The PM isn’t directly elected! Technically, they are appointed by the monarch of Canada, who is currently King Charles, but the monarch is constitutionally required to follow the directions of the government of Canada.
In practice, this means the party who forms government picks the PM, who is typically also the party’s leader. Fun fact, because of this, the PM also doesn’t actually need a seat in parliament! That’s how Mark Carney became PM after Trudeau stepped down. Carney now has a seat after running in the recent election. It creates a lot of issues if the PM doesn’t have a seat in parliament as well as the optics of the PM never actually winning an election, but it’s allowed!
The PM isn’t directly elected! Technically, they are appointed by the monarch of Canada, who is currently King Charles, but the monarch is constitutionally required to follow the directions of the government of Canada.
In practice, this means the party who forms government picks the PM, who is typically also the party’s leader. Fun fact, because of this, the PM also doesn’t actually need a seat in parliament! That’s how Mark Carney became PM after Trudeau stepped down. Carney now has a seat after running in the recent election. It creates a lot of issues if the PM doesn’t have a seat in parliament as well as the optics of the PM never actually winning an election, but it’s allowed!
Interesting. And yet, somehow, that’s still less convoluted than the electoral college process. Thanks.