Duration of Canadian Ministries

Duration of Canadian Ministries 1867 to Date

This material deals with the span of time during which each of Canada's Prime Ministers have held office. The "Guide to Canadian Ministries" has been used as the source material.

Calculations, which are done automatically, are based on a 365.25-day year and a 30.4375-day month, and may vary by 1 or 2 days.

"First Day" - the day on which a Ministry commenced is the day of oath of office as Prime Minister. However, there is no legal requirement that a Prime Minister take such an oath. Until 1957 the Prime Minister held at least one portfolio. If no oath of office as Prime Minister was taken the life of the Ministry began on the day he was sworn to that portfolio. If the Prime Minister retained the same portfolio from the previous ministry the first day was that on which the ministers were sworn to office.

"Last Day" - the day the Prime Minister dies or the Governor General accepts his resignation. A Prime Minister may indicate his intention to resign, but only offer his formal resignation when the newly elected Prime Minister is ready to form a government. The final day in office of a Ministry corresponds to the "Interpretation Act, 1967". When an appointment is made effective or terminates on a specified day, that appointment is considered to be effective or to terminate after the end of the previous day.

Government Parties Time in Office
Prime Minister's Time in Office

^ Duration of each Ministries

Name	Prime Minister	Ministry	Duration of Ministry
Harper, Stephen Joseph Conservative Party of Canada (2003)	22nd	28th	655 Days (1 year, 9 months, 17 days) (2006.02.06 - )
Martin, Paul Edgar Philippe Liberal Party of Canada	21st	27th	786 Days (2 years, 1 month, 26 days) (2003.12.12 - 2006.02.05)
Chrétien, Joseph Jacques Jean Liberal Party of Canada	20th	26th	3689 Days (10 years, 1 month, 6 days) (1993.11.04 - 2003.12.11)
Campbell, A. Kim Progressive Conservative Party	19th	25th	131 Days (4 months, 10 days) (1993.06.25 - 1993.11.03)
Mulroney, Martin Brian Progressive Conservative Party	18th	24th	3202 Days (8 years, 9 months, 7 days) (1984.09.17 - 1993.06.24)
Turner, John Napier Liberal Party of Canada	17th	23rd	78 Days (2 months, 18 days) (1984.06.30 - 1984.09.16)
Trudeau, Pierre Elliott Liberal Party of Canada	15th	22nd	1579 Days (4 years, 3 months, 27 days) (1980.03.03 - 1984.06.29)
Clark, Charles Joseph (Joe) Progressive Conservative Party	16th	21st	272 Days (8 months, 29 days) (1979.06.04 - 1980.03.02)
Trudeau, Pierre Elliott Liberal Party of Canada	15th	20th	4061 Days (11 years, 1 month, 13 days) (1968.04.20 - 1979.06.03)
Pearson, Lester Bowles Liberal Party of Canada	14th	19th	1824 Days (4 years, 11 months, 29 days) (1963.04.22 - 1968.04.19)
Diefenbaker, John George Progressive Conservative Party	13th	18th	2130 Days (5 years, 9 months, 31 days) (1957.06.21 - 1963.04.21)
St-Laurent, Louis Stephen Liberal Party of Canada	12th	17th	3139 Days (8 years, 7 months, 4 days) (1948.11.15 - 1957.06.20)
King, William Lyon Mackenzie Liberal Party of Canada	10th	16th	4771 Days (13 years, 23 days) (1935.10.23 - 1948.11.14)
Bennett, Richard Bedford Conservative	11th	15th	1902 Days (5 years, 2 months, 16 days) (1930.08.07 - 1935.10.22)
King, William Lyon Mackenzie Liberal Party of Canada	10th	14th	1411 Days (3 years, 10 months, 11 days) (1926.09.25 - 1930.08.06)
Meighen, Arthur Conservative	9th	13th	87 Days (2 months, 27 days) (1926.06.29 - 1926.09.24)
King, William Lyon Mackenzie Liberal Party of Canada	10th	12th	1642 Days (4 years, 5 months, 29 days) (1921.12.29 - 1926.06.28)
Meighen, Arthur National Liberal and Conservative Party (1921)	9th	11th	536 Days (1 year, 5 months, 19 days) (1920.07.10 - 1921.12.28)
Borden, Robert Laird Unionist (Conservative and Liberal)	8th	10th	1001 Days (2 years, 8 months, 27 days) (1917.10.12 - 1920.07.09)
Borden, Robert Laird Conservative	8th	9th	2193 Days (6 years, 2 days) (1911.10.10 - 1917.10.11)
Laurier, Wilfrid Liberal Party of Canada	7th	8th	5564 Days (15 years, 2 months, 25 days) (1896.07.11 - 1911.10.06)
Tupper, Charles Conservative	6th	7th	68 Days (2 months, 8 days) (1896.05.01 - 1896.07.08)
Bowell, Mackenzie Conservative	5th	6th	493 Days (1 year, 4 months, 7 days) (1894.12.21 - 1896.04.27)
Thompson, John Sparrow David Liberal-Conservative	4th	5th	737 Days (2 years, 6 days) (1892.12.05 - 1894.12.12)
Abbott, John Joseph Caldwell Liberal-Conservative	3rd	4th	527 Days (1 year, 5 months, 10 days) (1891.06.16 - 1892.11.24)
Macdonald, John Alexander Liberal-Conservative	1st	3rd	4615 Days (12 years, 7 months, 19 days) (1878.10.17 - 1891.06.06)
Mackenzie, Alexander Liberal Party of Canada	2nd	2nd	1796 Days (4 years, 11 months, 1 days) (1873.11.07 - 1878.10.08)
Macdonald, John Alexander Liberal-Conservative	1st	1st	2319 Days (6 years, 4 months, 7 days) (1867.07.01 - 1873.11.05)

^ Government Parties

Party	Time in Office
Liberal Party of Canada	30340 Days (83 years, 24 days)
Liberal-Conservative	8198 Days (22 years, 5 months, 10 days)
Progressive Conservative Party	5735 Days (15 years, 8 months, 13 days)
Conservative	4743 Days (12 years, 11 months, 26 days)
Unionist (Conservative and Liberal)	1001 Days (2 years, 8 months, 27 days)
Conservative Party of Canada (2003)	655 Days (1 year, 9 months, 17 days)
National Liberal and Conservative Party (1921)	536 Days (1 year, 5 months, 19 days)

^ Prime Ministers

Name	Party	Time in Office
King, William Lyon Mackenzie	Liberal Party of Canada	7824 Days (21 years, 5 months, 2 days)
Macdonald, John Alexander	Liberal-Conservative	6934 Days (18 years, 11 months, 26 days)
Trudeau, Pierre Elliott	Liberal Party of Canada	5640 Days (15 years, 5 months, 9 days)
Laurier, Wilfrid	Liberal Party of Canada	5564 Days (15 years, 2 months, 25 days)
Chrétien, Joseph Jacques Jean	Liberal Party of Canada	3689 Days (10 years, 1 month, 6 days)
Mulroney, Martin Brian	Progressive Conservative Party	3202 Days (8 years, 9 months, 7 days)
St-Laurent, Louis Stephen	Liberal Party of Canada	3139 Days (8 years, 7 months, 4 days)
Borden, Robert Laird	Conservative	2193 Days (6 years, 2 days)
Diefenbaker, John George	Progressive Conservative Party	2130 Days (5 years, 9 months, 31 days)
Bennett, Richard Bedford	Conservative	1902 Days (5 years, 2 months, 16 days)
Pearson, Lester Bowles	Liberal Party of Canada	1824 Days (4 years, 11 months, 29 days)
Mackenzie, Alexander	Liberal Party of Canada	1796 Days (4 years, 11 months, 1 days)
Borden, Robert Laird	Unionist (Conservative and Liberal)	1001 Days (2 years, 8 months, 27 days)
Martin, Paul Edgar Philippe	Liberal Party of Canada	786 Days (2 years, 1 month, 26 days)
Thompson, John Sparrow David	Liberal-Conservative	737 Days (2 years, 6 days)
Harper, Stephen Joseph	Conservative Party of Canada (2003)	655 Days (1 year, 9 months, 17 days)
Meighen, Arthur	National Liberal and Conservative Party (1921)	536 Days (1 year, 5 months, 19 days)
Abbott, John Joseph Caldwell	Liberal-Conservative	527 Days (1 year, 5 months, 10 days)
Bowell, Mackenzie	Conservative	493 Days (1 year, 4 months, 7 days)
Clark, Charles Joseph (Joe)	Progressive Conservative Party	272 Days (8 months, 29 days)
Campbell, A. Kim	Progressive Conservative Party	131 Days (4 months, 10 days)
Meighen, Arthur	Conservative	87 Days (2 months, 27 days)
Turner, John Napier	Liberal Party of Canada	78 Days (2 months, 18 days)
Tupper, Charles	Conservative	68 Days (2 months, 8 days)