The shadow cabinet or shadow ministry is a feature of the Westminster system of government. It consists of a senior group of opposition spokespeople who, under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition, form an alternative cabinet to that of the government, and whose members shadow or mirror the positions of each individual member of the Cabinet. Their areas of responsibility, in parallel with the ruling party's ministries, may be referred to as a shadow portfolio. Members of a shadow cabinet have no executive power. It is the shadow cabinet's responsibility to scrutinise the policies and actions of the government, as well as to offer alternative policies. The shadow cabinet makes up the majority of the Official Opposition frontbench, as part of frontbenchers to the parliament.
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. This article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state. The title of "Official Opposition" usually goes to the largest of the parties sitting in opposition with its leader being given the title "Leader of the Opposition".
The leader of the Official Opposition, formally known as the leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, 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.
In Canada, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, or simply the Official Opposition, is usually the largest parliamentary opposition party in the House of Commons of Canada, either on its own or as part of a governing coalition, although, in certain unusual circumstances, it may be a third or fourth-largest party or even the largest party.
In British parliamentary practice, the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet consists of senior members of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition who scrutinise their corresponding government ministers, develop alternative policies, hold the government to account for its actions and responses, and act as spokesperson for the opposition party in their own specific policy areas. Since May 2010, the Labour Party has been Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, and its leadership therefore forms the current shadow cabinet.
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 39th Canadian parliament is listed below. Members are drawn from the Liberal Party of Canada, and most are members of their parliamentary caucus. The shadow cabinet was most recently shuffled on March 31, 2008.
This is a list of members of the New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Canadian parliament. Positions in the shadow cabinet were announced on November 17, 2008, and include all 37 members of the New Democratic Party caucus in the House of Commons of Canada except Joe Comartin who was running for election as Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada when the shadow cabinet was appointed.
The Bloc Québécois Shadow Cabinet of the 39th Canadian parliament is listed below. Its composition was announced on February 15, 2006. Modifications were made on September 12, 2006.
The Liberal Democrats are a political party in the United Kingdom. While in opposition, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats appoints a frontbench team of Members of Parliament (MPs), Peers, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and Members of the Senedd (MSs), to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. The frontbench team is divided into departmental sub-units, the principal ones being the economy, foreign policy, and home affairs. Sometimes the frontbench team consists of more than just the principal positions.
Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, commonly called the Official Opposition, in New Zealand is usually the largest political party or coalition which is not a member of the ruling government—it does not provide ministers. This is usually the second-largest party in the House of Representatives, although in certain unusual circumstances it may be the largest party or even a third or fourth party.
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Canadian parliament is listed below. Members are drawn from the Liberal Party of Canada. Michael Ignatieff announced a new line-up of Liberal critics on 7 September 2010.
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet in Canada is composed of members of the main Opposition party 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 is also used.
A party spokesperson is any member of a political party who is charged by the leaders of the party with communicating the party's position on specific portfolios. Party spokespersons largely feature in political parties of parliamentary systems. Party spokespersons can also be assisted in their duties by deputy or assistant spokespersons in the same portfolio.
The Shadow Cabinet of the 40th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, constituting members of the opposition BC New Democratic Party, was announced by Opposition Leader Adrian Dix on June 14, 2013 following the general election.
The Shadow Cabinet of the 38th Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, constituting members of the opposition BC New Democratic Party, was formed under the leadership of Carole James in May 2005 following the general election.
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet in Canada is composed of members of the main opposition party, Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, 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 is also used.
This is a list of members of the New Democratic Party Shadow Cabinet of the 42nd Canadian Parliament. Positions in the shadow cabinet were announced on November 12, 2015, and included all 44 members of the New Democratic Party caucus in the Canadian House of Commons.
Stephanie Kusie is a Canadian politician and former diplomat who was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election on April 3, 2017. She represents the electoral district of Calgary Midnapore in Alberta as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada and serves as Shadow Minister of Transport in the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 43rd Parliament of Canada.
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 42nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada is the shadow cabinet of the main Opposition party, responsible for holding Ministers to account and for developing and disseminating the party's policy positions. In the 42nd Legislative Assembly of Ontario, which began in 2018, the Official Opposition is formed by the Ontario New Democratic Party.
The Shadow Cabinet of Mmusi Maimane was formed on 5 June 2014 following his election as Parliamentary Leader of the Democratic Alliance and Leader of the Opposition on 29 May 2014. The Democratic Alliance parliamentary caucus also elected other caucus leadership. John Steenhuisen was elected Chief Whip with Anchen Dreyer as Caucus Chairperson. These elections all occurred following the 2014 general elections, in which the Democratic Alliance retained its post as the Official Opposition in the National Assembly of South Africa.