Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Leads of Canada Parties

1948-? National Vice-President of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation Party Marie-Thérèse Forget Caesarian
In 1951-57 Leader of the Quebec Wing. Independent senator 1970-71. Her party was the forerunner for the New Democratic Party. She lived (1896-1981).

1971-75 National Secretary of Progressive Conservative Party Jeane Rowe Casstelman Wadds
She was MP 1958-68, Parliamentary Secretary 1962 and Ambassador to United Kingdom 1980-83 (b. 1920).

1975-85 Chairperson of Liberal Party Caucus Lorna R. Marsden
Senator 1984-92.

1980 Leader of Libertarian Party of Canada Linda Cain

1983-circa 85 President of Liberal Party of Canada Iona Campagnolo

1984-90 Deputy Chairperson of National Liberal Caucus (Parliamentary Group) Senator Joyce Fairbarn
Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister with Special Responsibility for Literacy 1993-97. Senator since 1984 (b. 1939-).

1985-87 President of New Democratic Party Marion Dewar
Alderman 1972-75 and Mayor of Ottawa 1978-85.

1987-89 President of New Democratic Party Johanna A. Den Hertog

1989-94 Leader of New Democratic Party Audrey McLaughlin

Circa 1988 Chairperson of Board of the Un-party Mary Lou Gutscher

1989-95 Leader of National Democratic Party Sandra Mitchell

1989-? National Director of the Liberal Party Sheila Gervais

1990s Chairperson of the Reform Party Diane Ablonczy
Later candidate for Leader of the Alliance in 2002. She was generally expected to join the Conservative cabinet in 2006, but was left out.

1991-92 Leader of Social Credit Party Rita Johnston
Former Premier of British Columbia.

1991-95 President of New Democratic Party Nancy Riche

1992-94 Leader of Social Credit Party Grace McCarthy

1993 Leader of Progressive Conservative Party Kim Campbell
She was Prime Minister of  Canada June-December 1993 but resigned as party-leader after her party lost the elections.

1993-2000 Chairperson of the Caucus and Deputy Leader of the Reform Party 
2000 Acting Leader of the Official Opposition and Acting Leader of the Canadian Alliance
2000-04 Chair of the Opposition Caucus and Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Canadian Alliance) Deborah Gray
In 2000 she was also elected Deputy Leader and Canadian Alliance Caucus Chair (CA was a newly formed alliance of a number of opposition parties) (b. 1952-).

1993-97 Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition Suzanne Tremblay
1997 Opposition House Leader 
1997-2000 Deputy Leader of Bloc Québécois
The first female opposition leader in Canada.

1994-96 Chairperson of The National Liberal Caucus Jane Stewart
Minister in the Government since 1996.

1995-2004 Leader of new Democratic Party Alexa McDonough
She was leader of NDP in Nova Scotia 1980-93 (b. 1944-).

1996-97 Whip of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons 
1997-2000 Deputy Whip of Bloc Québécois Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral

1996-98 Caucus Chair of Bloc Québécois Christiane Gagnon

1996-? President of Social Credit Party Donna Barnett

1997-98 Deputy Leader of Conservative Party Elsie E. Fairweather Wayne
1997-98 Caucus Chairperson
1998 Interim Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party
1998-2004 Deputy Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party
2004 Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party. (b. 1933-).

1997- Leader of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada Sandra L. Smith

1999-2001 Opposition Whip in the Senate (Progressive Conservatives) Hon. Mable DeWare

1999-2000 Secretary of Liberal Caucus Marlene Jennings
2008-10 Deputy House Leader

2000-05 President of Parti québécois Marie Malavoy

2002-04 Chairperson of the Bloc Québécois Caucus Monique Guay
2004-2011 Deputy House Leader of the BQ

2002-03 Secretary of Liberal Caucus Diane St. Jacques
Later Parliamentary Secretary and Deputy Whip.

2004- Leader of the Canadian Action Party/parti action Canadienne Connie Fogal

2004-10 Chairperson of the NDP Parliamentary Caucus Judy Wasylycia-Leis
Minister of Culture, Heritage and Recreation 1986-88 in Manitoba and Caucus Vice-Chair 2002-04.

2004-06 Government Whip in the House of Commons (Liberal) Karen Redman
2006-08 Chief Oppostition Whip
Liberal MP from 1997 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment 2000-03. (b. 1953-)

2004-06 Government Whip in the Senate Rose-Marie Losier-Cool

2004-06 Opposition Whip in the Senate (Conservative) Marjory LeBreton
2006-15 Leader of the Government in the Senate
Conservative Senator from 1993 (b. 1940-).

2005-06 Interim Leader of the Parti Québécois Louise Harel
2005- Opposition Leader in the Quebec National Assembly
President of the Quebec National Assembly 2001-03. (b. 1946-).

2005-08 National President of Parti Québécois Monique Richard
2009-15 Spokesperson of the Official Opposition in the Assemblée nationale du Québec

2005- Leader of the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada Liz White

2005-06 Leader of the New Democratic Party in New Brunswick Allison Brewer
The party did very badly in the 2006-elections and she did not manage to win a seat. A Lesbian activist.

2006-07 Opposition Whip in the Senate (Liberal) Joan Cook

2006- Leader of the Federal Greens Elizabeth May
MP from 2011.

2006-08 President of the Liberal Party Marie Charette-Poulin
Former Deputy Minister, Senator from 1995 and was the first woman to chair the Senate Liberal caucus, and the first senator to chair the Northern Ontario Liberal caucus. She stepped down as Party President after a stroke.

2007-08 Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Céline Hervieux-Payette
Liberal MP 1979-85 and Senator from 1995, Parliamentary Secretary to the Solicitor General 1980-82, Minister of State (Amateur Sport) 1982-84 in Minister of State (Youth) and  and Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas from 2002. (b. 1922-)

2009- President of the New Democratic Party Rebecca Blaikie

2011-15 Chairperson of the New Democratic Party Caucus Nycole Turmel
2011 Interim Leader of the NDP and of the Official Opposition
2013-15 Chief Opposition Whip
President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada 2000-07 and MP 2011-15, she was in charge during the illness and death of the leader. (b. 1942-)

2015-16 Interim Leader of the Conservatives and Oppostion Leader Rona Ambrose
MP from 2014, Minister of Environment 2006-07, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification 2007-08, Minister of Labour 2008-10, Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Status of Women 2010-13 and
Minister of Health 2013-15 (b. 1969-).

Last update 05.02.17