List of prime ministers of Canada

Canada's prime ministers during its first century

The prime minister of Canada is an official who serves as the primary minister of the Crown, chair of the Cabinet, and thus head of government of Canada. Officially, the prime minister is appointed by the Governor General of Canada, but by constitutional convention, the prime minister must have the confidence of the elected House of Commons. Normally, this is the leader of the party caucus with the greatest number of seats in the house. But if that leader lacks the support of the majority, the governor general can appoint another leader who has that support or may dissolve parliament and call a new election. By constitutional convention, a prime minister holds a seat in parliament and, since the early 20th century, this has more specifically meant the House of Commons.^[1]

The office is not outlined in any of the documents that constitute the written portion of the Constitution of Canada; executive authority is formally vested in the sovereign and exercised on their behalf by the governor general. The prime ministership is part of Canada's constitutional convention tradition. The office was modelled after that which existed in Britain at the time. John A. Macdonald was commissioned by the Viscount Monck on 24 May 1867, to form the first government of the Canadian Confederation. On 1 July 1867, the first ministry assumed office.^[2]

The date for which a prime minister begins their term has been determined by the date that he or she is sworn into their portfolio, as an oath of office as prime minister is not required.^[3] However, since 1957, the incoming prime minister has sworn an oath as prime minister.^[3] Before 1920, prime ministers' resignations were accepted immediately by the governor general and the last day of the ministries were the date he died or the date of resignation.^[3] Since 1920, the outgoing prime minister has only formally resigned when the new government is ready to be formed.^[3] The Interpretation Act of 1967 states that "where an appointment is made effective or terminates on a specified day, that appointment is considered to be effective or to terminate after the end of the previous day".^[3] Thus, although the outgoing prime minister formally resigns only hours before the incoming ministry swears their oaths, both during the day, the ministries are effectively changed at midnight the night before. Some sources, including the Parliament of Canada, apply this convention as far back as 1917.^[4] Two prime ministers have died in office: John A. Macdonald (1867–1873, 1878–1891), and John Thompson (1892–1894). All others have resigned, either after losing an election or upon retirement.

Prime ministers[]

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death) District	Term of office	Electoral mandates (Parliaments)	Political party	Min.	Refs
1		Sir John A. Macdonald (1815–1891) MP for Kingston, ON	1 July 1867 – 5 November 1873	Title created (caretaker government) 1867 election (1st Parliament) 1872 election (2nd Parliament)	Conservative Party	1st	[2][5]
			Minister of Justice; Integration of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory into Canada; Manitoba Act; Red River Rebellion; British Columbia and Prince Edward Island join confederation; Creation of the North-West Mounted Police; Resigned over Pacific Scandal
2		Alexander Mackenzie (1822–1892) MP for Lambton, ON	7 November 1873 – 8 October 1878	Appointment (2nd Parliament) 1874 election (3rd Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1873	2nd	[6][7]
			Pacific Scandal; Creation of the Supreme Court; Passage of the Indian Act; Establishment of the Royal Military College; Created the office of the Auditor General
(1)		Sir John A. Macdonald (1815–1891) MP for Victoria, BC until 1882 MP for Carleton, ON until 1887 MP for Kingston, ON	17 October 1878 – 6 June 1891	1878 election (4th Parliament) 1882 election (5th Parliament) 1887 election (6th Parliament) 1891 election (7th Parliament)	Conservative Party	3rd	[8][9]
			National Policy; Railway to the Pacific; North-West Rebellion; Hanging of Louis Riel, Residential School System. Died in office (stroke).
3		Sir John Abbott (1821–1893) Senator for Quebec	16 June 1891 – 24 November 1892	Appointment (7th Parliament)	Liberal-Conservative Party	4th	[10][11]
			Minister without Portfolio; Succeeded on Macdonald's death due to objections to the Catholic John Thompson. In ill health; retired. First prime minister born in what would become Canada, and first of only two prime ministers to serve while in the Senate.
4		Sir John Thompson (1845–1894) MP for Antigonish, NS	5 December 1892 – 12 December 1894	Appointment (7th Parliament)	Liberal-Conservative Party	5th	[12][13]
			Minister of Justice; First Catholic prime minister. Manitoba Schools Question. Died in office (heart attack).
5		Sir Mackenzie Bowell (1823–1917) Senator for Ontario	21 December 1894 – 27 April 1896	Appointment (7th Parliament)	Conservative Party (historical)	6th	[14][15]
			Minister of Customs; Minister of Militia and Defence; Manitoba Schools Question. Last prime minister to serve while in the Senate.
6		Sir Charles Tupper (1821–1915) Did not serve in Parliament while Prime Minister	1 May 1896 – 8 July 1896	Appointment (caretaker government)	Conservative Party (historical)	7th	[16][17]
			Minister of Customs, Minister of Railways and Canals; Oldest Canadian PM. Aimed to defeat Patrons of Industry, but dominated by Manitoba Schools Question. Never sat in parliament as Prime Minister.
7		Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1841–1919) MP for Quebec East, QC	11 July 1896 – 6 October 1911	1896 election (8th Parliament) 1900 election (9th Parliament) 1904 election (10th Parliament) 1908 election (11th Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1887	8th	[18][19]
			Manitoba Schools Question; Boer War; Alberta and Saskatchewan created; Creation of the Royal Canadian Navy; Reciprocity with the US; Department of External Affairs established; First French Canadian prime minister; Removed the right of First Nations to vote.
8		Sir Robert Borden (1854–1937) MP for Halifax, NS until 1917 MP for Kings, NS	10 October 1911 – 11 October 1917	1911 election (12th Parliament)	Conservative Party (historical) Named leader in 1901	9th	[19][20][21]
			12 October 1917 – 10 July 1920	1917 election (13th Parliament)	Unionist Party	10th
			First World War; Military Service Act; Conscription Crisis of 1917; Union government; National Research Council; Introduction of income tax; Nickle Resolution; Women's suffrage; Suppression of Winnipeg General Strike; Canada sits at the Paris Peace Conference, signs the Treaty of Versailles and joins League of Nations.
9		Arthur Meighen (1874–1960) MP for Portage la Prairie, MB	10 July 1920 – 29 December 1921	Appointment (13th Parliament)	National Liberal and Conservative Party Named leader in 1920	11th	[22][23]
			Solicitor General of Canada, Minister of Mines, Secretary of State for Canada, Minister of the Interior, Superintendent Indian Affairs; Grand Trunk Railway placed under control of Canadian National Railways.
10		William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874–1950) MP for York North, ON until 1925 MP for Prince Albert, SK	29 December 1921 – 28 June 1926	1921 election (14th Parliament) 1925 election (15th Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1919	12th	[24][25]
			Minister of Labour; Chanak Crisis; lower tariffs; reinstated Crowsnest Pass Agreement; 1923 Imperial Conference; Halibut Treaty; Continued after 1925 with third party Progressive support until resigning after his request for an election was refused by Governor General Lord Byng.
(9)		Arthur Meighen (1874–1960) MP for Portage la Prairie, MB	29 June 1926 – 25 September 1926	Appointment (15th Parliament)	Conservative Party (historical)	13th	[22][26]
			Appointed as a result of the King–Byng Affair.
(10)		William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874–1950) MP for Prince Albert, SK	25 September 1926 – 7 August 1930	1926 election (16th Parliament)	Liberal Party	14th	[24][27]
			Balfour Declaration; Introduction of old age pensions; first Canadian envoys with full diplomatic status sent to foreign countries (USA, France, Japan); Great Depression.
11		R. B. Bennett (1870–1947) MP for Calgary West, AB	7 August 1930 – 23 October 1935	1930 election (17th Parliament)	Conservative Party (historical) Named leader in 1927	15th	[28][29]
			Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance; Great Depression; Imperial Preference; Statute of Westminster; Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission; Canadian Wheat Board; Creation of the Bank of Canada.
(10)		William Lyon Mackenzie King (1874–1950) MP for Prince Albert, SK until 1945 MP for Glengarry, ON	23 October 1935 – 15 November 1948	1935 election (18th Parliament) 1940 election (19th Parliament) 1945 election (20th Parliament)	Liberal Party	16th	[24][30]
			Creation of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; National Film Board of Canada; Unemployment Insurance Act of 1940; Nationalization of the Bank of Canada; Second World War; Japanese Canadian internment; Conscription Crisis of 1944; Canada's entry into the United Nations; Trans-Canada Airlines; Gouzenko Affair.
12		Louis St. Laurent (1882–1973) MP for Quebec East, QC	15 November 1948 – 21 June 1957	Appointment (20th Parliament) 1949 election (21st Parliament) 1953 election (22nd Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1948	17th	[31][32]
			Minister of Justice, Secretary of State for External Affairs; Dominion of Newfoundland joins confederation; right of appeal to Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ended; Canada's entrance into NATO; Suez Crisis; Creation of the United Nations Emergency Force; London Declaration; Newfoundland Act; Equalization; Trans-Canada Highway; St. Lawrence Seaway; Trans-Canada Pipeline; Pipeline Debate.
13		John Diefenbaker (1895–1979) MP for Prince Albert, SK	21 June 1957 – 22 April 1963	1957 election (23rd Parliament) 1958 election (24th Parliament) 1962 election (25th Parliament)	Progressive Conservative Party Named leader in 1956	18th	[33][34]
			Avro Arrow cancellation; Coyne Affair; Cuban Missile Crisis; NORAD; Establishment of Board of Broadcast Governors; Canadian Bill of Rights; Allowed status aboriginals to vote in federal elections 1960; Alouette 1 satellite programme.
14		Lester B. Pearson (1897–1972) MP for Algoma East, ON	22 April 1963 – 20 April 1968	1963 election (26th Parliament) 1965 election (27th Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1958	19th	[35][36]
			Secretary of State for External Affairs; Bomarc missile program; Federal involvement in universal healthcare; Canada Pension Plan; Canada Student Loans; Creation of a new Canadian flag; Auto Pact; Rejection of troop deployment to Vietnam; Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism; Unification of the Armed Forces; Canadian Centennial Celebrations.
15		Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) MP for Mount Royal, QC	20 April 1968 – 3/4 June[*] 1979	Appointment (27th Parliament) 1968 election (28th Parliament) 1972 election (29th Parliament) 1974 election (30th Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1968	20th	[37]
			Minister of Justice; "Trudeaumania"; "Just Society"; October Crisis and Use of the War Measures Act; Official Languages Act; Establishment of relations with Communist China; Victoria Charter; Creation of Petro-Canada; Membership in the G7; Metric Commission, Metrication of Canada, Creation of Via Rail.
16		Joe Clark (b. 1939) MP for Yellowhead, AB	4 June 1979 – 2/3 March[*] 1980	1979 election (31st Parliament)	Progressive Conservative Party Named leader in 1976	21st	[38]
			Youngest Canadian PM. Defeated in a motion of no confidence on first budget.
(15)		Pierre Trudeau (1919–2000) MP for Mount Royal, QC	3 March 1980 – 29/30 June[*] 1984	1980 election (32nd Parliament)	Liberal Party	22nd	[37]
			1980 Quebec referendum; Access to Information Act; Patriation of the Canadian Constitution; Montreal Protocol; Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; National Energy Program; Canada Health Act; Western alienation.
17		John Turner (1929–2020) Did not serve in Parliament while Prime Minister	30 June 1984 – 16/17 September[*] 1984	Appointment (32nd Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1984	23rd	[39]
			Minister of Justice, Minister of Finance; Trudeau Patronage Appointments. Never sat in parliament as Prime Minister.
18		Brian Mulroney (b. 1939) MP for Manicouagan, QC until 1988 MP for Charlevoix, QC	17 September 1984 – 24/25 June[*] 1993	1984 election (33rd Parliament) 1988 election (34th Parliament)	Progressive Conservative Party Named leader in 1983	24th	[40]
			Cancellation of the National Energy Program; Meech Lake Accord; Petro-Canada privatization; Canada-US Free Trade Agreement; Introduction of the Goods and Services Tax; Charlottetown Accord; Gulf War; Oka Crisis; Environmental Protection Act; Privatization of Air Canada, North American Free Trade Agreement; Nunavut Land Claims Agreement; Airbus affair.
19		Kim Campbell (b. 1947) MP for Vancouver Centre, BC	25 June 1993 – 3/4 November[*] 1993	Appointment (34th Parliament)	Progressive Conservative Party Named leader in 1993	25th	[41]
			Minister of Justice, Minister of Veterans Affairs, Minister of National Defence, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs; first female prime minister of Canada. Defeated and lost her seat in 1993 election.
20		Jean Chrétien (b. 1934) MP for Saint-Maurice, QC	4 November 1993 – 11/12 December[*] 2003	1993 election (35th Parliament) 1997 election (36th Parliament) 2000 election (37th Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 1990	26th	[42]
			Minister of Finance, Minister of Indian Affairs, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Minister of Justice and Energy Minister, President of the Treasury Board, Minister of National Revenue, Deputy Prime Minister of Canada; Privatization of Canadian National Railway, Red Book; Harmonized Sales Tax; 1995 Quebec referendum; Clarity Act; Assassination attempt; Kosovo War; 1997 Red River flood; Social Union Framework Agreement; Creation of Nunavut Territory; Youth Criminal Justice Act; Operation Yellow Ribbon; Invasion of Afghanistan; Opposition to the Invasion of Iraq; Sponsorship scandal; Kyoto Protocol; Gomery Inquiry.
21		Paul Martin (b. 1938) MP for LaSalle—Émard, QC	12 December 2003 – 5/6 February[*] 2006	Appointment (37th Parliament) 2004 election (38th Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 2003	27th	[40]
			Minister of Finance; Minority government. Civil Marriage Act; Kelowna Accord; ; Sponsorship scandal; Gomery inquiry; G20; Atlantic Accord; Martin and his father Paul Martin Sr have the honorific title of Right Honourable.
22		Stephen Harper (b. 1959) MP for Calgary Southwest, AB	6 February 2006 – 3/4 November[*] 2015	2006 election (39th Parliament) 2008 election (40th Parliament) 2011 election (41st Parliament)	Conservative Party Named leader in 2004	28th	[43]
			Accountability Act; Softwood Lumber Agreement; Afghanistan Mission; 2006 Ontario terrorism plot; Québécois nation motion; 2008 Financial crisis; Coalition crisis; Economic Action Plan; Afghan detainee issue; Parliamentary contempt; Withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol; Repeal of the Long-Gun Registry; Senate expenses scandal; Anti-terrorism Act, 2015.
23		Justin Trudeau (b. 1971) MP for Papineau, QC	4 November 2015 – Incumbent	2015 election (42nd Parliament) 2019 election (43rd Parliament)	Liberal Party Named leader in 2013	29th	[44]
			Eldest son of the 15th prime minister, Pierre Trudeau; Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth; Senate appointment reform; Paris Agreement; 150th anniversary celebrations; Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement; Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership; Cannabis Act; United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement; Aga Khan affair; SNC-Lavalin affair; 2020 Canadian pipeline and railway protests; COVID-19 pandemic; WE Charity scandal.
Min. Minority government LS Party won the election, but prime minister lost own seat * The Interpretation Act of 1967 states that "where an appointment is made effective or terminates on a specified day, that appointment is considered to be effective or to terminate after the end of the previous day." Under the Act, prime ministers' tenures are therefore credited as having concluded at the end of their last full day in office (the earlier date given), although their resignation was received by the Governor General on the following day. This provision applies to P. Trudeau in 1979[45] and 1984,[46] Clark,[47] Turner,[48] Mulroney,[49] Campbell,[50] Chrétien,[51] Martin,[51] and Harper.[51]

Timeline[]

Living former prime ministers[]

As of August 2021, there are six living former prime ministers of Canada, the oldest being Jean Chrétien (born 1934; served 1993–2003). The most recent former prime minister to die was John Turner (1929–2020; served in 1984) on 19 September 2020. The living former prime ministers, in order of service, are:

• 

  Joe Clark
  (1979–1980)
  Age: 82

• 

  Brian Mulroney
  (1984–1993)
  Age: 82

• 

  Kim Campbell
  (1993)
  Age: 74

• 

  Jean Chretien
  (1993–2003)
  Age: 87

• 

  Paul Martin
  (2003-2006)
  Age: 83

• 

  Stephen Harper
  (2006–2015)
  Age: 62

The greatest number of living former prime ministers at any one time was seven. This has occurred once, between 4 November 2015 (when Justin Trudeau succeeded Stephen Harper) and 19 September 2020 (when John Turner died), the seven living former prime ministers were Clark, Turner, Mulroney, Campbell, Chrétien, Martin and Harper.

See also[]

 Canada portal
 Politics portal

• Fathers of Confederation
• List of joint premiers of the Province of Canada
• Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)
• List of Canadian federal parliaments
• List of Canadian monarchs

References[]

Further reading[]

• Coucill, Irma (2005). Canada's Prime Ministers, Governors General and Fathers of Confederation. Pembroke Publishers. ISBN 1-55138-185-0. Fathers of Confederation.
• Lotz, Jim (1986), Prime Ministers of Canada, Bison Books, ISBN 0-86124-377-3

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prime ministers of Canada.

• Prime Minister's Official Site – Government of Canada
• The Prime Ministers of Canada – The Historica Dominion Institute
• Prime Ministers of Canada – Library of Parliament
• Prime Ministers – Canada History