After nearly 10 years as Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau recently announced his resignation. Earlier this month, Mark Carney, a former central banker, was elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party. Carney secured the win with a solid 85.9% vote. Carney is scheduled to be sworn in as Canada’s 24th Prime Minister on Friday, March 14, 2025, by Governor General Mary Simon.
Some posts on social media are falsely accusing this process as being undemocratic, claiming that Carney wasn’t elected by the people and therefore cannot simply be anointed as the Prime Minister. This is wrong. These type of posts echo a familiar pattern common to disinformation: there’s a grain of truth followed by divisive, fear-mongering lies.
Yes, Carney wasn’t elected by the people of Canada. Yet. And when a party leader who is president steps down, a transition process must exist to continue the country’s governance. This transition aligns with Canada’s democratic processes. The governing party selects a new leader, that leader then assumes the role of Prime Minister, provided they maintain the confidence of the House of Commons. If that confidence isn’t maintained, the government falls, and election is called. Preemptively, an election can be called. Such internal party decisions are standard practice and do not necessitate an immediate general election.
This is not the first time this has happened. A notable example of this process occurred in 1993 when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney resigned as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party. Kim Campbell won the subsequent leadership race (internal to the party) and became Canada’s first female Prime Minister, serving from June 25, 1993, to November 4, 1993. Her tenure, though brief, followed the established convention of party-led leadership transitions without a general election.
Other previously initially unelected prime ministers include John Turner, Mackenzie King, Sir John A MacDonald, and Sir Mackenzie Bowell (National Post).
One legitimate complaint? All parties use a form of proportional representation, whereas Canadians vote FPTP
The only legitimate democracy-leaning complaint is that First Past The Post (FPTP) continues for the general population, while all parties use some form of proportional representation to select their leaders, by far a more fair process.
At the federal level in Canada, all major political parties utilize internal leadership selection processes that differ from the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system employed in general elections. These alternative methods are designed to more accurately reflect the preferences of party members, highlighting a recognition that FPTP may not fully capture the democratic will.
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party employs a ranked ballot system for leadership elections. Party members rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate secures a majority in the initial count, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on second preferences. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority, ensuring that the elected leader has broad support within the party. Wikipedia.
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party uses a points-based system combined with ranked ballots. Each of Canada’s 338 electoral districts is allocated 100 points, regardless of membership size. Candidates receive points proportional to their share of votes within each district. Members rank candidates, and if no candidate attains a majority, the lowest-ranking candidate is eliminated, with votes redistributed until a majority is reached. Wikipedia.
New Democratic Party (NDP) and Green Party of Canada
Both the NDP (Wikipedia) and the Green Party (Wikipedia) use a one-member, one-vote system, often employing ranked ballots. Members cast their votes directly for leadership candidates, and if no candidate wins an outright majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and votes are reallocated based on subsequent preferences. This process repeats until a candidate secures a majority, ensuring the leader reflects the broader membership’s preferences.
The adoption of these alternative voting methods by all major federal parties underscores a collective acknowledgement that the traditional FPTP system may not adequately represent the electorate’s diverse views. By implementing ranked ballots and proportional point systems internally, these parties aim to elect leaders who embody a more accurate and democratic reflection of their members’ preferences.
Justin Trudeau promised change … but didn’t deliver
Notably, during his 2015 election campaign, Justin Trudeau pledged that the 2015 federal election would be the last conducted under the FPTP system, emphasizing a commitment to electoral reform. However, this promise was later abandoned, and the FPTP system remains in use for federal elections. Global News.
So, Canada is still on track as being a highly democratic country. Don’t let the fear-mongering distract you.
