History of The Liberal Party of Canada - Leaders of The Liberal Party Since 1867

Leaders of The Liberal Party Since 1867

Beginning of Leadership Name Date of Birth Date of Death Length of Leadership
1 July 1867 George Brown 29 November 1818 10 May 1880 2 months, 19 days (interim)1
20 September 1867 Vacant n/a n/a 2 years (approx)
1869 Edward Blake 13 October 1833 1 March 1912 2 years (approx) (interim)
1871 Vacant n/a n/a 2 years (approx)
6 March 1873 Alexander Mackenzie 28 January 1822 17 April 1892 7 years, 1 month
27 April 1880 Edward Blake 13 October 1833 1 March 1912 7 years, 1 month
23 June 1887 Sir Wilfrid Laurier 20 November 1841 17 February 1919 31 years, 8 months
17 February 1919 Daniel Duncan McKenzie 8 January 1859 8 June 1927 5 months, 3 weeks (interim)
7 August 1919 William Lyon Mackenzie King 17 December 1874 22 July 1950 29 years
7 August 1948 Louis St. Laurent 1 February 1882 25 July 1973 9 years, 5 months
16 January 1958 Lester B. Pearson 23 April 1897 28 December 1972 10 years, 3 months
6 April 1968 Pierre Elliott Trudeau 18 October 1919 28 September 2000 16 years, 2 months
16 June 1984 John Turner 7 June 1929 Living 6 years
6 February 1990 Herb Gray 25 May 1931 Living 4 months, 17 days2 (interim Parliamentary leader)
23 June 1990 Jean Chrétien 11 January 1934 Living 13 years, 5 months
14 November 2003 Paul Martin 28 August 1938 Living 2 years, 3 months
18 March 2006 Bill Graham 17 March 1939 Living 8 months, 2 weeks3 (interim)
2 December 2006 Stéphane Dion 28 September 1955 Living 2 years
10 December 2008 Michael Ignatieff 12 May 1947 Living 2 years, 5 months, 15 days
25 May 2011 Bob Rae 2 August 1948 Living 1 year, 10 months, 20 days(interim)
14 April 2013 Justin Trudeau 25 December 1971 Living

Notes:

1 Brown was regarded by most Liberal candidates as their leader in the 1867 election but did not officially hold the title. Had he won a seat he would have almost certainly become Leader of the Opposition and had the Liberals won enough seats to form a government Brown would almost certainly have become Prime Minister. However, he failed in his bid for a seat in the House of Commons and the Liberals had no official leader until 1873.

2 Herb Gray served as Leader of the Opposition from February 6 until Chrétien was re-elected to Parliament, and took his seat on December 21, 1990. He led the Liberal Party in parliament, though he was never the leader or interim leader of the Liberal Party as a whole.

3 After the defeat of the Liberals by the Conservatives of Stephen Harper in the 2006 Canadian federal election, held on January 26, Paul Martin announced in the early hours of January 27, 2006 his intention to resign the leadership of the Liberal Party. Bill Graham was later selected as parliamentary leader by caucus, while Martin indicated he would remain nominal party leader. On March 18, 2006, Graham was appointed interim leader after Martin officially stepped down from the post.

The Liberal Party held its first leadership convention in 1919, electing William Lyon Mackenzie King as leader. Prior to that party leaders were chosen by caucus.

See also: Liberal Party of Canada leadership elections

Read more about this topic:  History Of The Liberal Party Of Canada

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