🇨🇦 Canada
Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchyElectoral democracy
Mark Carney
Prime Minister · 535 days in office · 1,145 days remaining
How the political system works in Canada
Canadians vote for a local Member of Parliament, and the party with the most seats forms the government, led by the prime minister. Elections must happen at least every four years. There is no limit on how long a prime minister can serve. The King is Canada's head of state, represented locally by the governor general.
Next election: 2029 — Next Canadian federal election must be held by October 2029.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
William Lyon Mackenzie King
7,826 days · 3 terms
Shortest-serving
Charles Tupper
68 days
Average tenure
2,055 days
Mark Carney: 74% below average
Recent prime ministers by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Canada?
Across 28 completed terms, the average prime minister of Canada has served 2,055 days (about 5.6 years). That has stayed fairly steady: the last five completed terms averaged 2,317 days.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All prime ministers of Canada
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 |  Mark Carney | Mar 14, 2025 | Incumbent | 535 |
| 28 |  Justin Trudeau | Nov 4, 2015 | Mar 14, 2025 | 3,418 |
| 27 |  Stephen Harper | Feb 6, 2006 | Nov 4, 2015 | 3,558 |
| 26 |  Paul Martin | Dec 12, 2003 | Feb 6, 2006 | 787 |
| 25 |  Jean Chrétien | Nov 4, 1993 | Dec 12, 2003 | 3,690 |
| 24 |  Kim Campbell | Jun 25, 1993 | Nov 3, 1993 | 131 |
| 23 |  Brian Mulroney | Sep 17, 1984 | Jun 25, 1993 | 3,203 |
| 22 |  John Turner | Jun 30, 1984 | Sep 17, 1984 | 79 |
| 21 |  Pierre Trudeau | Mar 3, 1980 | Jun 30, 1984 | 1,580 |
| 20 |  Joe Clark | Jun 4, 1979 | Mar 3, 1980 | 273 |
| 19 | Pierre Trudeau | Apr 20, 1968 | Jun 4, 1979 | 4,062 |
| 18 |  Lester B. Pearson | Apr 22, 1963 | Apr 20, 1968 | 1,825 |
| 17 |  John Diefenbaker | Jun 21, 1957 | Apr 22, 1963 | 2,131 |
| 16 |  Louis St. Laurent | Nov 15, 1948 | Jun 21, 1957 | 3,140 |
| 15 |  William Lyon Mackenzie King | Oct 23, 1935 | Nov 15, 1948 | 4,772 |
| 14 |  Richard Bedford Bennett | Aug 7, 1930 | Oct 23, 1935 | 1,903 |
| 13 | William Lyon Mackenzie King | Sep 25, 1926 | Aug 7, 1930 | 1,412 |
| 12 |  Arthur Meighen | Jun 29, 1926 | Sep 25, 1926 | 88 |
| 11 | William Lyon Mackenzie King | Dec 29, 1921 | Jun 28, 1926 | 1,642 |
| 10 | Arthur Meighen | Jul 10, 1920 | Dec 29, 1921 | 537 |
| 9 |  Robert Borden | Oct 10, 1911 | Jul 10, 1920 | 3,196 |
| 8 |  Wilfrid Laurier | Jul 11, 1896 | Oct 6, 1911 | 5,564 |
| 7 |  Charles Tupper | May 1, 1896 | Jul 8, 1896 | 68 |
| 6 |  Mackenzie Bowell | Dec 21, 1894 | Apr 27, 1896 | 493 |
| 5 |  John Sparrow David Thompson | Dec 5, 1892 | Dec 12, 1894 | 737 |
| 4 |  John Abbott | Jun 16, 1891 | Nov 24, 1892 | 527 |
| 3 |  John A. Macdonald | Oct 17, 1878 | Jun 6, 1891 | 4,615 |
| 2 |  Alexander Mackenzie | Nov 7, 1873 | Oct 8, 1878 | 1,796 |
| 1 | John A. Macdonald | Jul 1, 1867 | Nov 5, 1873 | 2,319 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the Prime Minister of Canada?
- Mark Carney has been Prime Minister of Canada since Mar 14, 2025.
- How is the leader of Canada chosen?
- Canadians vote for a local Member of Parliament, and the party with the most seats forms the government, led by the prime minister. Elections must happen at least every four years. There is no limit on how long a prime minister can serve. The King is Canada's head of state, represented locally by the governor general.
- Who is the longest-serving Prime Minister of Canada?
- William Lyon Mackenzie King, with 7,826 days in office across 3 terms.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Canada?
- Across 28 completed terms, the average prime minister of Canada has served 2,055 days (about 5.6 years). That has stayed fairly steady: the last five completed terms averaged 2,317 days.