List of Prime Ministers of Canada by longevity

Last updated

This is a list of Prime Ministers of Canada by longevity. Where the Prime Minister in question is still living, the longevity is calculated up to August 22, 2019.

Prime Minister of Canada Head of government for Canada

The prime minister of Canada is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and Canada's head of government. The current, and 23rd, prime minister of Canada is the Liberal Party's Justin Trudeau, following the 2015 Canadian federal election. Canadian prime ministers are styled as The Right Honourable, a privilege maintained for life.

Contents

Two measures of the longevity are given - this is to allow for the differing number of leap days occurring within the life of each Prime Minister. The first column is the number of days between date of birth and date of death, allowing for leap days; the second column breaks this number down into years and days, with the years being the number of whole years the Prime Minister lived, and the days being the remaining number of days after his/her last birthday.

Birthday day on which one or more years ago someone appeared in the world

A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.

Overview

If a Prime Minister served more than one non-consecutive term, the dates listed below are for the beginning of their first term, and the end of their final term.

The median age at which a Prime Minister first takes office is roughly 54 years and 10 months, which falls between Wilfrid Laurier and John Turner. The youngest person to become Prime Minister was Joe Clark, who took office one day before his 40th birthday. The oldest person to become Prime Minister was Charles Tupper at the age of 74 years, 304 days. The oldest person ever to serve as Prime Minister was John A. Macdonald, who was still in office when he died at the age of 76 years, 146 days.

Median quantile

The median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample. For a data set, it may be thought of as the "middle" value. For example, in the data set {1, 3, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9}, the median is 6, the fourth largest, and also the fourth smallest, number in the sample. For a continuous probability distribution, the median is the value such that a number is equally likely to fall above or below it.

Wilfrid Laurier 7th prime minister of Canada

Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh prime minister of Canada, in office from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911.

John Turner 17th Prime Minister of Canada

John Napier Wyndham Turner is a Canadian lawyer and politician who was briefly the 17th prime minister of Canada in 1984.

The oldest living Prime Minister is John Turner, born June 7, 1929 (aged 90 years, 76 days). The second-oldest living Prime Minister is Jean Chrétien, born January 11, 1934 (aged 85 years, 223 days). The youngest living Prime Minister is the incumbent, Justin Trudeau, born December 25, 1971 (aged 47 years, 240 days).

Jean Chrétien 20th Prime Minister of Canada

Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien is a Canadian politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Canada from November 4, 1993, to December 12, 2003.

Justin Trudeau 23rd Prime Minister of Canada

Justin Pierre James Trudeau is a Canadian politician who is serving as the 23rd prime minister of Canada since 2015 and leader of the Liberal Party since 2013. Trudeau is the second-youngest Canadian Prime Minister after Joe Clark; he is also the first to be related to a previous holder of the post, as the eldest son of Pierre Trudeau.

The longest lived Prime Minister was Charles Tupper, who died at the age of 94 years, 120 days. Mackenzie Bowell was the second-longest lived Prime Minister. Bowell died at the age of 93 years, 348 days, only 136 days short of matching Tupper. John Turner, the oldest living Prime Minister, will tie Tupper if he lives to October 4, 2023. The shortest lived Prime Minister was John S. Thompson, who died (in office) at the age of 49 years, 32 days. Macdonald and Thompson were the only 2 Prime Ministers to die in office.

Charles Tupper 6th Prime Minister of Canada

Sir Charles Tupper, 1st Baronet, was a Canadian father of Confederation: as the premier of Nova Scotia from 1864 to 1867, he led Nova Scotia into Confederation. He went on to serve as the sixth prime minister of Canada, sworn into office on May 1, 1896, seven days after parliament had been dissolved. He lost the June 23 election and resigned on July 8, 1896. His 69-day term as prime minister is currently the shortest in Canadian history.

Mackenzie Bowell 5th Prime Minister of Canada

Sir Mackenzie Bowell was a Canadian newspaper publisher and politician, who served as the fifth prime minister of Canada, in office from 1894 to 1896.

John Sparrow David Thompson 4th Prime Minister of Canada

Sir John Sparrow David Thompson was a Canadian lawyer, judge, and politician who served as the fourth prime minister of Canada, in office from 1892 until his death. He had previously been premier of Nova Scotia for a brief period in 1882.

In 2015, Justin Trudeau became the second-youngest person to become Prime Minister. He started his first term at the age of 43 years and 314 days. The only person to become prime minister younger than Justin Trudeau was Joe Clark.

Joe Clark 16th Prime Minister of Canada

Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark is a Canadian elder statesman, businessman, writer, and politician who served as the 16th prime minister of Canada, from June 4, 1979, to March 3, 1980.

Joe Clark has the distinction of having the longest retirement of any former prime minister, currently at 39 years, 172 days since leaving office on March 3, 1980. He surpassed the previous record, held by Arthur Meighen (33 years, 315 days) on January 12, 2014. The prime minister with the shortest retirement is John Abbott, who died on October 30, 1893, 340 days after he left office on November 24, 1892.

4 Prime Ministers have lived into their 90's. They are Sir Charles Tupper (1821–1915), Sir Mackenzie Bowell (1823–1917), Louis St. Laurent (1882–1973) and John Turner (born 1929).

Prime Ministers of Canada

#
Prime Minister
Date of birth
Start date
of (first) term		Age at beginning
of (first) term		End date
of (final) term		Total time
in office		Length of
retirement		Date of death
Lifespan
1 John A. Macdonald January 11, 1815July 1, 1867 [1] 52 years, 171 daysJune 6, 1891 [2] 6,934 daysN/AJune 6, 189127,905 days (76 years, 146 days)
2 Alexander Mackenzie January 28, 1822November 7, 187351 years, 283 daysOctober 9, 18781,797 days13 years, 191 daysApril 17, 189225,647 days (70 years, 80 days)
3 John Abbott March 12, 1821June 16, 189170 years, 96 daysNovember 24, 1892527 days340 daysOctober 30, 189326,530 days (72 years, 232 days)
4 John Thompson November 10, 1845December 5, 189247 years, 25 daysDecember 12, 1894 [2] 737 daysN/ADecember 12, 189417,929 days (49 years, 32 days)
5 Mackenzie Bowell December 27, 1823December 21, 189470 years, 359 daysApril 27, 1896493 days21 years, 227 daysDecember 10, 191734,316 days (93 years, 348 days)
6 Charles Tupper July 2, 1821May 1, 189674 years, 304 daysJuly 8, 189668 days19 years, 114 daysOctober 30, 191534,452 days (94 years, 120 days)
7 Wilfrid Laurier November 20, 1841July 11, 189654 years, 234 daysOctober 5, 19115,563 days7 years, 135 daysFebruary 17, 191928,212 days (77 years, 89 days)
8 Robert Borden June 26, 1854October 10, 191157 years, 106 daysJuly 10, 19203,196 days16 years, 335 daysJune 10, 193730,299 days (82 years, 349 days)
9 Arthur Meighen June 16, 1874July 10, 192046 years, 24 daysSeptember 25, 1926625 days33 years, 315 daysAugust 5, 196031,461 days (86 years, 50 days)
10 W.L. Mackenzie King December 17, 1874December 29, 192147 years, 12 daysNovember 15, 19487,826 days1 year, 249 daysJuly 22, 195027,610 days (75 years, 217 days)
11 R.B. Bennett July 3, 1870August 7, 193060 years, 35 daysOctober 23, 19351,903 days11 years, 246 daysJune 26, 194728,116 days (76 years, 358 days)
12 Louis St. Laurent February 1, 1882November 15, 194866 years, 288 daysJune 21, 19573,140 days16 years, 34 daysJuly 25, 197333,411 days (91 years, 174 days)
13 John Diefenbaker September 18, 1895June 21, 195761 years, 276 daysApril 22, 19632,131 days16 years, 116 daysAugust 16, 197930,647 days (83 years, 332 days)
14 Lester B. Pearson April 23, 1897April 22, 196365 years, 364 daysApril 20, 19681,825 days4 years, 251 daysDecember 27, 197227,641 days (75 years, 248 days)
15 Pierre Trudeau October 18, 1919April 20, 196848 years, 185 daysJune 30, 19845,642 days16 years, 90 daysSeptember 28, 200029,566 days (80 years, 346 days)
16 Joe Clark June 5, 1939June 4, 197939 years, 364 daysMarch 3, 1980273 days29,298 days(80 years, 78 days)
17 John Turner June 7, 1929June 30, 198455 years, 23 daysSeptember 17, 198479 days32,948 days(90 years, 76 days)
18 Brian Mulroney March 20, 1939September 17, 198445 years, 181 daysJune 25, 19933,203 days29,375 days(80 years, 155 days)
19 Kim Campbell March 10, 1947June 25, 199346 years, 107 daysNovember 4, 1993132 days26,463 days(72 years, 165 days)
20 Jean Chrétien January 11, 1934November 4, 199359 years, 297 daysDecember 12, 20033,690 days31,269 days(85 years, 223 days)
21 Paul Martin August 28, 1938December 12, 200365 years, 106 daysFebruary 6, 2006787 days29,579 days(80 years, 359 days)
22 Stephen Harper April 30, 1959February 6, 200646 years, 282 daysNovember 4, 20153,558 days22,029 days(60 years, 114 days)
23 Justin Trudeau December 25, 1971November 4, 201543 years, 314 daysIncumbent1,387 daysIncumbent17,407 days(47 years, 240 days)
#Prime MinisterDate of birthStart date of
(first) term		Age at beginning
of (first) term		End date
of (final) term		Total time
in office		Length of
retirement		Date of deathLifespan

[3]

Oldest living Prime Ministers of Canada

Not all prime ministers live to become the oldest of their time. Of the 15 deceased prime ministers, 12 eventually became the oldest of their time, while 3 did not (Alexander Mackenzie, William Lyon Mackenzie King and Lester B. Pearson being the only exceptions). John A. Macdonald became the oldest living prime minister when he was appointed in 1867 and remained so until his death in 1891, for a record of almost 24 years. John Thompson became the oldest living prime minister after the death of John Abbott, but he survived Abbott by only 1 year and 43 days.

On one occasion the oldest living prime minister lost this distinction not by his death, but due to the appointment of a prime minister who was older. Mackenzie Bowell lost this distinction when Charles Tupper was appointed, but when Tupper died in 1915, Bowell regained it again until his own death in 1917 for a total period of 3 years and 182 days. Louis St. Laurent was the oldest to acquire this distinction for the first time at the age of 78 years and 186 days. Lester B. Pearson, who was 75 years and 248 days old when he died, on December 27, 1972 was the oldest and most recent prime minister to die without ever acquiring this distinction.

Prime MinisterBecame oldest living prime ministerCeased to be oldest living prime ministerAge at start dateAge at end dateDuration (years, days)
John A. Macdonald July 1, 1867June 6, 189152 years, 171 days76 years, 146 days23 years, 340 days
John Abbott June 6, 1891October 30, 189370 years, 86 days72 years, 232 days2 years, 136 days
John Thompson October 30, 1893December 12, 189447 years, 354 days49 years, 32 days1 year, 43 days
Mackenzie Bowell December 12, 1894May 1, 189670 years, 350 days72 years, 126 days1 year, 141 days
Charles Tupper May 1, 1896October 30, 191574 years, 304 days94 years, 120 days19 years, 182 days
Mackenzie Bowell October 30, 1915December 10, 191791 years, 307 days93 years, 348 days2 years, 41 days
Wilfrid Laurier December 10, 1917February 17, 191976 years, 20 days77 years, 89 days1 year, 69 days
Robert Borden February 17, 1919June 10, 193764 years, 236 days82 years, 349 days18 years, 113 days
R.B. Bennett June 10, 1937June 26, 194766 years, 342 days76 years, 358 days10 years, 16 days
Arthur Meighen June 26, 1947August 5, 196073 years, 10 days86 years, 50 days13 years, 40 days
Louis St. Laurent August 5, 1960July 25, 197378 years, 186 days91 years, 174 days12 years, 354 days
John Diefenbaker July 25, 1973August 16, 197977 years, 310 days83 years, 332 days6 years, 22 days
Pierre Trudeau August 16, 1979September 28, 200059 years, 302 days80 years, 346 days21 years, 43 days
John Turner September 28, 2000Current oldest living prime minister71 years, 113 daysCurrent oldest living prime minister18 years, 328 days
Prime MinisterBecame oldest living prime ministerCeased to be oldest living prime ministerAge at start dateAge at end dateDuration (years, days)

[3]

Trivia

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Date of Canadian Confederation.
  2. 1 2 Died in office on this date.
  3. 1 2 Updated daily according to UTC.

Sources

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