Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

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Leader of the Liberal Party
Chef du Parti libéral
Prime Minister Mark Carney June 2025.jpg
Incumbent
Mark Carney
since March 9, 2025
Status Party leader
Member of Liberal Party of Canada
Appointer Elected by members of the party
Inaugural holder Alexander Mackenzie
FormationMarch 6, 1873
Deputy Deputy Leader

The leader of the Liberal Party of Canada (French: chef du parti libéral) is the highest political office of the Liberal Party of Canada. The holder of the office is the formal political leader of the party as a political organization and its parliamentary caucus in Canada's House of Commons, with specific authority to "speak for the party concerning any political issue". [1]

Contents

The current holder of the position is Mark Carney, who was elected to the position on March 9, 2025, following his victory in the party's leadership election. [2]

With the Liberal Party having been one of the two principal contenders for power for most of Canada's history, vast majority of the office holders has served as Prime Minister of Canada, including all seven permanent leaders in the 20th century. 11 of the party's 14 permanent leaders were among Canada's 24 prime ministers, five became prime ministers elect upon their election as leader, and six became prime ministers upon the party winning a subsequent general election. While they number fewer than their conservative rivals, they collectively governed for longer, having led the nation's government for more than 90 of Canada's approximately 160 years history. Also, fewer of them left office without having led the party to victory at least once. Of the Liberal Party's 14 permanent leaders, only four left office without having secured an electoral mandate. In comparison, only 7 the 21 former permanent leaders of the Conservative Party of Canada (including the leaders of its predecessor Progressive Conservative Party and the pre 1942 Conservative Party) have led their party to victory at least once. The other 14 left office without having won an electoral mandate, four among them without ever leading their party through a general election.

The leader primarily functions in parliament and, when the party is in power, in government. Past leaders had from time to time designated deputy leaders in parliamentary caucus, and deputy prime ministers in their ministries, as the default alternate for their parliamentary duties, with varying additional authorities and responsibilities assigned to such deputies. Currently leader Mark Carney has not designated any such deputy. The leader is also advised by the national caucus chair (currently Etobicoke—Lakeshore MP James Maloney) and various regional caucus chairs elected by the party's parliamentary caucus. For party organizational duties, the leader is assisted by the party president, a volunteer elected by the party's convention to serve as the board chair and executive head of the party's administrative organization (currently Sachit Mehra).

History and Election

The first and second official leaders of the Liberal Party of Canada, Alexander Mackenzie (March 1873 – April 1880) and Edward Blake (May 1880 – June 1887) were chosen by the party caucus. Wilfrid Laurier (June 1887 – February 1919) was also chosen by caucus members with the party convention of 1893 ratifying his leadership.

The first Liberal leadership convention was held on August 7, 1919. Balloting continued until one candidate won a majority of votes. After the 1919 convention, a system was adopted where the candidate with the fewest votes on a given ballot is automatically dropped. More recently, any candidate with less than 5% of the vote on the first ballot is also automatically dropped. Since 1919, time has also been given between ballots for candidates to announce if they wish to withdraw and throw their support to another candidate.

The 2009 Liberal leadership election was the tenth leadership convention held by the party and the last in which the leader was chosen by delegates. However, the leadership ballot at the 2009 leadership convention had only one candidate. The last competitive leadership convention held by the Liberal Party was in 2006, with the surprise election of fourth place contender Stephane Dion over frontrunners Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae.

Future leadership elections were to be conducted according to a weighted one member, one vote system in which all party members could cast ballots but in which they would be counted so that each riding had equal weight. This system, however, has been modified in the 2012 Biennial Convention in Ottawa. In addition to the card-carrying membership, registered supporters, a newly created category of Liberal sympathisers, given the right to vote in their constituency.

List of leaders

Source: [3]

  1. ↑ During the 1867 dominion election, Brown, who served briefly as the joint premier from Canada West prior to confederation, was recognized as the senior stateman among leaders of multiple reformers groups opposing the Liberal-Conservatives
  2. ↑ Blake was also elected in Durham West; he chose to sit for Bruce South instead, and resigned as the Member of Parliament for Durham West.
  3. ↑ Unofficial leader at the 1872 election, as leader of the Ontario Liberals
  4. 1 2 Concurrently as MP for Quebec East
  5. ↑ Also elected As MP for Wright, Quebec in 1904 but opted only to hold Quebec East
  6. ↑ Assumed parliamentary leadership and the role of Leader of the Opposition on February 6, 2006

Other key leadership roles

Deputy Leader

Party Presidents

See also

References

  1. ↑ Liberal Party of Canada (April 11, 2021). "Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada" (PDF). Article 43.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ Cecco, Leyland (March 9, 2025). "Mark Carney to be next Canada PM after winning Liberal leadership race". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Profile: Liberal Party of Canada". Parlinfo. Library of Canada. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ "The Right Hon. Herbert Eser (Herb) Gray, P.C., Q.C., C.C., M.P." Parlinfo. Library of Parliament. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  5. ↑ "The Hon. Sheila Maureen Copps, P.C., O.C., M.P." Parlinfo. Library of Parliament. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ "The Hon. Lucienne Robillard, P.C., C.M., M.P." Parlinfo. Library of Parliament. Archived from the original on February 25, 2025. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  7. ↑ "The Hon. Michael Ignatieff, P.C., M.P." Parlinfo. Library of Parliament. Archived from the original on September 6, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  8. ↑ "The Hon. Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P." Parlinfo. Library of Parliament. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  9. ↑ Vigliotti, Marco (May 6, 2023). "Liberals elect Sachit Mehra as new party president". iPolitics . Archived from the original on May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
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