Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)
The leader of the Official Opposition (French: chef de l'Opposition officielle), formally known as the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition (French: chef de la loyale opposition de Sa Majesté), is the politician who leads the Official Opposition in Canada, typically the leader of the party possessing the most seats in the House of Commons that is not the governing party or part of the governing coalition.
| Leader of the Official Opposition | |
|---|---|
| Chef de l'Opposition officielle | |
| Style | The Honourable |
| Member of | Parliament |
| Residence | Stornoway |
| Term length | While leader of the largest party not in government |
| Inaugural holder | Alexander Mackenzie |
| Formation | March 6, 1873 |
| Deputy | Melissa Lantsman Tim Uppal |
| Salary | CA$90,400 (2022)[1] |
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Pierre Poilievre has been the Leader of the Opposition since September 10, 2022, when he was elected leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, following the 2022 leadership election. He succeeded Candice Bergen, who had served as the party's interim leader from February 2, 2022.[2]
Though the leader of the Opposition must be a member of the House of Commons,[3] the office should not be confused with Opposition House leader, who is a frontbencher charged with managing the business of the Opposition in the House of Commons, and is formally titled Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons. There is also a leader of the Opposition in the Senate, who is usually of the same party as the leader of the Opposition in the house. If the leader of the opposition party is not a member of Parliament (MP), then a sitting MP acts as parliamentary leader and assumes the role of the leader of the Opposition until the party leader can obtain a seat.
The leader of the Opposition is entitled to the same levels of pay and protection as a Cabinet minister and is often made a member of the King's Privy Council, generally the only non-government member of the House of Commons afforded that privilege. The leader of the Opposition is entitled to reside at the official residence of Stornoway and ranks fourteenth on the Order of Precedence, after Cabinet ministers and before lieutenant governors of the provinces. In the House of Commons seating plan, the leader of the Opposition sits directly across from the prime minister.
The term leader of the opposition is used in the Parliament of Canada Act[4] and the Standing Orders of the House of Commons,[5] as is the term official opposition.[6] The terms leader of the loyal opposition, his majesty's opposition,[7] and loyal opposition are sometimes used,[8] but, are not in either the act or the standing orders. The word loyal is used to communicate the party's loyalty to monarch of Canada—as the nonpartisan personification of the nation and the state's authority—even as its members oppose the governing party.[7]
Two leaders of the Opposition have died in office: Wilfrid Laurier in 1919 and Jack Layton in 2011.[9]
Leaders of the Official Opposition
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Deputy leaders of the Opposition
| Portrait | Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Party | Leader of the Opposition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term start | Term end | |||||
 |
Denis Lebel[12] MP for Lac-Saint-Jean (born 1954) |
November 19, 2015 |
July 24, 2017 |
Conservative | Rona Ambrose | |
| Andrew Scheer | ||||||
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Lisa Raitt[13] MP for Milton (born 1968) |
July 24, 2017 |
October 21, 2019 |
Conservative | ||
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Leona Alleslev[14] MP for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill (born 1968) |
November 28, 2019 |
July 12, 2020 |
Conservative | ||
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Candice Bergen[15][16] MP for Portage—Lisgar (born 1964) |
September 2, 2020 |
February 2, 2022 |
Conservative | Erin O'Toole | |
 |
Luc Berthold[17] MP for Mégantic—L'Érable (born 1965 or 1966) |
February 6, 2022 |
September 13, 2022 |
Conservative | Candice Bergen | |
 |
Melissa Lantsman MP for Thornhill (born 1984) |
September 13, 2022 |
Incumbent | Conservative | Pierre Poilievre | |
 |
Tim Uppal MP for Edmonton Mill Woods (born 1974) |
September 13, 2022 |
Incumbent | Conservative | ||
 |
|---|
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Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet in Canada is composed of members of the main opposition party and is responsible for holding the Government to account and for developing and disseminating the party's policy positions. Members of the Official Opposition are generally referred to as opposition critics, but the term Shadow Minister (which is generally used in other Westminster systems) is also used.
Notes
- Tupper lost his seat in the 1900 election and resigned as party leader and Leader of the Opposition three months later.
- Died in office.
- McKenzie served as Leader of the Opposition from Laurier's death until King's election as leader of the Liberal Party.
- Arthur Meighen's Conservatives formed the Official Opposition although the Progressive Party had more seats.
- Meighen failed to win his seat and immediately resigned as leader of the Conservative Party.
- Guthrie served as Leader of the Opposition from shortly after Meighen's resignation until Bennett's election as leader of the Conservative Party.
- Hanson served as Leader of the Opposition from Manion's resignation until Meighen's election as leader of the Conservative Party. He continued as acting Leader of the Opposition throughout Meighen's term as Conservative leader, as Meighen failed in his attempts to win election to the House of Commons, and continued as acting Leader of the Opposition from Bracken's election as PC leader until his own resignation.
- The Conservative Party was renamed the Progressive Conservative Party in 1942.
- Graydon served as Leader of the Opposition from Hanson's resignation until Bracken entered Parliament in the 20th general election.
- Rowe served as acting Leader of the Opposition in winter 1954-55 due to Drew's poor health.
- Rowe initially served as acting Leader of the Opposition for six weeks when Drew was ill, then became interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party until Diefenbaker was elected as PC leader.
- Starr served as Leader of the Opposition from Stanfield's election as PC leader until Stanfield entered Parliament via by-election.
- Nielsen served as acting Leader of the Opposition for the two weeks preceding Clark's resignation from the post of leader of the PC Party. He continued as Leader of the Opposition during the 1983 Progressive Conservative leadership campaign in which Clark unsuccessfully ran to succeed himself. Nielsen continued as Leader of the Opposition from Mulroney's election as PC leader until Mulroney entered Parliament via by-election.
- Gray became acting Leader of the Opposition after Turner announced his intention to step down as party leader. Gray continued as Leader of the Opposition from Chrétien's election as Liberal leader until Chrétien entered Parliament via a by-election.
- Duceppe served as Leader of the Opposition during the 1996 Bloc Québécois leadership election initiated by Bouchard's sudden resignation from federal politics to become Premier of Quebec.
- Grey served as Leader of the Opposition during the 2000 Canadian Alliance leadership campaign in which Manning unsuccessfully ran to succeed himself. She continued as Leader of the Opposition from Day's election as Alliance leader until Day entered Parliament via byelection.
- Hill served as Leader of the Opposition during the 2004 Conservative leadership election in which Harper successfully ran to be leader of the new party.
- Although the PC Party and Canadian Alliance were recognized as merged on December 7, 2003, by Elections Canada for the purposes of elections law, they did not merge their parliamentary caucuses until February 2, 2004.
- Graham served as interim parliamentary leader and Leader of the Opposition until the 2006 Liberal leadership convention.
- Ignatieff served as interim Leader of Liberal Party until being elected Leader in the 2009 Liberal leadership convention.
- Died in office.
- Turmel became interim leader of the NDP on July 28, 2011, when Layton began his leave of absence, but she did not become the Leader of the Opposition until Layton's death.
- Ambrose was elected interim party leader by the Conservative caucus to serve until a permanent leader was elected at the 2017 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.
- Bergen was elected interim party leader by the Conservative caucus to serve until a permanent leader was elected at the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.
References
- "Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances". Parliament of Canada. Parliament of Canada. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
- "Conservatives elect Candice Bergen as interim party leader - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- Role of Opposition Parties in Canada, Compendium of Procedure, House of Commons of Canada.
- Parliament of Canada Act, RSC 1985, c. P-1, s. 50(2), 62, 62.3, 63(2).
- House of Commons (2017), Bosc, Marc; Gagnon, André (eds.), "Appendix 14: Standing Orders of the House of Commons", 43(1), 50(2), 74(1), 81(4), 84(7), 101(3) (3 ed.)
- House of Commons 2017, p. 35(2), 45(5), 73(1), 83(2), 106(2), 114(2)
- Boyko, John (November 10, 2022), "Opposition Party in Canada", The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, retrieved March 9, 2023
- House of Commons 2017, p. Note 190
- McGregor, Janyce (August 22, 2011). "Parliament and Layton's passing". CBC News. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- Parliament of Canada. "Leaders of the Official Opposition". Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- Parliament of Canada. "Leaders of the Official Opposition". Retrieved March 27, 2012.
- "Roles - Hon. Denis Lebel". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- "Roles - Hon. Lisa Raitt". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- Jones, Ryan Patrick (July 13, 2020). "Leona Alleslev steps down as Conservative deputy leader, backs MacKay's leadership bid". CBC News. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- "Roles - Hon. Candice Bergen". Parliament of Canada. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- "O'Toole names top Tories for Commons roles, with Bergen as deputy leader". Kamloops This Week. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- "Alain Rayes resigns as Conservative Party's Quebec lieutenant". CBC News. February 6, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.