The Executive

The Prime Minister

The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the de facto head of the Government of Canada. The office does not formally exist in the Constitution of Canada, where executive authority is vested in the Canadian Sovereign. The office evolved a de facto existence in the mid 19th century and has become a central feature of Canadian Government.

The Prime Minister is the pivotal person in contemporary executive governments. The PM is the focus of public and media attention, and has immense power to shape the composition of the government and determine its policy directions.

This section will look at the role of the Prime Minister in Canadian politics, focusing primarily on the following areas:

1. The Prime Minister - a more detailed explanation of the most important political position in the executive arm.
2. Is the Prime Minister too powerful? - many argue that the Prime Minister yields too much power in the Canadian political system. Are these concerns justified?
3. Complete list of Canada's Prime Ministers since 1867
4. The Rt. Honourable Stephen Harper - Canada's 22nd Prime Minister

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Related Links

• Official website of the Prime Minister of Canada
• First Among Equals: The Prime Minister in Canadian Life and Politics
• Biographical Information about the Prime Ministers of Canada