Historical rankings of prime ministers of Canada

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Historical rankings of prime ministers of Canada

Surveys have been conducted to construct historical rankings of individuals who have served as prime minister of Canada. These ranking systems are usually based on surveys of academic historians, economists and political scientists. The rankings focus on the achievements, leadership qualities, failures and faults in office.

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East Block (left) and the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council (right) have housed the office of the prime minister since Canadian Confederation, the former from 1867 to 1977 and the latter since 1977.

Scholar survey results

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Canadian custom is to count by the individuals who were prime minister, not by terms.[1] Since Confederation, 24 prime ministers have been "called upon" by the governor general to form 30 Canadian ministries.[1]

Legend
Blue backgrounds indicate first quartile.
Green backgrounds indicate second quartile.
Orange backgrounds indicate third quartile.
Red backgrounds indicate fourth quartile.

Note: Click the "sort" icon at the head of each column to view the rankings for each survey in numerical order.

More information Sequence, Prime Minister ...
SequencePrime MinisterPolitical partyMaclean's 1997[2]Maclean's 2011[3]Maclean's 2016[4]Aggr.[5]Time in office (rank)
1Sir John A. MacdonaldConservative223032
2Alexander MackenzieLiberal1113131314
3Sir John Abbott[a]Conservative1719202018
4Sir John Thompson[a]Conservative1014161516
5Sir Mackenzie Bowell[a]Conservative1921212219
6Sir Charles Tupper[a]Conservative1618191923
7Sir Wilfrid LaurierLiberal312024
8Sir Robert BordenConservative, Unionist789089
9Arthur Meighen[a]Conservative1416171717
10William Lyon Mackenzie KingLiberal131011
11R. B. BennettConservative1212141412
12Louis St. LaurentLiberal4760610
13John George DiefenbakerProgressive Conservative1310121211
14Lester B. PearsonLiberal6450513
15Pierre Elliott TrudeauLiberal554043
16Joe Clark[a]Progressive Conservative1517181820
17John Turner[a]Liberal1820222122
18Brian MulroneyProgressive Conservative898098
19Kim Campbell[a]Progressive Conservative2022232321
20Jean ChrétienLiberal9[b]67075
21Paul Martin[a]Liberal15151615
22Stephen HarperConservative11[b]11116
23Justin TrudeauLiberal10[b]107
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  1. Served less than 2 years, 3 months as prime minister, while all others served for more than 4 years, 11 months. There is a strong correlation between time served in office and the poll rankings: the bottom quartile of the aggregate poll rankings are all in the bottom quartile of time served in office. Similarly, the top four prime ministers in terms of aggregate rankings are in the top four of time spent in office.
  2. Ranking calculated before the prime minister had left office.

Sequence listed by first term as prime minister.

By approval rating

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The following is a list of prime ministers of Canada by their highest and lowest approval rating during their term. The approval rating system came into effect when John Diefenbaker was prime minister (1957–1963).

Highest approval rating

1.   Jean Chrétien66% (September 1994)[6]
2.   Justin Trudeau65% (September 2016)[7]
3.   John Diefenbaker64% (June 1958)[6]
3.   Stephen Harper64% (March 2006)[6]
5.   Brian Mulroney61% (June 1985)[6]
6.   Paul Martin56% (September 2004)[6]
6.   Lester B. Pearson56% (January 1966)[6]
8.   Pierre Trudeau55% (September 1972)[6]
9.   Kim Campbell53% (July 1993)[6]
10.   Joe Clark32% (November 1979)[6]

Note: Ratings are up to date as of October 26, 2024.
Legend:
  Conservative   Liberal   Progressive Conservative

Lowest approval rating

1.   Brian Mulroney12% (November 1992)[6]
2.   Justin Trudeau22% (December 2024)[8]
3.   Stephen Harper23% (May 2013)[6]
4.   Joe Clark24% (January 1980)[6]
5.   Pierre Trudeau25% (September 1982)[6]
6.   John Diefenbaker34% (March 1963)[6]
7.   Jean Chrétien36% (June 2000)[6]
8.   Paul Martin41% (June 2005)[6]
9.   Lester B. Pearson41% (September 1965)[6]
10.   Kim Campbell48% (October 1993)[6]

Note: Ratings are up to date as of December 30, 2024.
Legend:
  Conservative   Liberal   Progressive Conservative

Other surveys

The Institute for Research on Public Policy undertook a survey to rank the prime ministers who had served in the 50 years preceding 2003.[9] They ranked those nine prime ministers as follows:

  1. Pearson
  2. Mulroney
  3. Pierre Trudeau
  4. St. Laurent
  5. Chrétien
  6. Diefenbaker
  7. Clark ^
  8. Turner ^
  9. Campbell ^

^ Served less than 10 months as prime minister, while all others served for more than 4 years, 11 months.

In October 2016, Maclean's again ranked the prime ministers, this time splitting them into two lists. The long-serving prime ministers were ranked as follows:

  1. King
  2. Laurier
  3. Macdonald
  4. Pierre Trudeau
  5. Pearson
  6. St. Laurent
  7. Chrétien
  8. Mulroney
  9. Borden
  10. Harper
  11. Diefenbaker
  12. Mackenzie
  13. Bennett

The short-term prime ministers were ranked as follows:

  1. Martin
  2. Thompson
  3. Meighen
  4. Clark
  5. Tupper
  6. Abbott
  7. Bowell
  8. Turner
  9. Campbell

See also

Other countries

References

Further reading

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