List of Prime Ministers of Canada
Prime Ministers
See also the chapter on prime minister biographies.
Jul 1, 1867 - Nov 7, 1873
Nov 7, 1873 - Oct 10, 1878
Oct 17, 1878 - Jun 6, 1891
Jun 16, 1891 - Dec 5, 1892
Dec 5, 1892 - Dec 12, 1894
Dec 21, 1894 - May 1, 1896
May 1, 1896 - Jul 11, 1896
Jul 11, 1896 - Oct 10, 1911
Oct 10, 1911 - Jul 10, 1920
Jul 10, 1920 - Dec 29, 1921
Dec 29, 1921 - Jun 28, 1926
Jun 28, 1926 - Sep 25, 1926
Sep 25, 1926- Aug 7, 1930
Aug 7, 1930 - Oct 23, 1935
Oct 23, 1935 - Nov 15, 1948
Nov 15, 1948 - Jun 21, 1957
Jun 21, 1957 - Apr 22, 1963
Apr 22, 1963 - Apr 20, 1968
Apr 20, 1968 - Jun 4, 1979
Jun 4, 1979 - Mar 3, 1980
Mar 3, 1980 - Jun 30, 1984
Jun 30, 1984 - Sep 17, 1984
Sep 17, 1984 - Jun 25, 1993
Jun 25, 1993 - Nov 4, 1993
Nov 4, 1993 - Dec 12, 2003
Dec 12, 2003 - Feb 6, 2006
Feb 6, 2006 - Nov 4, 2015
Conservative Party of Canada
History of the Prime Ministership
In the first 90 years following Confederation, Canada technically had no formal office of prime minister. The highest institution in the executive branch was simply the cabinet, and whichever cabinet minister was leader of the ruling party was called head of cabinet or head of government, and informally referred to as Canada’s prime minister or premier. It was not until 1957 that someone served as prime minister without also holding another cabinet job. Likewise, prior to 1957 there was no inauguration for prime minister; record keepers simply consider a pre-1957 prime minister’s term to have begun when he was sworn into the cabinet job he got when his party assumed power.
Heads of the Canadian Government (1867-1957)
Attorney General to Nov 27, 1889; Minister of Railways from Nov 28, 1889*
President of the Privy Council*
President of the Privy Council*
Secretary of State for Canada*
President of the Privy Council*
President of the Privy Council and Foreign Minister
President of the Privy Council and Foreign Minister
President of the Privy Council and Foreign Minister
President of the Privy Council and Foreign Minister
President of the Privy Council and Foreign Minister
President of the Privy Council to Apr 24, 1957; solely prime minister from Apr 25, 1957 onward
* Held other cabinet positions as well, but the identified jobs were held for his entire tenure.
Louis St. Laurent served briefly as prime minister and no other office before losing the 1957 election to John Diefenbaker, who took office as foreign minister when he became prime minister on June 21, 1957. However, a few months later, on September 12, Diefenbaker, like St. Laurent, also stepped down from any other cabinet position and governed as prime minister and no other position for most of the remainder of his term.
Living former prime ministers
Resigned as Conservative leader in 2016. Resigned as MP in 2016.
Resigned as Liberal leader in 2006. Did not run for seat in 2008 election.
Resigned from parliament in 2003 upon resignation as prime minister and Liberal leader.
Lost seat in 1993 election. Resigned as Conservative leader in 1993.
Did not run for seat in 1993 election.
Resigned as Conservative/opposition leader in 1983. Served as cabinet minister under PM Mulroney, 1984-1993. Did not run for seat in 1993 election. Re-elected as Conservative leader in 1998. Re-elected to House in 2000. Resigned as party leader in 2002. Did not run for seat in 2004 election.