# Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)

The leader of the Official Opposition (French: chef de l'Opposition officielle), sometimes 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.
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. She had succeeded former permanent leader Erin O'Toole when the party declared non-confidence in his leadership.
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.
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 thirteenth 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 and the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, as is the term official opposition. The terms leader of the loyal opposition, his majesty's opposition, and loyal opposition are sometimes used, 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.
Two leaders of the Opposition have died in office: Wilfrid Laurier in 1919 and Jack Layton in 2011.

## Leaders of the Official Opposition

| Portrait | Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Prime minister Party | Prime minister Party |
| Portrait | Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) | Term start | Term end | Party | Party | Prime minister Party | Prime minister Party |
| | Alexander Mackenzie MP for Lambton (1822–1892) | March 6, 1873 | November 5, 1873 | | Liberal | | Sir John A. Macdonald Liberal-Conservative |
| | Sir John A. Macdonald MP for Kingston (1815–1891) | November 6, 1873 | October 16, 1878 | | Conservative | | Alexander Mackenzie Liberal |
| | Alexander Mackenzie MP for Lambton (1822–1892) | October 17, 1878 | April 27, 1880 | | Liberal | | Sir John A. Macdonald Conservative |
| Sir John A. Macdonald Conservative ||||||
| | Edward Blake MP for Durham West (1833–1912) | May 4, 1880 | June 2, 1887 | | Liberal | | Sir John A. Macdonald Conservative |
| Sir John A. Macdonald Conservative ||||||
| | Wilfrid Laurier MP for Quebec East (1841–1919) | June 23, 1887 | July 10, 1896 | | Liberal | | Sir John A. Macdonald Conservative |
| | Wilfrid Laurier MP for Quebec East (1841–1919) | June 23, 1887 | July 10, 1896 | | Liberal | | John Abbott Conservative |
| | Wilfrid Laurier MP for Quebec East (1841–1919) | June 23, 1887 | July 10, 1896 | | Liberal | | Sir John Thompson Conservative |
| | Wilfrid Laurier MP for Quebec East (1841–1919) | June 23, 1887 | July 10, 1896 | | Liberal | | Sir Mackenzie Bowell Conservative |
| | Wilfrid Laurier MP for Quebec East (1841–1919) | June 23, 1887 | July 10, 1896 | | Liberal | | Sir Charles Tupper Conservative |
| | Sir Charles Tupper MP for Cape Breton (1821–1915) | July 11, 1896 | February 5, 1901 | | Conservative | | Sir Wilfrid Laurier Liberal |
| | Robert Borden MP for Halifax (until 1904, from 1908) MP for Carleton (1905–1908) (1854–1937) | February 6, 1901 | October 9, 1911 | | Conservative | | Sir Wilfrid Laurier Liberal |
| | Sir Wilfrid Laurier MP for Quebec East (1841–1919) | October 10, 1911 | February 17, 1919 | | Liberal | | Sir Robert Borden Conservative |
| | Daniel Duncan McKenzie MP for Cape Breton North and Victoria (1859–1927) | February 17, 1919 | August 7, 1919 | | Liberal | | Sir Robert Borden Conservative |
| | William Lyon Mackenzie King MP for Prince (1874–1950) | August 7, 1919 | December 28, 1921 | | Liberal | | Sir Robert Borden Conservative |
| | William Lyon Mackenzie King MP for Prince (1874–1950) | August 7, 1919 | December 28, 1921 | | Liberal | | Arthur Meighen Conservative |
| | Arthur Meighen MP for Grenville (1922–1925) MP for Portage la Prairie (from 1925) (1874–1960) | December 29, 1921 | June 28, 1926 | | Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | William Lyon Mackenzie King MP for Prince Albert (1874–1950) | June 29, 1926 | September 24, 1926 | | Liberal | | Arthur Meighen Conservative |
| Vacant September 25 – October 10, 1926 | Vacant September 25 – October 10, 1926 | Vacant September 25 – October 10, 1926 | Vacant September 25 – October 10, 1926 | Vacant September 25 – October 10, 1926 | Vacant September 25 – October 10, 1926 | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | Hugh Guthrie MP for Wellington South (1866–1939) | October 11, 1926 | October 11, 1927 | | Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | R. B. Bennett MP for Calgary West (1870–1947) | October 12, 1927 | August 6, 1930 | | Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | William Lyon Mackenzie King MP for Prince Albert (1874–1950) | August 7, 1930 | October 22, 1935 | | Liberal | | R. B. Bennett Conservative |
| | R. B. Bennett MP for Calgary West (1870–1947) | October 23, 1935 | July 6, 1938 | | Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | Robert James Manion MP for London (1881–1943) | July 7, 1938 | May 13, 1940 | | Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | Richard Hanson MP for Fredericton (1879–1948) | May 14, 1940 | January 1, 1943 | | Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | Richard Hanson MP for Fredericton (1879–1948) | May 14, 1940 | January 1, 1943 | | Progressive Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | Gordon Graydon MP for Peel (1896–1953) | January 1, 1943 | June 10, 1945 | | Progressive Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | John Bracken MP for Neepawa (1883–1969) | June 11, 1945 | July 20, 1948 | | Progressive Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal ||||||
| | George A. Drew MP for Carleton (1894–1973) | October 2, 1948 | November 1, 1954 | | Progressive Conservative | | William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal |
| | George A. Drew MP for Carleton (1894–1973) | October 2, 1948 | November 1, 1954 | | Progressive Conservative | | Louis St. Laurent Liberal |
| | William Earl Rowe MP for Dufferin—Simcoe (1894–1984) | November 1, 1954 | February 1, 1955 | | Progressive Conservative | | Louis St. Laurent Liberal |
| | George A. Drew MP for Carleton (1894–1973) | February 1, 1955 | August 1, 1956 | | Progressive Conservative | | Louis St. Laurent Liberal |
| | William Earl Rowe MP for Dufferin—Simcoe (1894–1984) | August 1, 1956 | December 13, 1956 | | Progressive Conservative | | Louis St. Laurent Liberal |
| | John Diefenbaker MP for Prince Albert (1895–1979) | December 14, 1956 | June 20, 1957 | | Progressive Conservative | | Louis St. Laurent Liberal |
| | Louis St. Laurent MP for Quebec East (1882–1973) | June 21, 1957 | January 16, 1958 | | Liberal | | John Diefenbaker Progressive Conservative |
| | Lester B. Pearson MP for Algoma East (1897–1972) | January 16, 1958 | April 22, 1963 | | Liberal | | John Diefenbaker Progressive Conservative |
| | John Diefenbaker MP for Prince Albert (1895–1979) | April 22, 1963 | September 9, 1967 | | Progressive Conservative | | Lester B. Pearson Liberal |
| | Michael Starr MP for Ontario (1910–2000) | September 9, 1967 | November 6, 1967 | | Progressive Conservative | | Lester B. Pearson Liberal |
| | Robert Stanfield MP for Colchester—Hants (1967–1968) MP for Halifax (from 1968) (1914–2003) | November 6, 1967 | February 22, 1976 | | Progressive Conservative | | Lester B. Pearson Liberal |
| | Robert Stanfield MP for Colchester—Hants (1967–1968) MP for Halifax (from 1968) (1914–2003) | November 6, 1967 | February 22, 1976 | | Progressive Conservative | | Pierre Trudeau Liberal |
| | Joe Clark MP for Rocky Mountain (born 1939) | February 22, 1976 | June 4, 1979 | | Progressive Conservative | | Pierre Trudeau Liberal |
| | Pierre Trudeau MP for Mount Royal (1919–2000) | June 4, 1979 | March 3, 1980 | | Liberal | | Joe Clark Progressive Conservative |
| | Joe Clark MP for Yellowhead (born 1939) | March 3, 1980 | February 2, 1983 | | Progressive Conservative | | Pierre Trudeau Liberal |
| | Erik Nielsen MP for Yukon (1924–2008) | February 2, 1983 | August 29, 1983 | | Progressive Conservative | | Pierre Trudeau Liberal |
| | Brian Mulroney MP for Central Nova (1939–2024) | August 29, 1983 | September 16, 1984 | | Progressive Conservative | | Pierre Trudeau Liberal |
| | Brian Mulroney MP for Central Nova (1939–2024) | August 29, 1983 | September 16, 1984 | | Progressive Conservative | | John Turner Liberal |
| | John Turner MP for Vancouver Quadra (1929–2020) | September 17, 1984 | February 8, 1990 | | Liberal | | Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative |
| | Herb Gray MP for Windsor West (1931–2014) | February 8, 1990 | December 21, 1990 | | Liberal | | Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative |
| | Jean Chrétien MP for Beauséjour (born 1934) | December 21, 1990 | November 4, 1993 | | Liberal | | Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative |
| | Jean Chrétien MP for Beauséjour (born 1934) | December 21, 1990 | November 4, 1993 | | Liberal | | Kim Campbell Progressive Conservative |
| | Lucien Bouchard MP for Lac-Saint-Jean (born 1938) | November 4, 1993 | January 15, 1996 | | Bloc Québécois | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Gilles Duceppe MP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie (born 1947) | January 15, 1996 | February 17, 1996 | | Bloc Québécois | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Michel Gauthier MP for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean (1950–2020) | February 17, 1996 | March 15, 1997 | | Bloc Québécois | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Gilles Duceppe MP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie (born 1947) | March 15, 1997 | June 2, 1997 | | Bloc Québécois | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Preston Manning MP for Calgary Southwest (born 1942) | June 2, 1997 | March 27, 2000 | | Reform | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Deborah Grey MP for Edmonton North (born 1952) | March 27, 2000 | September 11, 2000 | | Canadian Alliance | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Stockwell Day MP for Okanagan—Coquihalla (born 1950) | September 11, 2000 | December 12, 2001 | | Canadian Alliance | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | John Reynolds MP for West Vancouver— Sunshine Coast (born 1942) | December 12, 2001 | May 21, 2002 | | Canadian Alliance | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Stephen Harper MP for Calgary Southwest (born 1959) | May 21, 2002 | January 9, 2004 | | Canadian Alliance | | Jean Chrétien Liberal |
| | Stephen Harper MP for Calgary Southwest (born 1959) | May 21, 2002 | January 9, 2004 | | Canadian Alliance | | Paul Martin Liberal |
| | Grant Hill MP for Macleod (born 1943) | January 9, 2004 | March 20, 2004 | | Canadian Alliance | | Paul Martin Liberal |
| | Grant Hill MP for Macleod (born 1943) | January 9, 2004 | March 20, 2004 | | Conservative | | Paul Martin Liberal |
| | Stephen Harper MP for Calgary Southwest (born 1959) | March 20, 2004 | February 6, 2006 | | Conservative | | Paul Martin Liberal |
| | Bill Graham MP for Toronto Centre (1939–2022) | February 6, 2006 | December 2, 2006 | | Liberal | | Stephen Harper Conservative |
| | Stéphane Dion MP for Saint-Laurent—Cartierville (born 1955) | December 2, 2006 | December 10, 2008 | | Liberal | | Stephen Harper Conservative |
| | Michael Ignatieff MP for Etobicoke–Lakeshore (born 1947) | December 10, 2008 | May 2, 2011 | | Liberal | | Stephen Harper Conservative |
| | Jack Layton MP for Toronto—Danforth (1950–2011) | May 2, 2011 | August 22, 2011 | | New Democratic | | Stephen Harper Conservative |
| | Nycole Turmel MP for Hull—Aylmer (born 1942) | August 22, 2011 | March 24, 2012 | | New Democratic | | Stephen Harper Conservative |
| | Tom Mulcair MP for Outremont (born 1954) | March 24, 2012 | November 5, 2015 | | New Democratic | | Stephen Harper Conservative |
| | Rona Ambrose MP for Sturgeon River—Parkland (born 1969) | November 5, 2015 | May 27, 2017 | | Conservative | | Justin Trudeau Liberal |
| | Andrew Scheer MP for Regina—Qu'Appelle (born 1979) | May 27, 2017 | August 24, 2020 | | Conservative | | Justin Trudeau Liberal |
| | Erin O'Toole MP for Durham (born 1973) | August 24, 2020 | February 2, 2022 | | Conservative | | Justin Trudeau Liberal |
| | Candice Bergen MP for Portage—Lisgar (born 1964) | February 2, 2022 | September 10, 2022 | | Conservative | | Justin Trudeau Liberal |
| | Pierre Poilievre MP for Carleton (born 1979) | September 10, 2022 | Incumbent | | Conservative | | Justin Trudeau Liberal |
| | Pierre Poilievre MP for Carleton (born 1979) | September 10, 2022 | Incumbent | | Conservative | | Mark Carney Liberal |

### Timeline
## Deputy leaders of the Opposition

| Portrait | Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Leader of the Opposition |
| Portrait | Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) | Term start | Term end | Party | Party | Leader of the Opposition |
| | Denis Lebel MP for Lac-Saint-Jean (born 1954) | November 19, 2015 | July 24, 2017 | | Conservative | Rona Ambrose |
| | Denis Lebel MP for Lac-Saint-Jean (born 1954) | November 19, 2015 | July 24, 2017 | | Conservative | Andrew Scheer |
| | Lisa Raitt MP for Milton (born 1968) | July 24, 2017 | October 21, 2019 | | Conservative | Andrew Scheer |
| | Leona Alleslev MP for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill (born 1968) | November 28, 2019 | July 12, 2020 | | Conservative | Andrew Scheer |
| | Candice Bergen MP for Portage—Lisgar (born 1964) | September 2, 2020 | February 2, 2022 | | Conservative | Erin O'Toole |
| | Luc Berthold 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 | Pierre Poilievre |

## 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.