Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)

Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition Chef de la loyale opposition de Sa Majesté
Incumbent Thomas Mulcair since March 24, 2012
Residence	Stornoway
Term length	While leader of the largest party not in government
Inaugural holder	Alexander Mackenzie
Formation	March 1873

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The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition (French: chef de la loyale opposition de Sa Majesté), or simply the Leader of the Opposition (French: chef de l'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. The current Leader of the Opposition is Thomas Mulcair of the New Democratic Party.

Though the Leader of the Opposition must be a member of the House of Commons,^[1] the office should not be confused with the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, which is the formal title of the Opposition House Leader. There is also a Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, who is usually of the same party as the Leader of the Opposition, but as there are no members of the NDP in the Senate, the Liberal Party forms the Opposition in the Senate of Canada.

The Leader of the Opposition is entitled to the same levels of pay and protection as a Cabinet minister. He or she is entitled to reside at the official residence of Stornoway and ranks fourteenth on the Order of Precedence, after Cabinet ministers and before lieutenant governors of the provinces. In the House of Commons seating plan, the Leader of the Opposition sits directly across from the Prime Minister.

See also

• List of Leaders of the Official Opposition (Canada)
• Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons (Canada)
• Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Canada)
• Official Opposition (Canada)

References