Certain Senators hold leadership positions that are critical to the organization of the work of the Senate. These appointments are generally made on a political basis. The Senate uses the term “political officers” to describe these offices: the Speaker of the Senate, the Speaker pro tempore, the Leader of the Government in the Senate; the Leader of the Opposition; the Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate; and the party Whips.
Certain Members of the House of Commons are elected or appointed to serve in offices relating to the operation of the House. These are usually known as “House Officers,” and are political – as opposed to administrative – offices. Bylaw 302 of the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy includes the following definition:
"House Officer" ("agent supérieur de la Chambre") means the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole House, the Deputy Chair and Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole House, the Government House Leader, the Leader or House Leader of a recognized party, the Whip of a recognized party, the Chair of the national caucus of a recognized party, any Member who is a former Prime Minister and the Member designated by the leader of a recognized party to be responsible for the research office of the party, but does not include the Prime Minister of Canada.