The leader of the Official Opposition (French: chef de l'Opposition officielle), formally known as the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition (French: chef de la loyale opposition de Sa Majesté), 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.
Though the leader of the Opposition must be a member of the House of Commons,[3] the office should not be confused with Opposition House leader, who is a frontbencher charged with managing the business of the Opposition in the House of Commons, and is formally titled Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons. There is also a leader of the Opposition in the Senate, who is usually of the same party as the leader of the Opposition in the house. If the leader of the opposition party is not a member of Parliament (MP), then a sitting MP acts as parliamentary leader and assumes the role of the leader of the Opposition until the party leader can obtain a seat.
The leader of the Opposition is entitled to the same levels of pay and protection as a Cabinet minister and is often made a member of the King's Privy Council, generally the only non-government member of the House of Commons afforded that privilege. The leader of the Opposition is entitled to reside at the official residence of Stornoway and ranks fourteenth on the Order of Precedence, after Cabinet ministers and before lieutenant governors of the provinces. In the House of Commons seating plan, the leader of the Opposition sits directly across from the prime minister.
The term leader of the opposition is used in the Parliament of Canada Act[4] and the Standing Orders of the House of Commons,[5] as is the term official opposition.[6] The terms leader of the loyal opposition, his majesty's opposition,[7] and loyal opposition are sometimes used,[8] but, are not in either the act or the standing orders. The word loyal is used to communicate the party's loyalty to monarch of Canada—as the nonpartisan personification of the nation and the state's authority—even as its members oppose the governing party.[7]
The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet in Canada is composed of members of the main opposition party 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 (which is generally used in other Westminster systems) is also used.
^McKenzie served as Leader of the Opposition from Laurier's death until King's election as leader of the Liberal Party.
^Arthur Meighen's Conservatives formed the Official Opposition although the Progressive Party had more seats.
^Meighen failed to win his seat and immediately resigned as leader of the Conservative Party.
^Guthrie served as Leader of the Opposition from shortly after Meighen's resignation until Bennett's election as leader of the Conservative Party.
^Hanson served as Leader of the Opposition from Manion's resignation until Meighen's election as leader of the Conservative Party. He continued as acting Leader of the Opposition throughout Meighen's term as Conservative leader, as Meighen failed in his attempts to win election to the House of Commons, and continued as acting Leader of the Opposition from Bracken's election as PC leader until his own resignation.
^The Conservative Party was renamed the Progressive Conservative Party in 1942.
^Graydon served as Leader of the Opposition from Hanson's resignation until Bracken entered Parliament in the 20th general election.
^Rowe served as acting Leader of the Opposition in winter 1954-55 due to Drew's poor health.
^Rowe initially served as acting Leader of the Opposition for six weeks when Drew was ill, then became interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party until Diefenbaker was elected as PC leader.
^Starr served as Leader of the Opposition from Stanfield's election as PC leader until Stanfield entered Parliament via by-election.
^Nielsen served as acting Leader of the Opposition for the two weeks preceding Clark's resignation from the post of leader of the PC Party. He continued as Leader of the Opposition during the 1983 Progressive Conservative leadership campaign in which Clark unsuccessfully ran to succeed himself. Nielsen continued as Leader of the Opposition from Mulroney's election as PC leader until Mulroney entered Parliament via by-election.
^Gray became acting Leader of the Opposition after Turner announced his intention to step down as party leader. Gray continued as Leader of the Opposition from Chrétien's election as Liberal leader until Chrétien entered Parliament via a by-election.
^Grey served as Leader of the Opposition during the 2000 Canadian Alliance leadership campaign in which Manning unsuccessfully ran to succeed himself. She continued as Leader of the Opposition from Day's election as Alliance leader until Day entered Parliament via byelection.
^Hill served as Leader of the Opposition during the 2004 Conservative leadership election in which Harper successfully ran to be leader of the new party.
^Although the PC Party and Canadian Alliance were recognized as merged on December 7, 2003, by Elections Canada for the purposes of elections law, they did not merge their parliamentary caucuses until February 2, 2004.
^Turmel became interim leader of the NDP on July 28, 2011, when Layton began his leave of absence, but she did not become the Leader of the Opposition until Layton's death.
^ abBoyko, John (November 10, 2022), "Opposition Party in Canada", The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, archived from the original on March 9, 2023, retrieved March 9, 2023
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