What is the Official Opposition's role?

The Official Opposition is the largest non-government party in the federal House of Commons. By Westminster convention, the Official Opposition's role is to scrutinise government action, hold the government accountable through debate and Question Period, propose alternative policies, and provide a credible alternative government should the current government lose the confidence of the House. The Official Opposition is led by the Leader of the Official Opposition, who has the right to first response to government statements and to longer speaking times in many debates.

The Leader of the Official Opposition since the May 2025 Parliament is Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. Previous Leaders of the Official Opposition have included Stephen Harper (Conservative, 2002 to 2006), Stéphane Dion (Liberal, 2006 to 2008), Michael Ignatieff (Liberal, 2008 to 2011), Jack Layton and Thomas Mulcair (NDP, 2011 to 2015), Rona Ambrose (Conservative interim, 2015 to 2017), Andrew Scheer (Conservative, 2017 to 2020), Erin O'Toole (Conservative, 2020 to 2022), and Candice Bergen (Conservative interim, 2022).

The Official Opposition has formal recognition in the British and Canadian parliamentary tradition. The Leader of the Official Opposition receives a higher salary than other MPs (plus the role-based supplement), an official residence (Stornoway in Ottawa, since 1950), Right Honourable styling after retirement (informally), and seating across from the Prime Minister in the House of Commons Chamber. The Official Opposition's Whip, House Leader, and Deputy Leader hold shadow positions corresponding to the government Whip, House Leader, and Deputy Prime Minister.

The Official Opposition forms a Shadow Cabinet (or Critic Bench) with Critics assigned to each government Minister. Critics monitor their assigned department, ask questions in Question Period, lead opposition responses to government bills, and develop the party's policy alternatives. Other opposition parties (the Bloc Québécois, NDP, and Green Party in the current Parliament) have their own critics but do not hold the formal status of the Official Opposition. In a minority Parliament, the Official Opposition can sometimes trigger an election by withdrawing confidence in the government, though doing so requires the cooperation of enough other parties to defeat a confidence motion.