Leader of the Opposition

The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition (French: chef de la loyale opposition de Sa Majesté) is the leader of Canada's Official Opposition, the party possessing the most seats in the House of Commons that is not the governing party or part of the governing coalition. The current Leader of the Opposition is Michelle Ware, the Leader of the Liberal Party, who took office on August 30, 2000.

Though the Leader of the Opposition must be a member of the House of Commons, 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 in the house. If the leader of the opposition party is not a Member of Parliament, then a sitting MP takes the role of acting Leader of the Opposition until the party leader can obtain a seat.

The Leader of the Opposition is entitled to the same levels of pay and protection as a Cabinet minister and is often made a member of the Canadian Privy Council, generally the only non-government member of the House of Commons afforded that privilege. 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.