed as prime minister for each parliament, but rather serves one continuous term.[3] When a prime minister holds office in more than one parliament, it is customarily referred to as the prime minister's first government, second government, and so on.[8]

A majority government normally lasts around four years, since general elections for Parliament are normally held every four years. Minority governments generally last for a shorter period. The shortest minority government, Arthur Meighen's second government, lasted just under three months.[2] A prime minister who is selected by the governing party to replace an outgoing prime minister may also serve a short term, if the new prime minister is defeated at the general election. Charles Tupper served the shortest term in Canadian history, only sixty-eight days, in this way.[2] He was selected by the Conservative Party to replace Mackenzie Bowell just before the general election of 1896, which Tupper and the Conservatives lost.[9] John Turner[10] and Kim Campbell[11] both served short terms for similar reasons.

Of the other prime ministers who served short terms, Arthur Meighen,[12] Joe Clark,[13] and Paul Martin[14] had their time in office cut short by the collapse of their minority governments and the subsequent election of the opposition party.

In the late nineteenth century, three prime ministers succeeded to the office and did not call an election: John Abbott resigned for health reasons[15] and Thompson died in office.[16] Bowell resigned after a Cabinet revolt.[17]

On six occasions from the twentieth century, a prime minister has retired and the governing party has selected a new party leader, who automatically became prime minister. Arthur Meighen (1920), Louis St. Laurent (1948), Pierre Trudeau (1968),[18] John Turner (1984), Kim Campbell (1993) and Paul Martin (2003) all succeeded to the office in this way. The new prime minister may continue to govern in the parliament called by the previous prime minister, but normally calls an election within a few months. (Meighen was the exception, governing for over a year before calling an election.) In those cases, the time before and after the election is counted as one government for the purposes of this table.

When a general election is called, the current prime minister stays in office during the election campaign. If the prime minister's party wins the election, the prime minister remains in office without being sworn in again; the prime minister's tenure of office is continuous. If defeated in the election, the outgoing prime minister stays in office during the transition period, until the new prime minister takes office. All of that time is included in the total "Time in office". The first day of a prime minister's term is counted in the total, but the last day is not.[19]

For the first half century of Confederation, there were gaps between the term of an outgoing prime minister and the incoming prime minister. The shortest gap, two days, was between Macdonald and Alexander Mackenzie in 1873: Macdonald resigned office on November 5, 1873, and Mackenzie was appointed on November 7.[2] The longest gap, ten days, was upon the death of Macdonald on June 6, 1891. Abbott did not take office until June 16, 1891.[2] The last time there was a gap, of four days, occurred between Laurier and Robert Borden: Laurier resigned effective October 6, 1911, and Borden took office on October 10.[2] There have been no gaps in office since that transition, with the new prime minister taking office the day after the former prime minister leaves office.[2]

Table of prime ministers

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Canadian custom is to count by the individuals who were prime minister, not by terms.[20] Since Confederation, 23 prime ministers have been appointed by the governor general to form 29 Canadian Ministries.[20]

  Historical conservative parties/Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (12)
  Liberal Party of Canada (10)
  Conservative Party of Canada (1)

Footnotes

  1. ^ For the purposes of this table, when a prime minister takes office by succeeding to the party leadership, the time before and after the prime minister's first election is treated as one government.

Political parties by time in office

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By cabinet party
Party Time in office
(days)
# Ministries
  Liberal Party of Canada 33,683 13 2nd, 8th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 26th, 27th, and 29th (incumbent)
  Historical conservative parties 19,233 14 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th, and 25th
  Conservative Party of Canada 3,559 1 28th
  Unionist coalition 1,003 1 10th
By prime minister's party
Party Time in office
(days)
# Name(s)
  Liberal Party of Canada 33,683 10 Jean Chrétien, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Louis St. Laurent, Wilfrid Laurier, Alexander Mackenzie, Paul Martin, Lester B. Pearson, Justin Trudeau (incumbent), Pierre Trudeau, and John Turner
  Liberal-Conservative Party 8,202 3 John Abbott, John A. Macdonald, and John Sparrow David Thompson
  Progressive Conservative Party of Canada 5,743 4 Kim Campbell, Joe Clark, John Diefenbaker, and Brian Mulroney
  Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) 4,750 5 R. B. Bennett, Robert Borden (1911–1917), Mackenzie Bowell, Arthur Meighen (1926), and Charles Tupper
  Conservative Party of Canada (2003–present) 3,559 1 Stephen Harper
  Unionist Party 1,003 1 Robert Borden (1917–1920)
  National Liberal and Conservative Party 538 1 Arthur Meighen (1920–1921)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Forsey, pp. 3–4.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Prime Ministers of Canada.
  3. ^ a b Eugene A. Forsey, How Canadians Govern Themselves (8th ed.), p. 5.
  4. ^ a b c Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Sir John Alexander Macdonald, P.C., Q.C., G.C.B., K.C.B.
  5. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Sir John Sparrow David Thompson, P.C., Q.C., K.C.M.G.
  6. ^ Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 4(1).
  7. ^ In 2007, Parliament passed a statute to provide for fixed election dates every four years, but the statute does not affect the governor general's discretionary power to dissolve Parliament: An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act, SC 2007, c. 10.
  8. ^ Library of Parliament: Overview of the Canadian Parliamentary System.
  9. ^ Bruce Hutchinson, Mr Prime Minister 1867–1964 (Don Mills: Longmans Canada Ltd., 1964), pp. 111-114.
  10. ^ Steve Paikin, "They still gather to honour John Turner" Daily Observer/Osprey Writers Group, July 5, 2008.
  11. ^ Library and Archives Canada: The Right Honourable A. Kim Campbell – Biography.
  12. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 230–231
  13. ^ a b c d Allan J. MacEachen, "Behind the Fall of Joe Clark", The Star, December 11, 2009.
  14. ^ "Liberals lose confidence of the House", CBC, November 28, 2005.
  15. ^ a b Hutchinson, p. 101.
  16. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 103-104.
  17. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 108-109.
  18. ^ a b c d Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, P.C., Q.C., C.C., F.R.S.C.
  19. ^ Interpretation Act, Revised Statutes of Canada 1985, c. I-21, s. 23(5).
  20. ^ a b "Prime Ministers of Canada". Library of the Canadian Parliament. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King, P.C., O.M., C.M.G.
  22. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Fourteenth Parliament.
  23. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Eighteenth Parliament.
  24. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Nineteenth Parliament.
  25. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Fifteenth Parliament.
  26. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Sixteenth Parliament.
  27. ^ Library of Parliaent – Parlinfo: Twentieth Parliament.
  28. ^ a b Hutchinson, pp. 224 to 231.
  29. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 232 to 233.
  30. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 235 to 236.
  31. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 254 to 256.
  32. ^ Hutchinson, p. 257.
  33. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "King, William Lyon Mackenzie."
  34. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: First Parliament.
  35. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Second Parliament.
  36. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Fourth Parliament.
  37. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Fifth Parliament.
  38. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Sixth Parliament.
  39. ^ a b c d e Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Seventh Parliament.
  40. ^ Donald Creighton, John A. Macdonald – The Young Politician (Toronto: Macmillan Co., 1952), pp. 470 to 471, 476–477.
  41. ^ a b Hutchinson, p. 47.
  42. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 94–95.
  43. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Macdonald, Sir John Alexander".
  44. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 96-114.
  45. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Eighth Parliament.
  46. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirtieth Parliament.
  47. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Second Parliament.
  48. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Ninth Parliament.
  49. ^ a b c CPAC: 1968 Liberal Convention.
  50. ^ Charlotte Montgomery and Thomas Walkom, "Pierre Trudeau steps down – New leader likely by end of June", Globe and Mail, March 1, 1984.
  51. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Trudeau, Pierre Elliott".
  52. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, P.C., K.C., G.C.M.G.
  53. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Eighth Parliament.
  54. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Ninth Parliament.
  55. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Tenth Parliament.
  56. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Eleventh Parliament.
  57. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Laurier, Sir Wilfrid".
  58. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 115-126.
  59. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, P.C., Q.C., C.C., O.M.
  60. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Fifth Parliament.
  61. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Sixth Parliament.
  62. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Seventh Parliament.
  63. ^ "Jean Chrétien". The Canadian Who's Who. Vol. XLIII. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2008.
  64. ^ a b Susan Delacourt, "Chrétien attacks Martin in new book", The Star, October 13, 2007.
  65. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C.
  66. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Ninth Canadian Parliament.
  67. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Fortieth Parliament.
  68. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Forty-First Parliament.
  69. ^ "Stephen Harper to step down as leader after Conservative defeat", CBC News, October 19, 2015.
  70. ^ a b Jim Sheppard and Matt Lundy, "Trudeau wins majority, Harper steps down," Globe and Mail, October 19, 2015.
  71. ^ "Stephen Harper". The Canadian Who's Who. Vol. XLIII. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2008.
  72. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Justin Trudeau, P.C.
  73. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Forty-Second Parliament
  74. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Forty-Third Parliament
  75. ^ "Canadians have re-elected a Liberal minority government | CBC News".
  76. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Martin Brian Mulroney, P.C., C.C., G.O.Q.
  77. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Third Parliament.
  78. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Fourth Parliament.
  79. ^ a b c Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Sir Robert Laird Borden, P.C., K.C., G.C.M.G.
  80. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twelfth Parliament.
  81. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirteenth Parliament.
  82. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 140 to 146.
  83. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 171 to 178.
  84. ^ Canadian Dictionary of Biography – Borden, Sir Robert Laird.
  85. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Louis Stephen St-Laurent, P.C., Q.C., C.C.
  86. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-First Parliament.
  87. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Second Parliament.
  88. ^ CPAC: 1948 Liberal Convention.
  89. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: St-Laurent, Louis-Stephen.
  90. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 285 to 313.
  91. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. John George Diefenbaker, P.C., Q.C., F.R.S.C., F.R.S.A.
  92. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Third Parliament.
  93. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Fifth Parliament.
  94. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Fourth Parliament.
  95. ^ Canadian Dictionary of Biography: "Diefenbaker, John George."
  96. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 314–349.
  97. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Richard Bedford Bennett, P.C., K.C., K.G.St.J.
  98. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Seventeenth Canadian Parliament.
  99. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Bennett, Richard Bedford, 1st Viscount Bennett."
  100. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 236, 254, 256.
  101. ^ The Right Hon. Lester Bowles Pearson, P.C., C.C., O.M., O.B.E.
  102. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Sixth Parliament.
  103. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Twenty-Seventh Parliament.
  104. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 348–349.
  105. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Pearson, Lester Bowles".
  106. ^ The Hon. Alexander Mackenzie, P.C.
  107. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Third Parliament.
  108. ^ Hutchinson, p. 54.
  109. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 73–74.
  110. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Mackenzie, Alexander".
  111. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, P.C., C.C.
  112. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-Eighth Parliament.
  113. ^ "Canadian government toppled in no-confidence vote", New York Times, November 29, 2005.
  114. ^ "Paul Martin". The Canadian Who's Who. Vol. XLIII. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 2008.
  115. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 101–104.
  116. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Thompson, Sir John Sparrow David."
  117. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Arthur Meighen, P.C., Q.C.
  118. ^ a b c Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Meighen, Arthur".
  119. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 198–201.
  120. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Hon. Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott, P.C., Q.C., K.C.M.G.
  121. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 96–98.
  122. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: Abbott, Sir John Joseph Caldwell.
  123. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Hon. Sir Mackenzie Bowell, P.C., K.C.M.G.
  124. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Charles Joseph Clark, P.C., C.C., A.O.E.
  125. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: Thirty-First Parliament.
  126. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. A. Kim Campbell, P.C., Q.C., C.C.
  127. ^ CPAC: 1993 Progressive Conservative Leadership Convention.
  128. ^ a b Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. John Napier Turner, P.C., C.C., Q.C.
  129. ^ CPAC: 1984 Liberal Convention.
  130. ^ Library of Parliament – Parlinfo: The Right Hon. Sir Charles Tupper, P.C., K.C.M.G., G.C.M.G., C.B.
  131. ^ Hutchinson, pp. 109–11.
  132. ^ Dictionary of Canadian Biography: "Tupper, Sir Charles".

Bibliography

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