List of Canadian federal parliaments

A view of a building interior with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, four stain-glass windows on the left wall, and a large number of brown desks and green chairs on the floor.
The Chamber of the House of Commons

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 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 he or she 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. The current assembly is the first session of the 42nd Canadian Parliament, since the confederation of Canada in 1867.

Parliaments

Diagram[nb 1] Parliament
Election[1][2]
Sessions[3]
Duration
(from return of the writs to dissolution)[4]
Government Opposition
Governing Party[2][5]
  Prime Minister[2][6]Ministry[2][5][7]
House seat count as of election[2][8]
Senate seat count as of election[9]
Official Opposition Party[10]
  Leader of the Opposition[10]
Third Parties with official party status
1st Canadian Parliament
Elected 1867
5 sessions
Sep. 24, 1867

Jul. 8, 1872
Conservative Party
  Sir John A. Macdonald1st Ministry
100 of 180 House seats[nb 2] 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. Macdonald1st Ministry
99 of 200 House seats[nb 3]
Liberal Party
  Alexander Mackenzie
none
Liberal Party (1873–1874)[nb 4]
  Alexander Mackenzie2nd Ministry
95 of 200 House seats (minority) Conservative Party
  Sir John A. Macdonald
3rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1874
5 sessions
Feb. 21, 1874

Aug. 16, 1878
Liberal Party
  Alexander Mackenzie2nd 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. Macdonald3rd Ministry
134 of 206 House seats Liberal Party
  Alexander Mackenzie (1878–1880)
  Edward Blake (1880–1882)
none
5th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1882
4 sessions
Aug. 7, 1882

Jan. 15, 1887
Conservative Party
  Sir John A. Macdonald3rd 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. Macdonald3rd Ministry
122 of 215 House seats Liberal Party
  Edward Blake (1887)
  Wilfrid Laurier (1887–1896)
none
7th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1891
6 sessions
Apr. 7, 1891

Apr. 24, 1896
Conservative Party
  Sir John A. Macdonald3rd Ministry (1891)
  Sir John Abbott4th Ministry (1891–1892)
  Sir John Thompson5th Ministry (1892–1894)
  Sir Mackenzie Bowell6th Ministry (1894–1896)[nb 5]
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 Laurier8th 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 Laurier8th 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 Laurier8th 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 Laurier8th 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 Borden9th 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 Borden10th Ministry
153 of 235 House seats (coalition)[nb 6] Laurier Liberals
  Sir Wilfrid Laurier (1918–1919)
  Daniel Duncan McKenzie (1919)
  William Lyon Mackenzie King (1919–1921)
none
National Liberal and Conservative Party (1920–1921)
  Arthur Meighen11th Ministry
14th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1921
4 sessions
Jan. 15, 1922

Sep. 5, 1925
Liberal Party
  William Lyon Mackenzie King12th Ministry
118 of 235 House seats[nb 7] Conservative Party[nb 8]
  Arthur Meighen
  Progressive Party
15th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1925
1 session
Dec. 7, 1925

Jul. 2, 1926
Liberal Party (1925–1926)
  William Lyon Mackenzie King12th Ministry
100 of 245 House seats (minority)[nb 9] Conservative Party (1925–1926)
  Arthur Meighen
  Progressive Party
Conservative Party (1926)
  Arthur Meighen13th Ministry
115 of 245 House seats (minority)[nb 10] Liberal Party (1926)
  William Lyon Mackenzie King
16th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1926
4 sessions
Nov. 2, 1926

May 30, 1930
Liberal Party
  William Lyon Mackenzie King14th Ministry
116 of 245 House seats (minority)[nb 11] Conservative Party
  Hugh Guthrie (1926–1927)
  Richard Bennett (1927–1930)
none
17th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1930
6 sessions
Aug. 18, 1930

Aug. 14, 1935
Conservative Party
  Richard Bennett15th 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 King16th Ministry
173 of 245 House seats Conservative Party
  Richard Bennett (1935–1938)
  Robert Manion (1938–1940)
  Social Credit Party
19th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1940
6 sessions
Apr. 17, 1940

Apr. 16, 1945
Liberal Party
  William Lyon Mackenzie King16th Ministry
179 of 245 House seats Conservative Party[nb 12]
  Richard Hanson (1940–1942)
  Gordon Graydon (1943–1945)
none
20th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1945
5 sessions
Aug. 9, 1945

Apr. 30, 1949
Liberal Party
  William Lyon Mackenzie King16th Ministry (1945–1948)
  Louis St. Laurent17th Ministry (1948–1949)
118 of 245 House seats Progressive Conservative Party
  John Bracken (1945–1948)
  George Drew (1948–1949)
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
  Social Credit Party
21st Canadian Parliament
Elected 1949
7 sessions
Aug. 29, 1949

Jun. 13, 1953
Liberal Party
  Louis St. Laurent17th 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. Laurent17th Ministry
169 of 265 House seats Progressive Conservative Party
  George Drew (1953–1954)
  William Earl Rowe (1954–1955)
  George Drew (1955–1956)
  John Diefenbaker (1956–1957)
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
  Social Credit Party
23rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1957
1 session
Aug. 8, 1957

Feb. 1, 1958
Progressive Conservative Party
  John Diefenbaker18th Ministry
111 of 265 House seats (minority) Liberal Party
  Louis St. Laurent (1957–1958)
  Lester B. Pearson (1958)
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
  Social Credit Party
24th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1958
5 sessions
Apr. 30, 1958

Apr. 19, 1962
Progressive Conservative Party
  John Diefenbaker18th 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 Diefenbaker18th 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. Pearson19th Ministry
128 of 265 House seats (minority)[nb 13] 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. Pearson19th Ministry
131 of 265 House seats (minority)[nb 14] Progressive Conservative Party
  John Diefenbaker (1965–1967)
  Michael Starr (1967)
  Robert Stanfield (1967–1968)
  New Democratic Party
28th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1968
4 sessions
Jul. 25, 1968

Sep. 1, 1972
Liberal Party
  Pierre Trudeau20th 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 Trudeau20th 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 Trudeau20th Ministry
141 of 264 House seats
76 of 102 Senate seats
Progressive Conservative Party
  Robert Stanfield (1974–1976)
  Joe Clark (1976–1979)
  New Democratic Party
31st Canadian Parliament
Elected 1979
1 session
Jun. 11, 1979

Dec. 14, 1979
Progressive Conservative Party
  Joe Clark21st 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 Trudeau22nd Ministry (1980–1984)
  John Turner23rd Ministry (1984)
147 of 282 House seats
71 of 104 Senate seats
Progressive Conservative Party
  Joe Clark (1980–1983)
  Brian Mulroney (1983–1984)
  New Democratic Party
33rd Canadian Parliament
Elected 1984
2 sessions
Sep. 24, 1984

Oct. 1, 1988
Progressive Conservative Party
  Brian Mulroney24th 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 Mulroney24th Ministry (1988–1993)
  Kim Campbell25th Ministry (1993)
169 of 295 House seats
36 of 104 Senate seats[nb 15]
Liberal Party
  John Turner (1988–1990)
  Herb Gray (1990)
  Jean Chrétien (1990–1993)
  New Democratic Party
35th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1993
2 sessions
Nov. 15, 1993

Apr. 27, 1997
Liberal Party
  Jean Chrétien26th Ministry
177 of 295 House seats
41 of 104 Senate seats
Bloc Québécois
  Lucien Bouchard (1993–1996)
  Gilles Duceppe (1996)
  Michel Gauthier (1996)
  Gilles Duceppe (1996–1997)
  Reform Party
36th Canadian Parliament
Elected 1997
2 sessions
Jun. 23, 1997

Oct. 22, 2000
Liberal Party
  Jean Chrétien26th 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
Canadian Alliance (2000)
  Deborah Grey (2000)
  Stockwell Day (2000)
37th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2000
3 sessions
Dec. 18, 2000

May 23, 2004
Liberal Party
  Jean Chrétien26th Ministry (2000–2003)
  Paul Martin27th Ministry (2003–2004)
172 of 301 House seats
55 of 105 Senate seats
Canadian Alliance (2000–2004)
  Stockwell Day (2000)
  John Reynolds (2001–2002)
  Stephen Harper (2002–2004)
  Grant Hill (2004)
  Bloc Québécois
  New Democratic Party
  Progressive Conservative Party
Conservative Party (2004)
  Grant Hill (2004)
  Stephen Harper (2004)
  Bloc Québécois
  New Democratic Party
38th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2004
1 session
Jul. 19, 2004

Nov. 29, 2005
Liberal Party
  Paul Martin27th Ministry
135 of 308 House seats (minority)[nb 16]
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 Harper28th Ministry
124 of 308 House seats (minority)
23 of 105 Senate seats
Liberal Party
  Bill Graham (2006)
  Stéphane Dion (2006–2008)
  Bloc Québécois
  New Democratic Party
40th Canadian Parliament
Elected 2008
3 sessions
Nov. 4, 2008

Mar. 26, 2011
Conservative Party
  Stephen Harper28th Ministry
143 of 308 House seats (minority)
21 of 105 Senate seats
Liberal Party
  Stéphane Dion (2008)
  Michael Ignatieff (2008–2011)
  Bloc Québécois
  New Democratic Party
41st Canadian Parliament
Elected 2011
2 sessions
May 23, 2011

Aug. 2, 2015
Conservative Party
  Stephen Harper28th Ministry
166 of 308 House seats
52 of 105 Senate seats
New Democratic Party
  Jack Layton (2011)
  Nycole Turmel (2011–2012)
  Thomas Mulcair (2012–2015)
  Liberal Party
42nd Canadian Parliament
Elected 2015
Dec. 3, 2015

present
Liberal Party
  Justin Trudeau29th Ministry
184 of 338 House seats
0 of 105 Senate seats
Conservative Party
  Rona Ambrose (2015–present)
  New Democratic Party

Notes

  1. The diagrams show the composition of each parliament, colour-coded by party (click on an image to see its key) and arranged as the MPs might sit. The speaker of the house is shown on the left hand side, with the governing party on the speaker's right (the bottom of the diagram) and the opposition on the speaker's left (the top).
  2. In Canada's early parliaments, many members of the Conservative Party, including the Prime Minister, used other labels for themselves, the most common being "Liberal-Conservative". The seat totals here is the sum of all labels Conservative Party labels.
  3. There were two Independent Conservatives in the 2nd Parliament, giving the government an effective majority.
  4. After the 2nd parliament's Pacific Scandal, the Liberals took power between elections.[11]
  5. After the dissolution of the 7th Canadian Parliament, Mackenzie Bowell stepped down and Sir Charles Tupper became Prime Minister on May 1, 1896. Tupper was the only Prime Minister during the 1896 election campaign, which he lost, so he was never Prime Minister of a sitting parliament and is therefore not included in this list.[12]
  6. During the First World War, Borden governed from a united party with a Cabinet of 12 Conservatives, 9 Liberals and Independents, and 1 "Labour" MP. There were, however, still a number of MPs in opposition to him.[13]
  7. In the 14th Parliament, King’s Liberals won exactly enough seats to form a slim majority government, and due to resignations and floor crossing, they shifted back and forth between majority and minority status. However, the government was in little danger of losing a confidence vote because the Progressive party usually allowed free votes among its members, some of whom would always vote with the government.
  8. In the 14th parliament, the new Progressive Party led by Thomas Crerar had the second-most seats, yet Arthur Meighen's Conservatives formed official opposition.
  9. In the 15th parliament, Mackenzie King's Liberals were initially supported by some members of the Progressive Party of Canada until one of King's appointees in the Department of Customs and Excise was revealed to have taken bribes.
  10. In the 15th parliament, Arthur Meighen's Conservatives had the most seats, but Mackenzie King formed the government with the support of the Progressive Party. After the King–Byng Affair, Arthur Meighen's Conservatives took power between elections.
  11. In the 16th parliament, Mackenzie King's Liberals were supported by some members of the Progressive Party of Canada, which did not enforce strict party discipline.
  12. In the 1940 election, Hanson's Conservative's ran under the name "National Government".
  13. In the 26th parliament, Pearson's Liberals were initially supported by Tommy Douglas's New Democratic Party without forming an official coalition.
  14. In the 27th parliament, Pearson's Liberals relied on the small opposition parties in order to remain in power without forming an official coalition.
  15. In 1990, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney used Section 26 of the Constitution, a never-before used clause, to fill the Senate above its regular limit, giving his party 54 of 112 seats.
  16. In the 38th parliament, Martin's Liberals were initially supported by Jack Layton's New Democratic Party without forming an official coalition.

References

  1. Canada. "General Elections". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Canada. "Prime Ministers of Canada: Political Information - Governmental Majorities and Minorities". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  3. Canada. "Parliaments - Duration of Sessions". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  4. Canada. "Key Dates for each Parliament". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  5. 1 2 Canada. "Duration of Canadian Ministries: 1867 to Date". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  6. Canada. "Prime Ministers of Canada". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  7. Canada. "Guide to Canadian Ministries since Confederation". Privy Council Office. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  8. Canada. "Party Standings (1980 to Date): In the House of Commons". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  9. Canada. "Party Standings (1974 to date): In the Senate". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  10. 1 2 Canada. "Leaders of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons Since 1873". Library of Parliament. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  11. Terence Allan Crowley; Rae Murphy (1993). Canadian History: Canada Since 1867 Essentials. Research & Education Association. p. 8. ISBN 0-87891-917-1.
  12. Frances Stanford (2002). The Prime Ministers of Canada. S&S Learning Materials. p. 24. ISBN 1-55035-721-2.
  13. Robert Bothwell; Ian Drummond; John English (1990). Canada, 1900-1945. University of Toronto Press. p. 129. ISBN 0-8020-6801-4.

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