# List of Canadian federal parliaments

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 | Parliament Election Sessions | Duration (from return of the writs to dissolution) | Government | Government | Opposition | Opposition |
| Diagram | Parliament Election Sessions | Duration (from return of the writs to dissolution) | Governing Party • Prime Minister—Ministry | Seat counts as of election | Official Opposition Party • Leader of the Opposition | Third Parties with official party status |
| | 1st Canadian Parliament Elected 1867 5 sessions | Sep 24, 1867 – Jul 8, 1872 | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald—1st Ministry | 100 of 180 House seats | none | Liberal Party Anti-Confederation Party |
| | 2nd Canadian Parliament Elected 1872 2 sessions | Sep 3, 1872 – Jan 2, 1874 | Conservative Party (1872–1873) Sir John A. Macdonald—1st Ministry | 99 of 200 House seats | Liberal Party Alexander Mackenzie | none |
| | 2nd Canadian Parliament Elected 1872 2 sessions | Sep 3, 1872 – Jan 2, 1874 | Liberal Party (1873–1874) Alexander Mackenzie—2nd Ministry | 95 of 200 House seats (minority) | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald | none |
| | 3rd Canadian Parliament Elected 1874 5 sessions | Feb 21, 1874 – Aug 16, 1878 | Liberal Party Alexander Mackenzie—2nd Ministry | 129 of 206 House seats | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald | none |
| | 4th Canadian Parliament Elected 1878 4 sessions | Nov 21, 1878 – May 18, 1882 | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald—3rd Ministry | 134 of 206 House seats | Liberal Party Alexander Mackenzie Edward Blake | none |
| | 5th Canadian Parliament Elected 1882 4 sessions | Aug 7, 1882 – Jan 15, 1887 | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald—3rd Ministry | 133 of 211 House seats | Liberal Party Edward Blake | none |
| | 6th Canadian Parliament Elected 1887 4 sessions | Apr 13, 1887 – Feb 3, 1891 | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald—3rd Ministry | 122 of 215 House seats | Liberal Party Edward Blake Wilfrid Laurier | none |
| | 7th Canadian Parliament Elected 1891 6 sessions | Apr 7, 1891 – Apr 24, 1896 | Conservative Party Sir John A. Macdonald—3rd Ministry Sir John Abbott—4th Ministry Sir John Thompson—5th Ministry Sir Mackenzie Bowell—6th Ministry | 117 of 215 House seats | Liberal Party Wilfrid Laurier | none |
| | 8th Canadian Parliament Elected 1896 5 sessions | Jul 13, 1896 – Oct 9, 1900 | Liberal Party Sir Wilfrid Laurier—8th Ministry | 117 of 213 House seats | Conservative Party Sir Charles Tupper | none |
| | 9th Canadian Parliament Elected 1900 4 sessions | Dec 5, 1900 – Sep 29, 1904 | Liberal Party Sir Wilfrid Laurier—8th Ministry | 128 of 213 House seats | Conservative Party Robert Borden | none |
| | 10th Canadian Parliament Elected 1904 4 sessions | Dec 15, 1904 – Sep 17, 1908 | Liberal Party Sir Wilfrid Laurier—8th Ministry | 137 of 214 House seats | Conservative Party Robert Borden | none |
| | 11th Canadian Parliament Elected 1908 3 sessions | Dec 3, 1908 – Jul 29, 1911 | Liberal Party Sir Wilfrid Laurier—8th Ministry | 133 of 221 House seats | Conservative Party Robert Borden | none |
| | 12th Canadian Parliament Elected 1911 7 sessions | Oct 7, 1911 – Oct 6, 1917 | Conservative Party Sir Robert Borden—9th Ministry | 132 of 221 House seats | Liberal Party Sir Wilfrid Laurier | none |
| | 13th Canadian Parliament Elected 1917 5 sessions | Mar 16, 1918 – Oct 4, 1921 | Unionist coalition (1918–1920) Sir Robert Borden—10th Ministry | 153 of 235 House seats (coalition) | Laurier Liberals Sir Wilfrid Laurier Daniel Duncan McKenzie William Lyon Mackenzie King | none |
| | 13th Canadian Parliament Elected 1917 5 sessions | Mar 16, 1918 – Oct 4, 1921 | National Liberal and Conservative Party (1920–1921) Arthur Meighen—11th Ministry | 153 of 235 House seats (coalition) | Laurier Liberals Sir Wilfrid Laurier Daniel Duncan McKenzie William Lyon Mackenzie King | none |
| | 14th Canadian Parliament Elected 1921 4 sessions | Jan 15, 1922 – Sep 5, 1925 | Liberal Party William Lyon Mackenzie King—12th Ministry | 118 of 235 House seats | Conservative Party Arthur Meighen | Progressive Party |
| | 15th Canadian Parliament Elected 1925 1 session | Dec 7, 1925 – Jul 2, 1926 | Liberal Party (1925–1926) William Lyon Mackenzie King—12th Ministry | 100 of 245 House seats (minority) | Conservative Party (1925–1926) Arthur Meighen | Progressive Party |
| | 15th Canadian Parliament Elected 1925 1 session | Dec 7, 1925 – Jul 2, 1926 | Conservative Party (1926) Arthur Meighen—13th Ministry | 115 of 245 House seats (minority) | Liberal Party (1926) William Lyon Mackenzie King | Progressive Party |
| | 16th Canadian Parliament Elected 1926 4 sessions | Nov 2, 1926 – May 30, 1930 | Liberal Party William Lyon Mackenzie King—14th Ministry | 116 of 245 House seats (minority) | Conservative Party Hugh Guthrie Richard Bennett | none |
| | 17th Canadian Parliament Elected 1930 6 sessions | Aug 18, 1930 – Aug 14, 1935 | Conservative Party Richard Bennett—15th Ministry | 134 of 245 House seats | Liberal Party William Lyon Mackenzie King | none |
| | 18th Canadian Parliament Elected 1935 6 sessions | Nov 9, 1935 – Jan 25, 1940 | Liberal Party William Lyon Mackenzie King—16th Ministry | 173 of 245 House seats | Conservative Party Richard Bennett Robert Manion | Social Credit Party |
| | 19th Canadian Parliament Elected 1940 6 sessions | Apr 17, 1940 – Apr 16, 1945 | Liberal Party William Lyon Mackenzie King—16th Ministry | 179 of 245 House seats | Conservative Party Richard Hanson Gordon Graydon | none |
| | 20th Canadian Parliament Elected 1945 5 sessions | Aug 9, 1945 – Apr 30, 1949 | Liberal Party William Lyon Mackenzie King—16th Ministry Louis St. Laurent—17th Ministry | 118 of 245 House seats (minority) | Progressive Conservative Party John Bracken George Drew | Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Social Credit Party |
| | 21st Canadian Parliament Elected 1949 7 sessions | Aug 29, 1949 – Jun 13, 1953 | Liberal Party Louis St. Laurent—17th Ministry | 191 of 262 House seats | Progressive Conservative Party George Drew | Co-operative Commonwealth Federation |
| | 22nd Canadian Parliament Elected 1953 5 sessions | Oct 8, 1953 – Apr 12, 1957 | Liberal Party Louis St. Laurent—17th Ministry | 169 of 265 House seats | Progressive Conservative Party George Drew William Earl Rowe George Drew John Diefenbaker | Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Social Credit Party |
| | 23rd Canadian Parliament Elected 1957 1 session | Aug 8, 1957 – Feb 1, 1958 | Progressive Conservative Party John Diefenbaker—18th Ministry | 111 of 265 House seats (minority) | Liberal Party Louis St. Laurent Lester B. Pearson | Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Social Credit Party |
| | 24th Canadian Parliament Elected 1958 5 sessions | Apr 30, 1958 – Apr 19, 1962 | Progressive Conservative Party John Diefenbaker—18th Ministry | 208 of 265 House seats | Liberal Party Lester B. Pearson | none |
| | 25th Canadian Parliament Elected 1962 1 session | Jul 18, 1962 – Feb 6, 1963 | Progressive Conservative Party John Diefenbaker—18th Ministry | 116 of 265 House seats (minority) | Liberal Party Lester B. Pearson | Social Credit Party New Democratic Party |
| | 26th Canadian Parliament Elected 1963 3 sessions | May 8, 1963 – Sep 8, 1965 | Liberal Party Lester B. Pearson—19th Ministry | 128 of 265 House seats (minority) | Progressive Conservative Party John Diefenbaker | Social Credit Party New Democratic Party |
| | 27th Canadian Parliament Elected 1965 2 sessions | Dec 9, 1965 – Apr 23, 1968 | Liberal Party Lester B. Pearson—19th Ministry Pierre Trudeau—20th Ministry | 131 of 265 House seats (minority) | Progressive Conservative Party John Diefenbaker Michael Starr Robert Stanfield | New Democratic Party |
| | 28th Canadian Parliament Elected 1968 4 sessions | Jul 25, 1968 – Sep 1, 1972 | Liberal Party Pierre Trudeau—20th Ministry | 154 of 264 House seats | Progressive Conservative Party Robert Stanfield | New Democratic Party Ralliement créditiste |
| | 29th Canadian Parliament Elected 1972 2 sessions | Nov 20, 1972 – May 9, 1974 | Liberal Party Pierre Trudeau—20th Ministry | 109 of 264 House seats (minority) | Progressive Conservative Party Robert Stanfield | New Democratic Party Social Credit Party |
| | 30th Canadian Parliament Elected 1974 4 sessions | Jul 31, 1974 – Mar 26, 1979 | Liberal Party Pierre Trudeau—20th Ministry | 141 of 264 House seats 76 of 102 Senate seats | Progressive Conservative Party Robert Stanfield Joe Clark | New Democratic Party |
| | 31st Canadian Parliament Elected 1979 1 session | Jun 11, 1979 – Dec 14, 1979 | Progressive Conservative Party Joe Clark—21st Ministry | 136 of 282 House seats (minority) 18 of 104 Senate seats | Liberal Party Pierre Trudeau | New Democratic Party |
| | 32nd Canadian Parliament Elected 1980 2 sessions | Mar 10, 1980 – Jul 9, 1984 | Liberal Party Pierre Trudeau—22nd Ministry John Turner—23rd Ministry | 147 of 282 House seats 71 of 104 Senate seats | Progressive Conservative Party Joe Clark Brian Mulroney | New Democratic Party |
| | 33rd Canadian Parliament Elected 1984 2 sessions | Sep 24, 1984 – Oct 1, 1988 | Progressive Conservative Party Brian Mulroney—24th Ministry | 211 of 282 House seats 23 of 104 Senate seats | Liberal Party John Turner | New Democratic Party |
| | 34th Canadian Parliament Elected 1988 3 sessions | Dec 12, 1988 – Sep 8, 1993 | Progressive Conservative Party Brian Mulroney—24th Ministry Kim Campbell—25th Ministry | 169 of 295 House seats 36 of 104 Senate seats | Liberal Party John Turner Herb Gray Jean Chrétien | New Democratic Party |
| | 35th Canadian Parliament Elected 1993 2 sessions | Nov 15, 1993 – Apr 27, 1997 | Liberal Party Jean Chrétien—26th Ministry | 177 of 295 House seats 41 of 104 Senate seats | Bloc Québécois Lucien Bouchard Gilles Duceppe Michel Gauthier | Reform Party |
| | 36th Canadian Parliament Elected 1997 2 sessions | Jun 23, 1997 – Oct 22, 2000 | Liberal Party Jean Chrétien—26th Ministry | 155 of 301 House seats 51 of 104 Senate seats | Reform Party (1997–2000) Preston Manning | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party |
| | 36th Canadian Parliament Elected 1997 2 sessions | Jun 23, 1997 – Oct 22, 2000 | Liberal Party Jean Chrétien—26th Ministry | 155 of 301 House seats 51 of 104 Senate seats | Canadian Alliance (2000) Deborah Grey Stockwell Day | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party |
| | 37th Canadian Parliament Elected 2000 3 sessions | Dec 18, 2000 – Aug 23, 2004 | Liberal Party Jean Chrétien—26th Ministry Paul Martin—27th Ministry | 172 of 301 House seats 55 of 105 Senate seats | Canadian Alliance (2000–2004) Stockwell Day John Reynolds Stephen Harper Grant Hill | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party Progressive Conservative Party |
| | 37th Canadian Parliament Elected 2000 3 sessions | Dec 18, 2000 – Aug 23, 2004 | Liberal Party Jean Chrétien—26th Ministry Paul Martin—27th Ministry | 172 of 301 House seats 55 of 105 Senate seats | Conservative Party (2004) Grant Hill Stephen Harper | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party |
| | 38th Canadian Parliament Elected 2004 1 session | Oct 19, 2004 – Nov 29, 2005 | Liberal Party Paul Martin—27th Ministry | 135 of 308 House seats (minority) 64 of 105 Senate seats | Conservative Party Stephen Harper | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party |
| | 39th Canadian Parliament Elected 2006 2 sessions | Feb 13, 2006 – Sep 7, 2008 | Conservative Party Stephen Harper—28th Ministry | 124 of 308 House seats (minority) 23 of 105 Senate seats | Liberal Party Bill Graham Stéphane Dion | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party |
| | 40th Canadian Parliament Elected 2008 3 sessions | Nov 4, 2008 – Mar 26, 2011 | Conservative Party Stephen Harper—28th Ministry | 143 of 308 House seats (minority) 21 of 105 Senate seats | Liberal Party Stéphane Dion Michael Ignatieff | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party |
| | 41st Canadian Parliament Elected 2011 2 sessions | May 23, 2011 – Aug 2, 2015 | Conservative Party Stephen Harper—28th Ministry | 166 of 308 House seats 52 of 105 Senate seats | New Democratic Party Jack Layton Nycole Turmel Thomas Mulcair | Liberal Party Senate Liberal Caucus |
| | 42nd Canadian Parliament Elected 2015 1 session | Dec 3, 2015 – Sep 11, 2019 | Liberal Party Justin Trudeau—29th Ministry | 184 of 338 House seats 0 of 105 Senate seats | Conservative Party Rona Ambrose Andrew Scheer | New Democratic Party Independent Senators Group Senate Liberal Caucus |
| | 43rd Canadian Parliament Elected 2019 2 sessions | Dec 5, 2019 – Aug 15, 2021 | Liberal Party Justin Trudeau—29th Ministry | 157 of 338 House seats (minority) 0 of 105 Senate seats | Conservative Party Andrew Scheer Erin O'Toole | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party Independent Senators Group Canadian Senators Group Progressive Senate Group |
| | 44th Canadian Parliament Elected 2021 1 session | Nov 22, 2021 – present | Liberal Party Justin Trudeau—29th Ministry Mark Carney—30th Ministry | 160 of 338 House seats (minority) 0 of 105 Senate seats | Conservative Party Erin O'Toole Candice Bergen Pierre Poilievre | Bloc Québécois New Democratic Party Independent Senators Group Canadian Senators Group Progressive Senate Group |