Opposition House Leader

The Opposition House Leader (), officially known as leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons of Canada, is a member of the Official Opposition, not to be confused with the Leader of the Official Opposition, but is generally a senior member of the frontbench. The House Leader is responsible for questioning the Government House Leader on the forthcoming business of the House of Commons, negotiating with the Government House Leader and other parties' house leaders on the progress of business in the House, and managing the Official Opposition's business in the House of Commons.

The position of Opposition House Leader evolved in the 1950s as each Opposition party began to designate a particular MP to question the Government House Leader on upcoming House business. The title of Opposition House Leader became official in 1963, and in 1974, a special annual indemnity was attached to the position of House Leader in each of the opposition parties. The House Leader also coordinates the Official Opposition's floor strategy, often with the House leaders of smaller opposition parties. The position is particularly important when there is a minority government, or a government with a slim majority, which may be defeated by a vote of no confidence if all opposition parties work together.

Notable Opposition House leaders include Herb Gray of the Liberal Party (also a Government House Leader) and Erik Nielsen of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Notable House leaders of other recognized parties include New Democratic Party MPs Stanley Knowles, who was the House Leader for the NDP from 1962 to 1981, and Bill Blaikie, who held the same position from 1996 until 2003.

List of Official Opposition House leaders

Portrait NameOfficers and Officials of Parliament: Opposition House LeadersElectoral district(Birth–Death) Term of officePartyLeader of the oppositionTerm startTerm endLionel ChevrierMP for Laurier(1903–1987)October 14,1957February 5,1963LiberalLouis St. LaurentLester B. PearsonGordon ChurchillMP for Winnipeg South Centre(1898–1985)May 16,1963April 21,1965Progressive ConservativeJohn DiefenbakerMichael StarrMP for Ontario(1910–2000)April 22,1965April 23,1968Progressive ConservativeRobert StanfieldGed BaldwinMP for Peace River(1907–1991)July 27,1968September 20,1973Progressive ConservativeThomas Miller BellMP for Saint John—Lancaster(1923–1996)September 21,1973May 9,1974Progressive ConservativeGed BaldwinMP for Peace River(1907–1991)August 14,1974February 24,1976Progressive ConservativeWalter BakerMP for Grenville—Carleton(1930–1983)February 25,1976March 26,1979Progressive ConservativeJoe ClarkAllan MacEachenMP for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso(1921–2017)October 9,1979December 14,1979LiberalPierre TrudeauWalter BakerMP for Nepean—Carleton(1930–1983)April 14,1980September 8,1981Progressive ConservativeJoe ClarkErik NielsenMP for Yukon(1924–2008)September 9,1981February 8,1983Progressive ConservativeDoug LewisMP for Simcoe North(born 1938)February 10,1983September 6,1983Progressive ConservativeErik NielsenErik NielsenMP for Yukon(1924–2008)September 7,1983April 5,1984Progressive ConservativeBrian MulroneyRay HnatyshynMP for Saskatoon West(1934–2002)April 6,1984July 9,1984Progressive ConservativeHerb GrayMP for Windsor West(1931–2014)September 18,1984February 7,1990LiberalJohn TurnerJean-Robert GauthierMP for Ottawa—Vanier(1929–2009)February 7,1990January 29,1991LiberalHerb GrayDavid DingwallMP for Cape Breton—East Richmond(born 1952)January 30,1991May 8,1993LiberalJean ChrétienMichel GauthierMP for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean(1950–2020)November 10,1993February 17,1996Bloc QuébécoisLucien BouchardGilles DuceppeGilles DuceppeMP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie(born 1947)February 17,1996March 15,1997Bloc QuébécoisMichel GauthierSuzanne TremblayMP for Rimouski—Témiscouata(1937–2020)March 17,1997April 25,1997Bloc QuébécoisGilles DuceppeRandy WhiteMP for Langley—Abbotsford(born 1948)June 20,1997January 30,2000ReformPreston ManningChuck StrahlMP for Fraser Valley(1957–2024)January 31,2000April 24,2001ReformCanadian AllianceDeborah GreyJohn ReynoldsMP for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast(born 1942)April 24,2001December 17,2001Canadian AllianceStockwell DayRandy WhiteMP for Langley—Abbotsford(born 1948)December 18,2001April 3,2002Canadian AllianceJohn ReynoldsJohn ReynoldsMP for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast(born 1942)April 4,2002December 22,2003Canadian AllianceStephen HarperLoyola HearnMP for St. John's West(born 1943)January 8,2004March 21,2004ConservativeGrant HillJohn ReynoldsMP for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast(born 1942)March 22,2004January 27,2005ConservativeStephen HarperJay HillMP for Prince George—Peace River(born 1952)January 28,2005February 5,2006ConservativeRalph GoodaleMP for Wascana(born 1949)February 10,2006September 6,2010LiberalBill GrahamStéphane DionMichael IgnatieffDavid McGuintyMP for Ottawa South(born 1960)September 7,2010March 26,2011LiberalTom MulcairMP for Outremont(born 1954)May 26,2011October 12,2011New DemocraticJack LaytonNycole TurmelJoe ComartinMP for Windsor—Tecumseh(born 1947)October 13,2011April 19,2012New DemocraticTom MulcairNathan CullenMP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley(born 1972)April 20,2012March 20,2014New DemocraticPeter JulianMP for Burnaby—New Westminster(born 1962)March 24,2014October 20,2015New DemocraticAndrew ScheerMP for Regina—Qu'Appelle(born 1979)November 18,2015September 13,2016ConservativeRona AmbroseCandice BergenMP for Portage—Lisgar(born 1964)September 15,2016September 2,2020ConservativeAndrew ScheerErin O'TooleGérard DeltellMP for Louis-Saint-Laurent(born 1964)September 2,2020February 4,2022ConservativeJohn BrassardMP for Barrie—Innisfil(born 1964)February 5,2022September 12,2022ConservativeCandice BergenAndrew ScheerMP for Regina—Qu'Appelle(born 1979)September 13,2022IncumbentConservativePierre PoilievreAndrew ScheerPierre Poilievre

Timeline

List of House leaders of other recognized parties

New Democratic Party

Stanley Knowles 1962–1984 Ian Deans 1984–1986 (acting 1981–1984) Nelson Riis 1986–1994 Len Taylor 1994–1996 Bill Blaikie 1996–2003 Libby Davies 2003–2011 Official Opposition 2011–2015 Peter Julian 2015–2016 Murray Rankin 2016–2018 Ruth Ellen Brosseau 2018–2019 Peter Julian 2019–2025 Alexandre Boulerice 2025–2026 Heather McPherson 2026–present

Social Credit Party Gilles Caouette 1972–1974 André-Gilles Fortin 1974–1976 Charles-Arthur Gauthier 1976–1980

Reform Party Elwin Hermanson 1993–1995 Raymond Speaker 1995–1997 Official Opposition after 1997

Progressive Conservative Party Government or Official Opposition before 1993 None 1993–1997 Peter MacKay 1997–2002 Loyola Hearn 2002–2004

Bloc Québécois Official Opposition 1993–1997 Michel Gauthier 1997–2007 Pierre Paquette 2007–2011 Louis Plamondon 2011–2013 André Bellavance 2013–2014 Jean-François Fortin 2014 Louis Plamondon 2014–2015 Luc Thériault 2015–2018 Mario Beaulieu 2018 Luc Thériault 2018–2019 Alain Therrien 2019–2025 Christine Normandin 2025–present

Liberal Party Government or Official Opposition before 2011 Marc Garneau 2011–2012 Dominic LeBlanc 2012–2015

See also Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada) Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Canada) Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada) Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Canada) Shadow Leader of the House of Commons

Notes

References

External links

Opposition House Leader - Library of Parliament