Canada’s Prime Minister (2023 Updated)

Canada's Prime Minister

Last Updated: 7 March 2023

The Prime Minister of Canada is an official who serves as the primary minister of the Crown, the Chair of the Cabinet, and the head of the Government of Canada.

The Governor-General of Canada appoints the Prime Minister, but by constitutional convention, the Prime Minister must have the elected House of Commons’ confidence. The Prime Minister typically sits as a Member of Parliament (MP) and leads the largest party or a Coalition of Parties.

The Prime Ministership is part of Canada’s constitutional convention tradition. John A. Macdonald was commissioned by Viscount Monck on 24 May 1867, to form the first government of the Canadian Confederation. On 1 July 1867, the first ministry assumed office.

Canada’s Prime Minister At A Glance


No.HeaderDetails
1Style1) The Right Honourable (formal)
2) Prime Minister (informal)
2AbbreviationPM
3Member Of1) Parliament
2) Privy Council
3) Cabinet
4Reports To1) Monarch (Represented by the Governor General)
2) Parliament
5Residence24 Sussex Drive
6SeatOffice of the Prime Minister & Privy Council building
7AppointerMonarch (Represented by the Governor General); with the Confidence of the House of Commons
8Term LengthAt His Majesty’s Pleasure
9Constituting InstrumentNone (Constitutional Convention)
10Inaugural HolderJohn A. Macdonald
11Formation1st July 1867
12Present HolderJustin Trudeau (Since 4th Nov 2015)
13DeputyDeputy Prime Minister of Canada
14SalaryCA$ 379,000 (2023)
15Websitepm.gc.ca

Facts About Canada’s Prime Minister


  • The Prime Minister’s beginning term has been determined by the date sworn into their portfolio, as an oath of office as Prime Minister is not required.
  • Since 1957, the incoming Prime Minister has sworn an oath as Prime Minister.
  • Before 1920, Prime Ministers’ resignations were accepted immediately by the Governor.
  • Since 1920, the outgoing Prime Minister has only formally resigned when the new government is ready to be formed.
  • 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”.
  • General and the last day of the ministries was the date he died or the date of resignation.
  • 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.
  • 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 who are not MPs upon their appointment (or who lose their seats while in office) have since been expected to seek election to the House of Commons as soon as possible.
  • Prime Minister Mackenzie King was Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister, holding office in three non-consecutive terms for a total of 21 Years and 154 Days.
  • The shortest Minority Government, Prime Minister Meighen’s second government, lasted just under three months.
  • Kim Campbell, the 19th Prime Minister of Canada (1993) is the only female & British Columbia–born person to hold the office.
  • Prime Minister Charles Tupper served the shortest term in Canadian history for 68 Days.

List Of Prime Minister Of Canada


No.Prime MinisterTerm InTerm OutParty
1John A. Macdonald
(1815–1891)
01 Jul
1867
05 Nov
1873
Liberal–
Conservative
2Alexander Mackenzie
(1822–1892)
07 Nov
1873
08 Oct
1878
Liberal
John A. Macdonald[1]
(1815–1891)
17 Oct
1878
06 Jun
1891
Liberal–
Conservative
3John Abbott
(1821–1893)
16 Jun
1891
24 Nov
1892
Liberal–
Conservative
4John Thompson
(1845–1894)
05 Dec
1892
12 Dec
1894
Liberal–
Conservative
5Mackenzie Bowell
(1823–1917)
21 Dec
1894
27 Apr
1896
Conservative
6Charles Tupper
(1821–1915)
01 May
1896
08 Jul
1896
Conservative
7Wilfrid Laurier
(1841–1919)
11 Jul
1896
06 Oct
1911
Liberal
8Robert Borden
(1854–1937)
10 Oct
1911
10 Jul
1920
Government
(Unionist)
9Arthur Meighen
(1874–1960)
10 Jul
1920
29 Dec
1921
Conservative
10William Lyon Mackenzie King
(1874–1950)
29 Dec
1921
28 Jun
1926
Liberal
Arthur Meighen[9]
(1874–1960)
29 Jun
1926
25 Sep
1926
Conservative
William Lyon Mackenzie King[10]
(1874–1950)
25 Sep
1926
07 Aug
1930
Liberal
11R. B. Bennett
(1870–1947)
07 Aug
1930
23 Oct
1935
Conservative
William Lyon Mackenzie King[10]
(1874–1950)
23 Oct
1935
15 Nov
1948
Liberal
12Louis St. Laurent
(1882–1973)
15 Nov
1948
21 Jun
1957
Liberal
13John Diefenbaker
(1895–1979)
21 Jun
1957
22 Apr
1963
Progressive
Conservative
14Lester B. Pearson
(1897–1972)
22 Apr
1963
20 Apr
1968
Liberal
15Pierre Trudeau
(1919–2000)
20 Apr
1968
03 Jun
1979
Liberal
16Joe Clark
(born 1939)
03 Jun
1979
02 Mar
1980
Progressive
Conservative
Pierre Trudeau[15]
(1919–2000)
02 Mar
1980
29 Jun
1984
Liberal
17John Turner
(1929–2020)
29 Jun
1984
16 Sep
1984
Liberal
18Brian Mulroney
(born 1939)
16 Sep
1984
24 Jun
1993
Progressive
Conservative
19Kim Campbell
(born 1947)
24 Jun
1993
03 Nov
1993
Progressive
Conservative
20Jean Chrétien
(born 1934)
03 Nov
1993
11 Dec
2003
Liberal
21Paul Martin
(born 1938)
11 Dec
2003
05 Feb
2006
Liberal
22Stephen Harper
(born 1959)
05 Feb
2006
03 Nov
2015
Conservative
23Justin Trudeau
(born 1971)
03 Nov
2015
IncumbentLiberal

Prime Ministers Of Canada By Time In Office


No.Prime MinisterTotal TimeNumber Of Governments
1William Lyon Mackenzie King21 Years
154 Days
Majority Governments
1921–1925
1935–1940
1940–1945
Minority Governments
1925–1926
1926–1930
1945–1948
2Sir John A. Macdonald18 Years
359 Days
Majority Governments
1867–1872
1872–1873
1878–1882
1882–1887
1887–1891
1891
3Pierre Trudeau15 Years
164 Days
Majority Governments
1968–1972
1974–1979
1980–1984
Minority Government
1972–1974
4Sir Wilfrid Laurier15 Years
86 Days
Majority Governments
1896–1900
1900–1904
1904–1908
1908–1911
5Jean Chrétien10 Years
38 Days
Majority Governments
1993–1997
1997–2000
2001–2003
6Stephen Harper9 Years
271 Days
Minority Governments
2006–2008
2008–2011
Majority Government
2011–2015
7Brian Mulroney8 Years
281 Days
Majority Governments
1984–1988
1988–1993
8Sir Robert Borden8 Years
274 Days
Majority Governments
1911–1917
1917–1921
9Louis St. Laurent8 Years
218 Days
Majority Governments
1948–1953
1953–1957
10Justin Trudeau
(Incumbent)
7 Years
111 Days+
Majority Government
2015–2019
Minority Governments
2019–2021
2021–present
11John Diefenbaker5 Years
305 Days
Minority Governments
1957–1958
1962–1963
Majority Government
1958–1962
11R. B. Bennett5 Years
77 Days
Majority Government
1930–1935
12Lester B. Pearson4 Years
363 Days
Minority Governments
1963–1965
1965–1968
14Alexander Mackenzie4 Years
336 Days
Majority Government
1873 – 1878
15Paul Martin2 Years
56 Days
Majority Government
2003–2004
Minority Government
2004–2006
16Sir John Thompson2 Years
7 Days
Majority Government
1892–1894
17Arthur Meighen1 Year
260 Days
Majority Government
1920–192
Minority Government
1926
18Sir John Abbott1 Year
161 Days
Majority Government
1891–1892
19Sir Mackenzie Bowell1 Year
128 Days
Majority Government
1894–1896
20Joe Clark273 DaysMinority Government
1979–1980
21Kim Campbell132 DaysMajority Government
1993
22John Turner79 DaysMajority Government
1984
23Sir Charles Tupper68 DaysMajority Government
1896
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