A view of a building interior with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, four stain-glass windows on the left wall, and a large number of brown desks and green chairs on the floor.
The Chamber of the House of Commons
Politics of Canada
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The Parliament of Canada is the legislative body of the government of Canada. The Parliament is composed of the House of Commons (lower house), the Senate (upper house), and the sovereign, represented by the governor general. Most major legislation originates from the House, as it is the only body that is directly elected. A new parliament begins after an election of the House of Commons and can sit for up to five years. The number of seats in parliament has varied as new provinces joined the country and as population distribution between the provinces changed; there are currently 338 House MPs and 105 Senators (when there are no vacancies).

Canada uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons becomes Prime Minister, even if the leader is not an elected member of parliament. The leader of the party with the second-most seats in the House becomes the leader of the Official Opposition, and debate (formally called Oral Questions) between the parties is presided over by the speaker of the House. When the party with the most seats has less than half of the total number of seats, it forms a minority government, which can be voted out of power by the other parties. The Canadian Parliament is located at Parliament Hill in the capital city, Ottawa, Ontario.

Parliaments

Diagram[nb 1] Parliament
Election[1][2]
Sessions[3] 		Duration
(from return of the writs to dissolution)[4] 		Government Opposition
Governing Party[2][5]
 • Prime Minister[2][6]—Ministry[2][5][7] 		Seat counts as of election[2][8][9] Official Opposition Party[10]
 • Leader of the Opposition[10] 		Third Parties with official party status
1st Canadian Parliament
Elected 1867
5 sessions 		Sep 24, 1867
–
Jul 8, 1872 		Conservative Party 100 of 180 House seats[nb 2] none
2nd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1872
2 sessions 		Sep 3, 1872
–
Jan 2, 1874 		Conservative Party (1872–1873) 99 of 200 House seats[nb 3]
 Liberal Party none
Liberal Party (1873–1874)[nb 4] 95 of 200 House seats (minority) Conservative Party
3rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1874
5 sessions 		Feb 21, 1874
–
Aug 16, 1878 		Liberal Party 129 of 206 House seats Conservative Party none
4th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1878
4 sessions 		Nov 21, 1878
–
May 18, 1882 		Conservative Party 134 of 206 House seats Liberal Party none
5th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1882
4 sessions 		Aug 7, 1882
–
Jan 15, 1887 		Conservative Party 133 of 211 House seats Liberal Party none
6th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1887
4 sessions 		Apr 13, 1887
–
Feb 3, 1891 		Conservative Party 122 of 215 House seats Liberal Party none
7th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1891
6 sessions 		Apr 7, 1891
–
Apr 24, 1896 		Conservative Party[nb 5] 117 of 215 House seats Liberal Party none
8th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1896
5 sessions 		Jul 13, 1896
–
Oct 9, 1900 		Liberal Party 117 of 213 House seats Conservative Party none
9th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1900
4 sessions 		Dec 5, 1900
–
Sep 29, 1904 		Liberal Party 128 of 213 House seats Conservative Party none
10th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1904
4 sessions 		Dec 15, 1904
–
Sep 17, 1908 		Liberal Party 137 of 214 House seats Conservative Party none
11th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1908
3 sessions 		Dec 3, 1908
–
Jul 29, 1911 		Liberal Party 133 of 221 House seats Conservative Party none
12th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1911
7 sessions 		Oct 7, 1911
–
Oct 6, 1917 		Conservative Party 132 of 221 House seats Liberal Party none
13th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1917
5 sessions 		Mar 16, 1918
–
Oct 4, 1921 		Unionist coalition (1918–1920) 153 of 235 House seats (coalition)[nb 6] Laurier Liberals none
National Liberal and Conservative Party (1920–1921)
14th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1921
4 sessions 		Jan 15, 1922
–
Sep 5, 1925 		Liberal Party 118 of 235 House seats[nb 7] Conservative Party[nb 8]
15th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1925
1 session 		Dec 7, 1925
–
Jul 2, 1926 		Liberal Party (1925–1926) 100 of 245 House seats (minority)[nb 9] Conservative Party (1925–1926)
Conservative Party (1926) 115 of 245 House seats (minority)[nb 10] Liberal Party (1926)
16th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1926
4 sessions 		Nov 2, 1926
–
May 30, 1930 		Liberal Party 116 of 245 House seats (minority)[nb 11] Conservative Party none
17th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1930
6 sessions 		Aug 18, 1930
–
Aug 14, 1935 		Conservative Party 134 of 245 House seats Liberal Party none
18th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1935
6 sessions 		Nov 9, 1935
–
Jan 25, 1940 		Liberal Party 173 of 245 House seats Conservative Party
19th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1940
6 sessions 		Apr 17, 1940
–
Apr 16, 1945 		Liberal Party 179 of 245 House seats Conservative Party[nb 12] none
20th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1945
5 sessions 		Aug 9, 1945
–
Apr 30, 1949 		Liberal Party 118 of 245 House seats Progressive Conservative Party
21st Canadian Parliament
Elected 1949
7 sessions 		Aug 29, 1949
–
Jun 13, 1953 		Liberal Party 191 of 262 House seats Progressive Conservative Party
22nd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1953
5 sessions 		Oct 8, 1953
–
Apr 12, 1957 		Liberal Party 169 of 265 House seats Progressive Conservative Party
23rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1957
1 session 		Aug 8, 1957
–
Feb 1, 1958 		Progressive Conservative Party 111 of 265 House seats (minority) Liberal Party
24th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1958
5 sessions 		Apr 30, 1958
–
Apr 19, 1962 		Progressive Conservative Party 208 of 265 House seats Liberal Party none
25th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1962
1 session 		Jul 18, 1962
–
Feb 6, 1963 		Progressive Conservative Party 116 of 265 House seats (minority) Liberal Party
26th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1963
3 sessions 		May 8, 1963
–
Sep 8, 1965 		Liberal Party 128 of 265 House seats (minority)[nb 13] Progressive Conservative Party
27th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1965
2 sessions 		Dec 9, 1965
–
Apr 23, 1968 		Liberal Party 131 of 265 House seats (minority)[nb 14] Progressive Conservative Party
28th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1968
4 sessions 		Jul 25, 1968
–
Sep 1, 1972 		Liberal Party 154 of 264 House seats Progressive Conservative Party
29th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1972
2 sessions 		Nov 20, 1972
–
May 9, 1974 		Liberal Party 109 of 264 House seats (minority) Progressive Conservative Party
30th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1974
4 sessions 		Jul 31, 1974
–
Mar 26, 1979 		Liberal Party 141 of 264 House seats

76 of 102 Senate seats

Progressive Conservative Party
31st Canadian Parliament
Elected 1979
1 session 		Jun 11, 1979
–
Dec 14, 1979 		Progressive Conservative Party 136 of 282 House seats (minority)

18 of 104 Senate seats

Liberal Party
32nd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1980
2 sessions 		Mar 10, 1980
–
Jul 9, 1984 		Liberal Party 147 of 282 House seats

71 of 104 Senate seats

Progressive Conservative Party
33rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1984
2 sessions 		Sep 24, 1984
–
Oct 1, 1988 		Progressive Conservative Party 211 of 282 House seats

23 of 104 Senate seats

Liberal Party
34th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1988
3 sessions 		Dec 12, 1988
–
Sep 8, 1993 		Progressive Conservative Party 169 of 295 House seats

36 of 104 Senate seats[nb 15]

Liberal Party
35th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1993
2 sessions 		Nov 15, 1993
–
Apr 27, 1997 		Liberal Party 177 of 295 House seats

41 of 104 Senate seats

Bloc Québécois
36th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1997
2 sessions 		Jun 23, 1997
–
Oct 22, 2000 		Liberal Party 155 of 301 House seats

51 of 104 Senate seats

Reform Party (1997–2000)
Canadian Alliance (2000)
37th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2000
3 sessions 		Dec 18, 2000
–
Aug 23, 2004 		Liberal Party 172 of 301 House seats

55 of 105 Senate seats

Canadian Alliance (2000–2004)
Conservative Party (2004)
38th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2004
1 session 		Oct 19, 2004
–
Nov 29, 2005 		Liberal Party 135 of 308 House seats (minority)[nb 16]

64 of 105 Senate seats

Conservative Party
39th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2006
2 sessions 		Feb 13, 2006
–
Sep 7, 2008 		Conservative Party 124 of 308 House seats (minority)

23 of 105 Senate seats

Liberal Party
40th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2008
3 sessions 		Nov 4, 2008
–
Mar 26, 2011 		Conservative Party 143 of 308 House seats (minority)

21 of 105 Senate seats

Liberal Party
41st Canadian Parliament
Elected 2011
2 sessions 		May 23, 2011
–
Aug 2, 2015 		Conservative Party 166 of 308 House seats

52 of 105 Senate seats

New Democratic Party
42nd Canadian Parliament
Elected 2015
1 session 		Dec 3, 2015
–
Sep 11, 2019 		Liberal Party 184 of 338 House seats

0 of 105 Senate seats

Conservative Party
43rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 2019
2 sessions 		Dec 5, 2019
–
Aug 15, 2021 		Liberal Party 157 of 338 House seats (minority)

0 of 105 Senate seats

Conservative Party
44th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2021 		Nov 22, 2021
–
present 		Liberal Party 160 of 338 House seats (minority)

0 of 105 Senate seats

Conservative Party

Notes

  1. ^ The diagrams show the composition of each parliament, colour-coded by party (click on an image to see its key) and arranged as the MPs might sit. The speaker of the house is shown on the left hand side, with the governing party on the speaker's right (the bottom of the diagram) and the opposition on the speaker's left (the top).
  2. ^ In Canada's early parliaments, many members of the Conservative Party, including the Prime Minister, used other labels for themselves, the most common being "Liberal-Conservative". The seat totals here is the sum of all labels Conservative Party labels.
  3. ^ There were two Independent Conservatives in the 2nd Parliament, giving the government an effective majority.
  4. ^ After the 2nd parliament's Pacific Scandal, the Liberals took power between elections.[11]
  5. ^ After the dissolution of the 7th Canadian Parliament, Mackenzie Bowell stepped down and Sir Charles Tupper became Prime Minister on May 1, 1896. Tupper was the only Prime Minister during the 1896 election campaign, which he lost, so he was never Prime Minister of a sitting parliament and is therefore not included in this list.[12]
  6. ^ During the First World War, Borden governed from a united party with a Cabinet of 12 Conservatives, 9 Liberals and Independents, and 1 "Labour" MP. There were, however, still a number of MPs in opposition to him.[13]
  7. ^ In the 14th Parliament, King’s Liberals won exactly enough seats to form a slim majority government, and due to resignations and floor crossing, they shifted back and forth between majority and minority status. However, the government was in little danger of losing a confidence vote because the Progressive party usually allowed free votes among its members, some of whom would always vote with the government.
  8. ^ In the 14th parliament, the new Progressive Party led by Thomas Crerar had the second-most seats, yet Arthur Meighen's Conservatives formed official opposition.
  9. ^ In the 15th parliament, Mackenzie King's Liberals were initially supported by some members of the Progressive Party of Canada until one of King's appointees in the Department of Customs and Excise was revealed to have taken bribes.
  10. ^ In the 15th parliament, Arthur Meighen's Conservatives had the most seats, but Mackenzie King formed the government with the support of the Progressive Party. After the King–Byng Affair, Arthur Meighen's Conservatives took power between elections.
  11. ^ In the 16th parliament, Mackenzie King's Liberals were supported by some members of the Progressive Party of Canada, which did not enforce strict party discipline.
  12. ^ In the 1940 election, Hanson's Conservative's ran under the name "National Government".
  13. ^ In the 26th parliament, Pearson's Liberals were initially supported by Tommy Douglas's New Democratic Party without forming an official coalition.
  14. ^ In the 27th parliament, Pearson's Liberals relied on the small opposition parties in order to remain in power without forming an official coalition.
  15. ^ In 1990, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney used Section 26 of the Constitution, a never-before used clause, to fill the Senate above its regular limit, giving his party 54 of 112 seats.
  16. ^ In the 38th parliament, Martin's Liberals were initially supported by Jack Layton's New Democratic Party without forming an official coalition.

References

  1. ^ Canada. "General Elections". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  2. ^ a b c d e Canada. "Prime Ministers of Canada: Political Information - Governmental Majorities and Minorities". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  3. ^ Canada. "Parliaments - Duration of Sessions". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  4. ^ Canada. "Key Dates for each Parliament". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  5. ^ a b Canada. "Duration of Canadian Ministries: 1867 to Date". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  6. ^ Canada. "Prime Ministers of Canada". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  7. ^ Canada. "Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation". Privy Council Office. Archived from the original on 2016-01-05. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  8. ^ Canada. "Party Standings (1980 to Date): In the House of Commons". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  9. ^ Canada. "Party Standings (1974 to date): In the Senate". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  10. ^ a b Canada. "Leaders of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons Since 1873". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  11. ^ Terence Allan Crowley; Rae Murphy (1993). Canadian History: Canada Since 1867 Essentials. Research & Education Association. p. 8. ISBN 0-87891-917-1.
  12. ^ Frances Stanford (2002). The Prime Ministers of Canada. S&S Learning Materials. p. 24. ISBN 1-55035-721-2.
  13. ^ Robert Bothwell; Ian Drummond; John English (1990). Canada, 1900-1945. University of Toronto Press. p. 129. ISBN 0-8020-6801-4.

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