48-616: His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Other parties The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick ( French : Assemblée législative du Nouveau-Brunswick ) is the deliberative assembly of the New Brunswick Legislature , in the province of New Brunswick , Canada . The assembly's seat is located in Fredericton . It was established in Saint John de jure when the colony was created in 1784 but came into session only in 1786, following
96-583: A prime minister attempted to remain in office into a fourth consecutive Parliament and the first time since the 1980 election that someone attempted to win a fourth term of any kind as prime minister. The Liberal Party , led by Justin Trudeau , won 184 seats, allowing it to form a majority government with Trudeau becoming the next prime minister. Trudeau and the rest of his cabinet were sworn in on November 4, 2015. The Conservative Party , led by incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper , won 99 seats, becoming
144-487: A French-language debate organized by the consortium of broadcasters as one of their five debates. The New Democratic Party confirmed that Tom Mulcair would accept every debate where the prime minister was present. The NDP had previously confirmed its intention to participate in both of the consortium debates before Stephen Harper withdrew but ultimately only participated in the French language consortium debate which included
192-425: A decrease in its popular vote share. There was an increase in voter turnout among all age groups. The largest was among eligible voters aged 18 to 24, which increased 18.3 points, to 57.1%. Elections Canada reported that this was the biggest increase in turnout among this age group since it began making demographic turnout estimates. Following the election, Harper conceded defeat to Trudeau and resigned as leader of
240-593: A distinct colony from Nova Scotia. Saint John was chosen as the original capital when New Brunswick was formed as it was the centre of commerce and the only city at that time. The first elections took place in November 1785. The legislative assembly came into session in January 1786. It was originally the lower house in a bicameral legislature. Its upper house counterpart, the Legislative Council of New Brunswick ,
288-591: Is because elections have traditionally yielded a strong government majority ; in fact on occasion, even with many of the seats on one side of the House, the government has spilled over to the opposition side. Quite often the House is oriented to have only two rows on the opposition benches, in the event of a large opposition adding a third row makes the opposition benches rather crowded. To be decided Official Opposition (Canada) His Majesty's Loyal Opposition ( French : loyale Opposition de Sa Majesté ), or simply
336-789: Is used in the Standing Orders of the House of Commons . The Official Opposition is sometimes also referred to as the Loyal Opposition to express the idea that, although the group may be against the sitting government, it remains loyal to the Crown (the embodiment of the Canadian state) and thus to Canada. Former leader of the Official Opposition, Michael Ignatieff , explains: "The opposition performs an adversarial function critical to democracy itself… Governments have no right to question
384-682: The Liberals won every seat in the 51st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly . To ensure the proper functioning of the parliamentary system, Premier Frank McKenna named several members of his own caucus, led by Camille Thériault , to serve as the Official Opposition. The government also allowed the Progressive Conservative Party , which finished second place in the election in the number of votes received, to submit written questions to ministers during Question Period. The Official Opposition party has advantages over other opposition parties in
432-583: The New Democratic Party (NDP) became Official Opposition and the Liberal Party became the third party. The Bloc Québécois won four seats and the Green Party won one seat. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe resigned shortly after failing to win their own ridings. The Bloc Québécois lost official party status by failing to attain the minimum seats needed (12). Bob Rae
480-561: The Northwest Territories do not have Official Opposition in their respective legislatures. 2015 Canadian federal election Stephen Harper Conservative Justin Trudeau Liberal The 2015 Canadian federal election held on October 19, 2015, saw the Liberal Party , led by Justin Trudeau , win 184 seats, allowing it to form a majority government with Trudeau becoming the next prime minister. The election
528-532: The Official Opposition (French: Opposition officielle ), is usually the second-largest party (or group of parties) in the House of Commons . Typically, it is the largest party of the parliamentary opposition , which is composed of members of Parliament (MPs) who are not in government. The Official Opposition is viewed as the caucus tasked with keeping the government in check. It is also generally viewed as
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#1732851822514576-486: The Official Opposition after nearly a decade on the government benches. The New Democratic Party , led by Tom Mulcair , won 44 seats, becoming the third-largest party in the House of Commons, after having formed the Official Opposition following the 2011 election . The Bloc Québécois won 10 seats, the Green Party won 1 seat, and Strength in Democracy lost all its seats. The Liberal Party's increase of 148 seats from
624-611: The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party had the largest caucus but were relegated to official opposition not long after the 1985 election, as their minority government was defeated on a motion of non-confidence. The Ontario Liberal Party , the second largest party, governed from 1985 to 1987 with supply provided by the Ontario New Democratic Party . In 1993, the Reform Party challenged whether
672-518: The Quebec sovereigntist Bloc Québécois could hold the position of official opposition. The Speaker ruled in favour of the Bloc, as they held two more seats than Reform. During the Bloc's time as the official opposition, Quebec issues on national unity dominated Question Period, often to the irritation of the other opposition parties (indeed, Reform was the only other caucus that met official party status , with
720-499: The Speech from the Throne to follow on December 4. In the aftermath of the 2011 election, many pundits had characterized it as a realigning election . Lawrence Martin , commentator for The Globe and Mail said, "Harper has completed a remarkable reconstruction of a Canadian political landscape that endured for more than a century. The realignment saw both old parties of the moderate middle,
768-479: The 2015 election. There was a $ 150,000 election advertising expenses limit. Of that amount, no more than $ 8,788 could be incurred to promote or oppose the election of one or more candidates in a particular electoral district. Hours after conceding defeat on election night, incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper resigned as leader of the Conservative Party , though he announced his intention to remain in
816-659: The Conservative Party. Gilles Duceppe resigned as leader of the Bloc Québécois shortly after the election on October 22, 2015. Tom Mulcair announced his intention to remain leader of the NDP, but was forced to step down in October 2017, after losing a party vote on his leadership in the spring of 2016. The 2011 federal election resulted in the continuation of the incumbent Conservative government headed by Stephen Harper , while
864-668: The Conservatives. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau attended the Maclean's , Globe and Mail , and French consortium debates; and the Liberals confirmed he would attend the other debates. The Bloc Québécois attended the French language consortium debate and confirmed its attendance at the French-language TVA debate. The Green Party attended the Maclean's and French language consortium debates, and confirmed its intention to participate in
912-598: The English language consortium debate. Strength in Democracy , which had the same number of seats in the House of Commons at dissolution as the Greens and Bloc Québécois, were not invited to participate in any of the televised debates. The leaders of the party objected to their exclusion and launched a petition demanding that all parties represented in Parliament be invited to the debates. Other minor parties without representation in
960-521: The House of Commons were not invited to participate in any of the televised debates. The second Canadian federal election to significantly incorporate social media , the 2015 campaign was notable for the rise of new avenues of scrutiny for potential candidates. A number of damaging revelations for each of the major political parties late in the campaign led to calls for increased vetting amongst political strategists, academics and outside observers. [REDACTED] Evolution of voting intentions during
1008-412: The House or the Official Opposition party wins a general election, the party is ready to become the government. The current Official Opposition is the caucus of the Conservative Party , assuming the role following the 2015 federal election . The Opposition is led by Pierre Poilievre , who became Conservative leader following the 2022 leadership election . The formal title of "Official Opposition"
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#17328518225141056-506: The House. They are assigned to speak first after the government, and receive more time in question period than other opposition parties. It also gets more office space, funding for research, and a larger staff than other parties. The leader of the Opposition has an official residence in Ottawa known as Stornoway and the salary and similar privileges to those of a cabinet minister. Additionally,
1104-609: The Liberals under Trudeau made an unprecedented comeback. Gaining 148 seats, they won a majority government for the first time since 2000. Chantal Hébert, writing in the Toronto Star, claimed the comeback was "headed straight for the history books" and that Harper's name would "forever be joined with that of his Liberal nemesis in Canada's electoral annals". Spencer McKay, writing for the National Post , suggested that "maybe we've witnessed
1152-467: The NDP and PC parties falling short of that threshold). However, Reform was considered to be main opposition to the Liberals on all other issues that were not specific to Quebec. In 1995, when Bloc leader Lucien Bouchard 's position as Opposition Leader granted him a meeting with the visiting American president , Bill Clinton , Reform leader Preston Manning was also given a meeting with Clinton in order to diffuse Bouchard's separatist leverage. In 1987,
1200-540: The Official Opposition. As a result of the 1925 election , the Official Opposition was actually the largest party in the House of Commons, the Conservatives. The Liberals, led by Mackenzie King, were able to form a minority government despite the fact that they had a dozen fewer seats than the Conservatives because King's Liberals were able to win the support of the Progressives to remain in government. Similarly, in Ontario,
1248-472: The Progressive Conservatives and the Liberals, either eliminated or marginalized." Andrew Coyne , writing in Maclean's , said the election marked "an unprecedented realignment of Canadian politics" as "the Conservatives are now in a position to replace the Liberals as the natural governing party in Canada." Despite the grim outlook and poor early poll numbers, when the 2015 election was held,
1296-628: The Senate is not necessarily the same party as in the House of Commons. From 1993 to 2003, the Official Opposition in the Senate was the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada , even though the Bloc Québécois was the Official Opposition in the House from 1993 to 1997, followed by the Reform Party of Canada , and then the Canadian Alliance from 1997 to 2003. This is because the BQ, and Reform Party had no Senators. However, when Senator Gerry St. Germain crossed
1344-414: The alternative government or "government in waiting". The Official Opposition maintains a shadow cabinet , with the leader of the Official Opposition at its head, of members of Parliament (MPs) and senators who often have the same portfolio areas of interest as actual ministers . The spokesperson for each portfolio is known as an opposition critic. In the event the government loses the confidence of
1392-404: The campaign leading up to the 2015 Canadian federal election to be held on October 19, 2015. Points represent results of individual polls. Before the campaign, there were no limits to what a political party, candidate, or third party (corporations, unions, special interest groups, etc.) can spend: spending rules are only in force after the writs have been dropped and the campaign has begun. Because
1440-487: The election period is set longer than the standard 37-day election period, spending limits are increased in proportion to the length of the period. Political parties receive a reimbursement for 50 per cent of their election expenses during the writ period. Similarly, candidates (through their official agents) receive a reimbursement of 60 per cent of their election expenses during the writ period. Both reimbursements are publicly funded. Elections Canada reports that during
1488-466: The federal election – at least one each in English and French . These debates were produced by a consortium of Canada's major television networks. In May 2015, the Conservatives said they would not participate in the consortium debates and instead would take part in as many as five independently staged debates in the run-up to the fall federal election. Ultimately, the Conservatives agreed to participate in
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1536-409: The financial quarter preceding the writ period, the Conservatives received $ 7.4 million in contributions, the NDP received $ 4.5 million, and the Liberals received $ 4.0 million. The NDP had the most individual donors at 48,314, followed by the Conservatives at 45,532 and then the Liberals at 32,789. The New Democratic Party stated that it collected greater than $ 9 million in the third quarter of 2015,
1584-501: The first elections in late 1785. The legislative assembly was originally the lower house in a bicameral legislature. Its upper house counterpart, the Legislative Council of New Brunswick , was abolished in 1891. Its members are called " Members of the Legislative Assembly ", commonly referred to as "MLAs". Nova Scotia originally covered most of the territory of today's Maritime provinces . In 1784, New Brunswick became
1632-490: The floor from the Progressive Conservatives to the Canadian Alliance in 2000, he argued that he should be recognized as the leader of the Opposition in the Senate as the Canadian Alliance formed the Official Opposition in the House of Commons. The speaker of the Senate of Canada ruled against him, however, as the Progressive Conservatives were the larger opposition party. Due to consensus government , Nunavut and
1680-453: The government party in the Senate. It is customary, however, for the Senate to pass legislation approved in the House of Commons even if the government has a minority in the Senate. Although the Senate nominally has the power to block most legislation (excepting bills which would trigger a non-confidence motion if defeated in the House, such as money bills), this power is rarely exercised in practice. The party that forms Official Opposition in
1728-477: The leader and other shadow cabinet members have the privilege of meeting with visiting foreign dignitaries, which is not always granted to members of smaller parties. There is also an Official Opposition in the Senate of Canada . This is the largest party in the Senate that is not in government. As the governing party is determined in the House of Commons, the Official Opposition in the Senate may actually be larger than
1776-557: The loyalty of those who oppose them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of the same sovereign, servants of the same law." After the 1921 election , the Progressive Party , a looseknit largely agrarian "protest" party, won the second largest number of seats to William Lyon Mackenzie King's Liberals, but declined to be the Official Opposition because of their lack of national organization. The third-place Conservative Party, led by Arthur Meighen , thus became
1824-600: The most it ever received from donors, and greater than the quarterly record established by the Conservative Party in 2011. At the riding level, financial reports in each of the 338 constituencies showed that in Conservative electoral district associations ended 2014 with net assets totalling more than $ 19 million, Liberal riding associations reported a total of about $ 8 million in net assets, and NDP associations more than $ 4.4 million. Individuals are able to give up to $ 1,500 to each political party and an additional $ 1,500 to all
1872-529: The new parliament as a backbencher after being elected in the riding of Calgary Heritage . The Conservative caucus met on November 5, 2015, and elected former health minister and Alberta MP Rona Ambrose as interim leader of the party, and hence, interim Leader of the Official Opposition . The next Conservative Party of Canada leadership election was held on May 27, 2017. Following his swearing in on November 4, 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that parliament would reconvene on December 3, 2015, with
1920-467: The number of seats in the House of Commons to be contested in the 42nd Canadian federal election was 338, an increase of 30 seats from the 308 seats comprising the House of Commons of Canada of the 41st Parliament of Canada , at its dissolution . Prime Minister Stephen Harper requested writs of election for a federal general election from Governor General David Johnston on August 2. The official proclamations were issued on August 4. The date of
1968-424: The previous election was the largest-ever numerical increase by a party in a Canadian election. Prior to the campaign, the Liberals had held only 36 seats—the fewest seats ever held at dissolution by any federal party that won the following election. The Liberals also became the first federal party in Canadian history to win a majority of seats without having been either the governing party or the Official Opposition in
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2016-468: The previous parliament, and this was only the second time a party went from having the third-most seats to the most seats (the first being in 1925 ). It was the second largest number of seats won in a federal election for the Liberals, the best being 191 in 1949 . The election also had the highest voter turnout since 1993 . Every party represented in the House of Commons except the Liberal Party recorded
2064-469: The registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of each registered party combined. A person or group must register as a third party immediately after incurring election advertising expenses totalling $ 500 or more. There are strict limits on advertising expenses, and specific limits that can be incurred to promote or oppose the election of one or more candidates in a particular electoral district. There were 112 registered third parties in
2112-470: The vote is determined by the fixed-date Canada Elections Act . At 11 weeks, the campaign was the longest in modern Canadian history. As a result of the 2012 federal electoral redistribution , the number of electoral districts was increased to 338, with additional seats based on population assigned to Alberta (6), British Columbia (6), Ontario (15), and Quebec (3). Traditionally, party leaders participated in at least two nationally televised debates during
2160-453: Was abolished on April 16, 1891. The New Brunswick Legislative Building is the current building that houses the Assembly. It opened in 1882, having been constructed by J.C. Dumaresq, following the destruction of the original building, known as Province Hall, by fire in 1880. The legislative chamber is designed to have four rows on the government side and three rows on the opposition side. This
2208-539: Was chosen as interim leader of the Liberal Party. In July 2011 Jack Layton , suffering from cancer, temporarily stepped down as leader of the NDP because of illness, indicating his intention to return for the reconvening of Parliament in September. Weeks later Layton died of cancer and was given a state funeral . In March 2012 Tom Mulcair was elected leader of the New Democratic Party. In April 2013 Justin Trudeau
2256-586: Was elected leader of the Liberal Party. Bloc Québécois leader Daniel Paillé stepped down in December 2013 and was eventually replaced in June 2014 by Mario Beaulieu , who in turn was later replaced in June 2015 by Duceppe. In late 2014, MPs Jean-François Larose of the NDP and Jean-François Fortin of the Bloc formed the new political party Strength in Democracy . As set forth in the Fair Representation Act ,
2304-485: Was held to elect members to the House of Commons of the 42nd Canadian Parliament . In keeping with the maximum four year term under a 2007 amendment to the Canada Elections Act , the writs of election for the 2015 election were issued by Governor General David Johnston on August 4. The ensuing campaign was one of the longest in Canadian history. It was also the first time since the 1979 election that
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