From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canada
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Canada
Federal
Executive (The Crown)
Sovereign (Queen Elizabeth II) Governor General (Michaëlle Jean) Queen's Privy Council for Canada Prime Minister (Stephen Harper) Cabinet (Twenty-Eighth Ministry) Government of Canada Ministries
Legislative (Parliament)
Current Parliament (39th) Senate Speaker of the Senate Government Leader in the Senate Opposition Leader in the Senate Canadian Senate divisions House of Commons Speaker of the House Government House Leader Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition Leader of the Opposition Opposition House Leader Shadow Cabinet
Elections
Parliamentary constituencies Electoral system Last election
Judicial
Supreme Court Chief Justice (Beverley McLachlin) Lower Courts of Appeal Constitution British North America Acts Peace, Order and Good Government Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Provincial and territorial
Politics of the Canadian provinces
General
Regions Political culture Foreign relations
Other countries · Atlas  Politics Portal view • talk • edit

In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament (MP) and an expert in parliamentary procedure. The House Leader is in charge of the party's day-to-day business in the Canadian House of Commons, and usually conducts negotiations with other parties on the conduct of Bills and debates.

They also argue Points of Order before the Speaker of the House. The "House Leader" is not the same as the party leader, but for Opposition parties, is the leader's senior deputy. The Government House Leader is a senior cabinet minister who navigates the government's business in the House. This system is replicated in the various provincial legislatures. The position of House Leader is especially important during periods of minority government where no one party has control of the House, and bills can only be passed with the agreement of several parties.

The Prime Minister of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition originally had these responsibilities. In 1944, however, as a result of the increasing burdens placed on government by the Second World War, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King delegated these responsibilities to another member of the Canadian Cabinet. In 1946, the position of Government House Leader was formally recognized.

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.

Notable Canadian House Leaders include Stanley Knowles of the New Democratic Party, and its predecessor, the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, Allan MacEachen and Herb Gray of the Liberal Party, and Erik Nielsen of the Progressive Conservative Party

For the equivalent position in the UK, see: Leader of the House of Commons, and Leader of the House of Lords. For Australia, see Leader of the House (Australia). For the United States, see Floor Leader.