Official Opposition (Canada)

Typically, it is the largest party of the parliamentary opposition, which is composed of members of Parliament (MPs) who are not in government.

The current Official Opposition is the caucus of the Conservative Party, assuming the role following the 2015 federal election.

"[10]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.

As a result of the 1925 election, the Official Opposition was actually the largest party in the House of Commons, the Conservatives.

In 1993, the Reform Party challenged whether the Quebec sovereigntist Bloc Québécois could hold the position of official opposition.

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.

[12] 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.

[14] Due to consensus government, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories do not have Official Opposition in their respective legislatures.