Top 10 Best Canadian Prime Ministers

Many on this list faced fierce opposition, challenges that tested the stability of Canada or even threatened national unity. Yet, the same resilience that made them controversial to some often made them beloved by others. These Prime Ministers have been as diverse in their backgrounds and beliefs as Canada itself, representing the different provinces, political philosophies, and communities that make up the nation.

Vote for the Prime Ministers you think deserve recognition as the best Canada has seen, or perhaps even for the one you believe made the biggest impact, even if they weren't the most popular at the time.

1. Stephen Harper

   

   Stephen Harper served as Canada's Prime Minister from 2006 to 2015, leading the Conservative Party through a period of economic recession and recovery. His government implemented policies that emphasized lower taxes and bolstered national security.

   An economist as prime minister who did an exceptional job and smoothly guided Canada through the 2008 world recession. He was attacked by the leftist media on the climate wing nuttery.

   The recession was a huge blow that did take its toll on the economy, but PM Harper managed the economy very well and had a budget surplus in 2015 when the idiot Canadians thought electing a new government led by a schoolgirl creeper was a good idea.

   He did well and helped the country during the 2008 financial crisis. He fought to keep office during the coalition crisis, against the three opposition parties.

2. Pierre Trudeau

   

   Prime Minister from 1968 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1984, Pierre Trudeau introduced the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as part of the patriation of the Canadian Constitution. His government also enacted policies to promote bilingualism and multiculturalism in Canada.

   Trudeau and his son are the inspiration for my heritage fair project. He accomplished so much for this country.

   The Canadian Charter of Rights was signed by him! That charter gives any Canadian the right to vote and express their thoughts. He was an army cadet, and you could trace his family members back to the early 1500s.

   Pierre is, without a doubt, the greatest prime minister.

   John Lennon once stated that if all politicians were like Mr. Trudeau, there would be world peace. He was an absolutely amazing man, held in higher regard by anyone who understands him.

3. John A. Macdonald

   

   As Canada's first Prime Minister from 1867 to 1873 and from 1878 to 1891, John A. Macdonald was instrumental in founding the Confederation and expanding Canada westward through the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. His National Policy promoted economic growth by protecting Canadian industries.

   He did a tremendous job of founding Canada. Imagine what it would have taken to establish the laws and regulations. He must also be commended for providing means of integrating the many Indian tribes into the modern world of that era.

   He also got the railroad across Canada started, which was fraught with corruption challenges.

   Thank you, Sir, for the tremendous work you did in founding the former great nation of Canada. Sadly, it appears the great nation of Canada is now transforming into a socialist country with a citizenry that's asleep. Hopefully, Gen Z will continue to awaken, as many of the boys are doing exactly that.

4. William Lyon Mackenzie King

   

   William Lyon Mackenzie King served as Prime Minister for a total of 22 years between 1921 and 1948, navigating Canada through the Great Depression and World War II. His administration helped establish unemployment insurance and old-age pensions.

   The longest-serving PM, he either retired or died in office. I can't remember.

   Objectively the greatest prime minister of all time.

5. Wilfrid Laurier

   

   Prime Minister from 1896 to 1911, Wilfrid Laurier was Canada's first Francophone Prime Minister and sought to balance English and French interests in Canada. He promoted Western expansion and immigration to boost the national economy.

   Laurier was the greatest Prime Minister because he brought the most personal liberty, economic success, and pride to Canada. He was also the longest continuously serving PM.

   It's worth mentioning the inclusion of Alberta and Saskatchewan into Canada during his tenure.

6. Lester B. Pearson

   

   Serving as Prime Minister from 1963 to 1968, Lester B. Pearson introduced universal healthcare and the Canada Pension Plan. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in establishing a United Nations peacekeeping force.

   Possibly Canada's best Prime Minister ever. He helped to unify Canada under one national neutral flag that favored neither Francophones, Anglophones, Aboriginals, nor immigrants to Canada, but respected Canadians of all ethnic backgrounds!

   He introduced universal health care, student loans, the Canada Pension Plan, the Order of Canada, and the Maple Leaf flag. He also helped create legal equality for women.

   His Liberal government unified Canada's armed forces. Pearson convened the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, and he kept Canada out of the Vietnam War.

7. Jean Chrétien

   

   Jean Chrétien was Prime Minister from 1993 to 2003, steering Canada toward a balanced budget and helping implement the Clarity Act on Quebec's secession. His government oversaw the introduction of the long-gun registry. He also famously kept Canadian troops out of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

   The only modern PM to pay down the debt, he was more fiscally conservative than the Conservatives. He gave a lifetime of service to Canada and its people, coming from humble beginnings.

   A very knowledgeable man, he was not a tax-and-spend Liberal. He must be very disappointed in the present Liberal PM.

   He kept the country together during the 1995 Referendum (which was so close!). He also passed the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which has been successful in holding youth accountable.

   He refused to involve Canada in wars with Iraq and Syria.

8. Justin Trudeau

   

   Since 2015, Justin Trudeau has served as Prime Minister, advancing policies focused on climate change action, reconciliation with Indigenous communities, and progressive social reforms. His government legalized cannabis and introduced a national carbon pricing system.

   He passed a lot of legislation to combat climate change, such as the Single-Use Plastic Ban, the Carbon Tax, and a promise to reduce methane emissions by at least 75% below 2012 levels. He also introduced the Clean Fuel Standard.

   Justin Trudeau initiated significant progress on Indigenous reconciliation, including protecting Indigenous languages and moving forward with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

   Despite challenges, he managed to maintain a stable relationship with the United States during Donald Trump's presidency, with the help of Chrystia Freeland, although the USMCA still requires improvements.

   I believe this Prime Minister gives what Canada needs and is a good Prime Minister, despite being a little overly detached when it comes to certain policies and events. The media, though, is on the hill about the Liberals nonstop. Not sure if that is good or bad still.

9. Alexander Mackenzie

   

   Prime Minister from 1873 to 1878, Alexander Mackenzie established Canada's Supreme Court and introduced the secret ballot system in elections. His government focused on infrastructure projects, including the completion of the Intercolonial Railway.

   A man of unshakeable principles, he detested patronage so much that he had a secret staircase that led directly from his office in the West Block to the outside, avoiding those seeking lucrative government contracts in exchange for party contributions.

   He was the first working-class prime minister, a stonemason who led from a strong moral base. We need more like him! Unfortunately, despite his accomplishments, which are still in place today, he is a mere footnote in Canadian history.

   No corruption, an honest, straight-shooting PM who initiated the secret ballot (privacy). He founded the Royal Military College, created the Supreme Court of Canada, and established the office of the Auditor General.

10. Paul Martin

    

    Prime Minister from 2003 to 2006, Paul Martin is credited with reducing Canada's national debt and launching a national child care program. His administration worked on the Kelowna Accord to improve relations with Indigenous communities.

    Probably the most underrated Liberal PM. He is remembered for the Sponsorship Scandal but managed to pass many important measures, such as the Kelowna Accord, which aimed to make crucial investments in the future of Indigenous People.

    He also set targets during the last major global climate conference, the Kyoto Protocol, to reduce our emissions and Canada's overall impact.

    Paul Martin is one of the very few liberals worthy of respect. This is largely because of his time as finance minister under the corrupt government of Jean Chrétien.

    Thank goodness he was the finance minister who kept working hard to heal the catastrophe created by Pierre Trudeau. It took 30 years to get his massive federal debt accumulation under control.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Mark Carney

    

    Carney is already doing record breaking governing. He doesn't even live in Canada and resides in New York. His investments are not in a blind trust but rather in many countries outside of Canada. He is racking up record deficits and hasn't even submitted a budget because the parliament doesn't even sit and function. He when on several vacations now six months into the job and he's simply masterful at avoiding answering questions during press conferences. Boy oh boy how lucky we Canadians are to have elected a new Prime Minister who has zero previous political experience and it appears he will be able to effectively carry on the trudeau regime's policies of record high debt, higher and higher taxes, record high unsustainable immigration, record high crime, homelessness and drug addiction, record high foreign interference, drug trafficking and money laundering through the real estate markets and casinos, he's masterful at disparaging Canada's overwhelming most important and vital trading and economic partner, appears all ready to continue the unprecedented affordability crisis effecting the working class and continuing to impoverish more citizens every day. Congratulations Canada

12. ?

    John Turner

    

    John Turner was Prime Minister for a brief period in 1984, focusing on party reform and ethics in politics. His term ended after he lost the 1984 general election to Brian Mulroney.

The Contenders

13. Robert Borden

    

    Robert Borden served as Prime Minister from 1911 to 1920, leading Canada through World War I and introducing conscription. His government also enacted the War Measures Act and promoted Canada's involvement in international diplomacy.

14. Louis St. Laurent

    

    Louis St. Laurent served as Prime Minister from 1948 to 1957, overseeing Canada's entry into NATO and the development of social welfare programs. His government also facilitated infrastructure projects like the Trans-Canada Highway.

    He had to deal with the damage after WWII, the beginning of the Cold War, and the Korean War. He also revived Canada's economy and helped Newfoundland join the country.

15. John Diefenbaker

    

    John Diefenbaker served as Prime Minister from 1957 to 1963, introducing the Canadian Bill of Rights and championing the extension of voting rights to Indigenous Canadians. His foreign policy included a notable opposition to apartheid in South Africa.

16. Arthur Meighen

    

    Arthur Meighen served as Prime Minister twice, from 1920 to 1921 and briefly in 1926, and supported conscription during World War I. His tenure was marked by efforts to reorganize the Conservative Party during a period of political division.

17. Charles Tupper

    

    Serving briefly as Prime Minister in 1896, Charles Tupper had a long political career advocating for the expansion of the Canadian railway system. His term as Prime Minister ended after losing a federal election soon after taking office.

18. Kim Campbell

    

    Kim Campbell was Prime Minister for several months in 1993, making her the first woman to hold Canada's highest office. Her brief tenure ended after her party's significant defeat in the 1993 federal election.

    She showed all those guys out there that women can hold office as well.

19. Brian Mulroney

    

    Prime Minister from 1984 to 1993, Brian Mulroney pursued free trade agreements with the United States and Mexico, resulting in the NAFTA deal. His administration introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to reduce Canada's deficit.

    He suffered the consequences of following the first Trudeau government's disaster, debt accumulation, and double-digit inflation. He definitely had his hands full.

    The best PM in my lifetime. He removed the Manufacturers' Sales Tax, introduced the GST, addressed the financial mess Trudeau #1 left him with, and negotiated Free Trade.

    He also worked on the Meech Lake Accord (perhaps the best constitutional achievement never implemented), got the Acid Rain Treaty and the Ozone Treaty, and helped end apartheid. He did more for Canada in nine years than all other PMs combined in the last fifty years.

20. R. B. Bennett

    

    Prime Minister from 1930 to 1935, R. B. Bennett attempted to mitigate the effects of the Great Depression with relief programs and the Canadian version of the "New Deal." His government established the Bank of Canada to help stabilize the economy.

21. John Abbott

    John Abbott served as Prime Minister from 1891 to 1892, focusing on maintaining stability in a post-Macdonald Conservative government. His tenure was brief due to his retirement for health reasons.

    "If only you got to know the guy..."

    A very capable man, he managed to get some very sensitive legislation passed in the 17 months he was PM.

    Pieter

22. John Sparrow David Thompson

    

    Prime Minister from 1892 to 1894, John Sparrow David Thompson worked on the establishment of the Criminal Code of Canada. His tenure was cut short by his sudden death while in office.

23. Joe Clark

    

    Joe Clark served as Prime Minister in 1979-1980, focusing on fiscal reform and attempts to reduce the federal deficit. His government fell after losing a confidence vote, leading to an early election.

24. Mackenzie Bowell

    

    Mackenzie Bowell served as Prime Minister from 1894 to 1896, navigating political tensions surrounding the Manitoba Schools Question. His leadership faced internal challenges, leading to his resignation.