Interim leader
Encyclopedia
An interim leader, in Canadian
politics, is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader when a gap occurs between the resignation or death of a party leader and the election of a formal successor. Usually a party leader retains the leadership until a successor is formally chosen — however, in some situations this is not possible, and an interim leader is thus appointed by the party's caucus or the party executive. An interim leader may also be appointed while a leader is on a leave of absence due to poor health or some other reason and then relinquish the position upon the leader's return.
An interim leader has all the rights and responsibilities of an elected party leader, with the exception that the person does not have the discretion to choose the timing of their departure — an interim leader serves only until the party organizes and holds a leadership convention
. There have been a number of instances where instead of a competitive leadership race between multiple candidates, the leadership convention directly ratified
the interim leader as the party's new permanent leader, but a convention must still take place in some form.
By convention, if a competitive leadership race between sitting members of the party's caucus is taking place, the interim leader should be a caucus member who is not standing as a candidate in the leadership race, so they do not gain unfair advantage in the contest. Generally, an interim leader may also be a candidate for the permanent leadership only if he or she has no other caucus colleagues competing for the leadership.
An interim leader may, if necessary, lead the party into an election, but by Canadian custom, an election is usually not called while one of the parties is in a leadership race.
An interim leader also assumes any political roles that would be held by a permanent leader of their party. For instance, if a prime minister or a provincial premier dies in office or resigns suddenly, the interim leader chosen to succeed them also becomes interim prime minister or premier.
However, sudden vacancies may occur for a variety of reasons.
died in 1919, while holding the leadership of the Liberal Party
. Daniel Duncan McKenzie was selected as the party's interim leader, serving until Mackenzie King was selected as the party's leader later in the year.
Jack Layton
initially took a leave of absence from the leadership of the New Democratic Party
in 2011 for cancer
treatment, and Nycole Turmel
was named the interim leader of the party; Layton died before his intended date of return to office,
was forced to resign the leadership of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, and the premiership
, after a criminal investigation against him was announced. He was succeeded by Dan Miller
, who served until Ujjal Dosanjh
won the resulting leadership convention.
was folded into the new Canadian Alliance
, Deborah Grey
served as the party's interim leader until the party's first leadership convention selected Stockwell Day
. Similarly, after the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives merged in 2003, Senator John Lynch-Staunton
was named interim leader of the new Conservative Party
until the first leadership convention selected Stephen Harper
.
received only 66.9 per cent support in an internal leadership review process conducted by the Progressive Conservative Party
. Feeling that he did not have sufficiently strong support within the party, he thus scheduled a leadership convention. Initially, he remained the party's leader in the meantime — however, as he was also standing as a candidate in the leadership process, he eventually stepped down and Erik Nielsen
was installed as the party's interim leader.
In early 2002, Stockwell Day's leadership of the Canadian Alliance
came under criticism due to party infighting. Like Clark, he thus announced a new leadership campaign in which he would reoffer as a candidate, and John Reynolds became the party's interim leader.
. However, for personal or political reasons some leaders have opted to resign the leadership instead.
Andy Brandt
became interim leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party following the party's defeat in the 1987 provincial election
, in which leader Larry Grossman
lost his own seat. He served until 1990, when he was succeeded by Mike Harris
following a leadership convention.
Jean Charest
became interim leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives
following the party's defeat in the 1993 election
, in which Kim Campbell
lost her own seat. At the next leadership convention in 1995, Charest was acclaimed to the full leadership of the party.
Joy MacPhail
served as interim leader of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia
from 2001 to 2003, following the party's defeat in the 2001 provincial election
, in which Ujjal Dosanjh
lost his seat. She served until Carole James
was selected as the party's new leader in 2003.
John Tory
was defeated in the 2007 Ontario election
, in which he ran in a different seat than the one where he was an incumbent. He stayed on as leader, despite facing some internal criticism — notably, a leadership review in 2008 gave him just 66.9 per cent support, the very same result which Joe Clark
had deemed not sufficient to justify staying on as leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives in 1983. Bob Runciman
served as interim parliamentary leader, but Tory retained the actual leadership of the party. Tory eventually resigned in 2009, after losing a by-election in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
, and Runciman became the party's interim leader.
Vivian Barbot
was named interim leader of the Bloc Québécois
and Bob Rae
was named interim leader of the Liberal Party
following the 2011 election, in which both parties' previous leaders, Gilles Duceppe
and Michael Ignatieff
, were defeated in their own ridings. Unusually, Barbot also leads the Bloc Québécois from outside the House of Commons, as the party elected just four MPs and failed to qualify for official party status
.
interim leader W.E.N. Sinclair led his party through two consecutive elections in 1926 and 1929. He was interim leader from 1923 to 1930 since, due to the party's state of disorganization, there was no leadership convention held in that period to choose a successor to Wellington Hay
. When a convention was finally held, Sinclair drew little support and withdrew before balloting began. He was succeeded by future Premier Mitchell Hepburn
.
Following the resignation of Daniel Johnson
as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party in 1998, the prospect of Jean Charest
becoming the party's new leader began to attract widespread public support. When Charest subsequently decided to stand as a candidate, he resigned as leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives
, and Elsie Wayne
became the party's interim leader.
Similarly, Thomas Kennedy
served as interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
from 1948 to 1949, after George Drew resigned to contest the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservatives.
was appointed to lead the NDP on July 28, 2011, while Jack Layton
was on a medical leave of absence to fight cancer. She continued in the position following Layton's death on August 22, 2011.
From November 1954 to February 1955 William Earl Rowe
acted as interim Leader of the Opposition
when Progressive Conservative leader George A. Drew was in poor health following an attack of meningitis
. Drew returned but resigned but fell in again and Rowe again became as interim leader of the opposition in August 1956. Drew resigned in September and Rowe remained interim opposition leader until December when John George Diefenbaker was elected party leader.
, Stéphane Dion
's continued leadership of the federal Liberals was felt to be an impediment to the party's popular support, but with a situation where the party had to be almost immediately prepared to either take over the government or face an election, many party members felt that the party did not have the time to go through a conventional leadership race. After some internal debate, leadership candidates Dominic LeBlanc
and Bob Rae
withdrew from the race, and the only remaining candidate, Michael Ignatieff
, was immediately named interim leader. His leadership was formally ratified at a party convention in May 2009.
resigned the leadership of the Alberta New Democrats in 2000, but for health reasons she opted not to retain the leadership until her successor could be chosen, instead announcing that her resignation was effective immediately. Raj Pannu
was named interim leader, and was then acclaimed leader at the subsequent convention. Brian Mason
, who succeeded Pannu to the leadership in 2004, also took the position of interim leader before securing the full leadership at convention.
Danny Williams
resigned the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
, similarly choosing to step down immediately rather than serving until a leadership convention, and Deputy Premier Kathy Dunderdale
was elevated to the interim leadership of the party and to the premiership.
served as parliamentary leader of the Liberals following the selection of Jean Chrétien
as leader in 1989, until Chrétien could run in a by-election to enter the House of Commons. Similarly, Bob Runciman
served as parliamentary leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party following the 2007 election
, in which party leader John Tory
lost his seat in the legislature. He became the party's full interim leader in 2009 after Tory was defeated in an attempt to re-enter the Legislative Assembly in a by-election.
Bill Graham served as interim parliamentary leader of the Liberals in early 2006, while outgoing party leader Paul Martin
was still sitting as an MP and retained the formal leadership of the party. After this situation created some media confusion over which man would lead the party into an election if one were to occur, Martin stepped down as party leader in March, and Graham assumed the full interim leadership until Stéphane Dion
was selected as leader in December.
Louis Plamondon
became interim parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois
on June 2, 2011, at the beginning of the first session of the 41st Canadian Parliament
, following the 2011 federal election and the defeat and resignation of BQ leader Gilles Duceppe
while Vivian Barbot
succeeded Duceppe as interim president of the BQ.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politics, is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader when a gap occurs between the resignation or death of a party leader and the election of a formal successor. Usually a party leader retains the leadership until a successor is formally chosen — however, in some situations this is not possible, and an interim leader is thus appointed by the party's caucus or the party executive. An interim leader may also be appointed while a leader is on a leave of absence due to poor health or some other reason and then relinquish the position upon the leader's return.
An interim leader has all the rights and responsibilities of an elected party leader, with the exception that the person does not have the discretion to choose the timing of their departure — an interim leader serves only until the party organizes and holds a leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
. There have been a number of instances where instead of a competitive leadership race between multiple candidates, the leadership convention directly ratified
Ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
the interim leader as the party's new permanent leader, but a convention must still take place in some form.
By convention, if a competitive leadership race between sitting members of the party's caucus is taking place, the interim leader should be a caucus member who is not standing as a candidate in the leadership race, so they do not gain unfair advantage in the contest. Generally, an interim leader may also be a candidate for the permanent leadership only if he or she has no other caucus colleagues competing for the leadership.
An interim leader may, if necessary, lead the party into an election, but by Canadian custom, an election is usually not called while one of the parties is in a leadership race.
An interim leader also assumes any political roles that would be held by a permanent leader of their party. For instance, if a prime minister or a provincial premier dies in office or resigns suddenly, the interim leader chosen to succeed them also becomes interim prime minister or premier.
Practice
In most circumstances, a leader who has decided to step down gives extended notice, and a leadership convention is organized to choose their successor. The outgoing leader remains in the position for the duration of the leadership campaign, and then hands over power to the successor shortly after the convention.However, sudden vacancies may occur for a variety of reasons.
Death in office
Wilfrid LaurierWilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
died in 1919, while holding the leadership of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. Daniel Duncan McKenzie was selected as the party's interim leader, serving until Mackenzie King was selected as the party's leader later in the year.
Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
initially took a leave of absence from the leadership of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
in 2011 for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
treatment, and Nycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel, MP is the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament. She was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, representing the electoral district of Hull—Aylmer, and became interim leader of the New Democratic Party after leader Jack...
was named the interim leader of the party; Layton died before his intended date of return to office,
Scandal
Glen ClarkGlen Clark
Glen David Clark is a politician in British Columbia, Canada who served as the 31st Premier of British Columbia from 1996 to 1999.-Early life and education:...
was forced to resign the leadership of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, and the premiership
Premier of British Columbia
The Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
, after a criminal investigation against him was announced. He was succeeded by Dan Miller
Dan Miller (Canadian politician)
Arthur Daniel Miller is a Canadian politician. He served as interim leader of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia and served as the 32nd Premier of British Columbia for six months from August 25, 1999 to February 24, 2000, following the resignation of Glen Clark.First elected to the BC...
, who served until Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, is a Sikh Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as 33rd Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 including a stint as Minister of Health from 2004 until 2006 when the party lost...
won the resulting leadership convention.
Creation of a new party
In 2000, after the Reform PartyReform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
was folded into the new Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
, Deborah Grey
Deborah Grey
Deborah Cleland Grey, OC, sometimes called Deb Grey is a former Canadian Member of Parliament from Alberta for the Reform Party of Canada, Canadian Alliance and Conservative Party of Canada....
served as the party's interim leader until the party's first leadership convention selected Stockwell Day
Stockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
. Similarly, after the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives merged in 2003, Senator John Lynch-Staunton
John Lynch-Staunton
John George Lynch-Staunton is a former Canadian senator and was the first leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. He represented the Senate division of Grandville, Quebec.-Personal background:...
was named interim leader of the new Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
until the first leadership convention selected Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
.
Internal dissension
In 1983, Joe ClarkJoe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
received only 66.9 per cent support in an internal leadership review process conducted by the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. Feeling that he did not have sufficiently strong support within the party, he thus scheduled a leadership convention. Initially, he remained the party's leader in the meantime — however, as he was also standing as a candidate in the leadership process, he eventually stepped down and Erik Nielsen
Erik Nielsen
Erik Hersholt Nielsen, PC, DFC, QC was a Canadian politician, and longtime Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Yukon....
was installed as the party's interim leader.
In early 2002, Stockwell Day's leadership of the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
came under criticism due to party infighting. Like Clark, he thus announced a new leadership campaign in which he would reoffer as a candidate, and John Reynolds became the party's interim leader.
Leader defeated in an election
In several cases, a party's leader has been defeated in his or her own riding in an election, and has resigned soon afterward. A resignation is not necessarily required in such a scenario, as other leaders in the same situation have retained the leadership until they were able to run in a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. However, for personal or political reasons some leaders have opted to resign the leadership instead.
Andy Brandt
Andy Brandt
Andrew S. "Andy" Brandt is a former politician and public administrator who has served in a number of roles in the province of Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Progressive Conservative from 1981 to 1990, and was a cabinet minister in the governments of Bill...
became interim leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party following the party's defeat in the 1987 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, in which leader Larry Grossman
Larry Grossman
Lawrence "Larry" Sheldon Grossman was a politician in Ontario, Canada.-Early years:Born in Toronto, Grossman was the son of Allan Grossman, who had represented a downtown Toronto riding in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for twenty years after defeating Ontario's last Communist Member of...
lost his own seat. He served until 1990, when he was succeeded by Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
following a leadership convention.
Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
became interim leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
following the party's defeat in the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, in which Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell
Avril Phædra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, is a Canadian politician, lawyer, university professor, diplomat, and writer. She served as the 19th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993...
lost her own seat. At the next leadership convention in 1995, Charest was acclaimed to the full leadership of the party.
Joy MacPhail
Joy MacPhail
Joy MacPhail is a former Canadian politician in British Columbia. A longtime member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, she served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1991 to 2005 and as a Minister of the Crown from 1993-1999, and 2000-2001.MacPhail was born in Hamilton,...
served as interim leader of the New Democratic Party of British Columbia
New Democratic Party of British Columbia
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social-democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the official opposition to the governing British Columbia Liberal Party following the 2009 provincial election in British Columbia.The BC NDP is the provincial...
from 2001 to 2003, following the party's defeat in the 2001 provincial election
British Columbia general election, 2001
The British Columbia general election of 2001 was the 37th provincial election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on April 18, 2001, and held on May 16, 2001...
, in which Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dosanjh
Ujjal Dev Singh Dosanjh, PC, QC, is a Sikh Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as 33rd Premier of British Columbia from 2000 to 2001 and as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011 including a stint as Minister of Health from 2004 until 2006 when the party lost...
lost his seat. She served until Carole James
Carole James
Carole Alison James, MLA is a Canadian politician and former public administrator. She is the former Leader of the Opposition in British Columbia and former leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party , a social democratic political party...
was selected as the party's new leader in 2003.
John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
was defeated in the 2007 Ontario election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, in which he ran in a different seat than the one where he was an incumbent. He stayed on as leader, despite facing some internal criticism — notably, a leadership review in 2008 gave him just 66.9 per cent support, the very same result which Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
had deemed not sufficient to justify staying on as leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives in 1983. Bob Runciman
Bob Runciman
Robert William "Bob" Runciman is a veteran Canadian politician and former provincial Leader of the Opposition in the Ontario Legislature. First elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1981, he held the seat continuously for Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario for the next 29 years...
served as interim parliamentary leader, but Tory retained the actual leadership of the party. Tory eventually resigned in 2009, after losing a by-election in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock
Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock (provincial electoral district)
Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock is a provincial electoral district in Central Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario....
, and Runciman became the party's interim leader.
Vivian Barbot
Vivian Barbot
Vivian Barbot is a teacher, activist, and politician. She is a former President of the Fédération des femmes du Québec, a former Member of Parliament and currently serves as interim president of the Bloc Québécois....
was named interim leader of the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
and Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
was named interim leader of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
following the 2011 election, in which both parties' previous leaders, Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe is a Canadian politician, and proponent of the Québec sovereignty movement. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for over 20 years and was the leader of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois for almost 15 years. He is the son of a well-known Quebec actor, Jean...
and Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, were defeated in their own ridings. Unusually, Barbot also leads the Bloc Québécois from outside the House of Commons, as the party elected just four MPs and failed to qualify for official party status
Official party status
Official party status refers to the Canadian practice of recognizing political parties in the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures. The type of recognition and threshold needed to obtain it varies...
.
Internal disorganization
In one case, Ontario Liberal PartyOntario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
interim leader W.E.N. Sinclair led his party through two consecutive elections in 1926 and 1929. He was interim leader from 1923 to 1930 since, due to the party's state of disorganization, there was no leadership convention held in that period to choose a successor to Wellington Hay
Wellington Hay
Francis Wellington Hay was a grain merchant and Canadian politician.Hay was born in Listowel, Canada West, the son of William G. Hay. He worked for the Federal Bank for three years before entering the family grain business. He was mayor of Listowel from 1903 to 1904...
. When a convention was finally held, Sinclair drew little support and withdrew before balloting began. He was succeeded by future Premier Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
.
Leader accepts another position
Sometimes an outgoing leader decides to resign immediately in order to ensure party unity, because they have accepted an appointment or chosen to stand as a candidate for (or been elected to) another position.Following the resignation of Daniel Johnson
Daniel Johnson
Daniel Johnson may refer to* Daniel Johnson , English buccaneer* Daniel Johnson, Sr. , politician, leader of the Union Nationale party and Quebec premier, 1966–1968* Daniel Johnson, Jr...
as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party in 1998, the prospect of Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
becoming the party's new leader began to attract widespread public support. When Charest subsequently decided to stand as a candidate, he resigned as leader of the federal Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, and Elsie Wayne
Elsie Wayne
Elsie Eleanore Wayne is a Canadian politician, and a former Progressive Conservative MP for Saint John.-Political career:In 1977, she was elected to the Saint John municipal council...
became the party's interim leader.
Similarly, Thomas Kennedy
Thomas Kennedy
Thomas Kennedy or Tom Kennedy may refer to:*Thomas Kennedy, 9th Earl of Cassilis , Scottish peer*Thomas Laird Kennedy, politician in Ontario, Canada*Thomas Kennedy , politician in Maryland, United States...
served as interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
from 1948 to 1949, after George Drew resigned to contest the leadership of the federal Progressive Conservatives.
Leave of absence
An interim leader, Nycole TurmelNycole Turmel
Nycole Turmel, MP is the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Canadian Parliament. She was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 federal election, representing the electoral district of Hull—Aylmer, and became interim leader of the New Democratic Party after leader Jack...
was appointed to lead the NDP on July 28, 2011, while Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
was on a medical leave of absence to fight cancer. She continued in the position following Layton's death on August 22, 2011.
From November 1954 to February 1955 William Earl Rowe
William Earl Rowe
William Earl Rowe, PC , was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as the 20th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1963 to 1968. He also had four children, one of which died during labour....
acted as interim Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Canada)
The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition , or simply the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons that is not a member of the government...
when Progressive Conservative leader George A. Drew was in poor health following an attack of meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
. Drew returned but resigned but fell in again and Rowe again became as interim leader of the opposition in August 1956. Drew resigned in September and Rowe remained interim opposition leader until December when John George Diefenbaker was elected party leader.
Political circumstances
Following the 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute
The 2008–2009 Canadian parliamentary dispute was a political dispute during the 40th Canadian Parliament. It was triggered by the expressed intention of the opposition parties to defeat the Conservative minority government on a motion of non-confidence six weeks after the federal election on...
, Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
's continued leadership of the federal Liberals was felt to be an impediment to the party's popular support, but with a situation where the party had to be almost immediately prepared to either take over the government or face an election, many party members felt that the party did not have the time to go through a conventional leadership race. After some internal debate, leadership candidates Dominic LeBlanc
Dominic LeBlanc
Dominic A. LeBlanc, PC, MP , is a Canadian lawyer and politician from New Brunswick, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Beauséjour and sits in the Canadian House of Commons as the Liberal Party's Foreign Affairs Critic. He was first elected in the 2000 federal election and has...
and Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
withdrew from the race, and the only remaining candidate, Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, was immediately named interim leader. His leadership was formally ratified at a party convention in May 2009.
Personal circumstances
Pam BarrettPam Barrett
Pam Barrett was a politician who left politics in February 2000, after having a life-changing near-death experience.-Early political career:...
resigned the leadership of the Alberta New Democrats in 2000, but for health reasons she opted not to retain the leadership until her successor could be chosen, instead announcing that her resignation was effective immediately. Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu
Raj Pannu is a Canadian educator and politician, who led the Alberta New Democratic Party from 2000 to 2004.Pannu was born in Punjab, India completing an undergraduate degree before immigrating to Canada in 1962...
was named interim leader, and was then acclaimed leader at the subsequent convention. Brian Mason
Brian Mason
Brian Mason is a Canadian politician and leader of the Alberta New Democrats . Mason was first elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood in a 2001 byelection, and his career in politics spans more than 20 years.Mason first became politically active...
, who succeeded Pannu to the leadership in 2004, also took the position of interim leader before securing the full leadership at convention.
Danny Williams
Danny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...
resigned the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...
, similarly choosing to step down immediately rather than serving until a leadership convention, and Deputy Premier Kathy Dunderdale
Kathy Dunderdale
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
was elevated to the interim leadership of the party and to the premiership.
Interim parliamentary leaders
In certain circumstances, a party may also have an interim parliamentary leader who is not officially the party's leader, particularly when the party leader is not a sitting member of the legislature. Herb GrayHerb Gray
Herbert Eser Gray, is a retired Canadian politician. He was Canada's first Jewish federal cabinet minister, and is one of only a few Canadians ever granted the title The Right Honourable who was not so entitled by virtue of a position held.-Early life:Born in Windsor, Ontario, the son of Harry...
served as parliamentary leader of the Liberals following the selection of Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
as leader in 1989, until Chrétien could run in a by-election to enter the House of Commons. Similarly, Bob Runciman
Bob Runciman
Robert William "Bob" Runciman is a veteran Canadian politician and former provincial Leader of the Opposition in the Ontario Legislature. First elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1981, he held the seat continuously for Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario for the next 29 years...
served as parliamentary leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party following the 2007 election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, in which party leader John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
lost his seat in the legislature. He became the party's full interim leader in 2009 after Tory was defeated in an attempt to re-enter the Legislative Assembly in a by-election.
Bill Graham served as interim parliamentary leader of the Liberals in early 2006, while outgoing party leader Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
was still sitting as an MP and retained the formal leadership of the party. After this situation created some media confusion over which man would lead the party into an election if one were to occur, Martin stepped down as party leader in March, and Graham assumed the full interim leadership until Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
was selected as leader in December.
Louis Plamondon
Louis Plamondon
Louis Plamondon is a politician in the Canadian province of Quebec and the current interim parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois ....
became interim parliamentary leader of the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
on June 2, 2011, at the beginning of the first session of the 41st Canadian Parliament
41st Canadian Parliament
The 41st Canadian Parliament is the current Parliament of Canada, with the membership of its House of Commons having been determined by the results of the 2011 federal election held on May 2, 2011...
, following the 2011 federal election and the defeat and resignation of BQ leader Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe
Gilles Duceppe is a Canadian politician, and proponent of the Québec sovereignty movement. He was a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons for over 20 years and was the leader of the sovereigntist Bloc Québécois for almost 15 years. He is the son of a well-known Quebec actor, Jean...
while Vivian Barbot
Vivian Barbot
Vivian Barbot is a teacher, activist, and politician. She is a former President of the Fédération des femmes du Québec, a former Member of Parliament and currently serves as interim president of the Bloc Québécois....
succeeded Duceppe as interim president of the BQ.