Leader of the New Democratic Party

{{Short description|Party leader of the federal New Democratic Party}}

{{Infobox Political post

| post = Leader

| body = the New Democratic Party

| native_name = {{lang|fr|Chef du Nouveau Parti démocratique}}

| insignia = NDP-NPD_Canada.svg

| insigniasize = 250px

| insigniacaption = Logo of the New Democratic Party since 2012

| image = Don Davies, MP, in 2019.jpg

| incumbent = Don Davies
(interim)

| acting =

| incumbentsince = May 5, 2025

| status = Party leader

| member_of = New Democratic Party

| residence =

| appointer = Elected by members of the party

| termlength =

| formation = August 3, 1961

| inaugural = Tommy Douglas{{efn|Tommy Douglas was the first leader of the New Democratic Party established in 1961 following the merger of the CCF and the Canadian Labour Congress. The first leader of the CCF was J.S. Woodsworth.}}

| precursor = Leader of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation

| website =

| deputy =

}}

The leader of the New Democratic Party (French: {{lang|fr|chef du Nouveau Parti démocratique}}) is the highest position within Canada's federal New Democratic Party (NDP). The current leader is Don Davies, the member of Parliament for Vancouver Kingsway, who is serving as the interim leader following the resignation of Jagmeet Singh. The next permanent leader will be decided by the upcoming 2026 New Democratic Party leadership election.

History

The New Democratic Party was founded in 1961 following the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the Canadian Labour Congress. Prior to the merger, the CCF had three leaders from its founding in 1932 until the 1961 merger, with J. S. Woodsworth serving as the CCF's first leader.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/james-shaver-woodsworth|title=James Shaver Woodsworth|encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia|date=February 14, 2008|access-date=April 30, 2025}} Following Woodsworth's death in 1942, he was replaced by M. J. Coldwell, who led the party to their best electoral performance in 1945 by winning 28 seats.

Coldwell ended up losing his seat in the 1958 election leading to a party leadership crisis. Hazen Argue, the CCF member of Parliament for Assiniboia, was named the parliamentary leader due to Coldwell's absence from the House of Commons, however he continously persuaded Coldwell to officially step down as leader. At the time, the CCF executives were in the process of transitioning their party into a new party with closer ties to organized labour, and wanted Tommy Douglas to become the party leader. This merger was something Argue opposed, and fearing that Argue's leadership would derail the merger, party president David Lewis tried to prevent Argue from initiating a leadership challenge during the 1960 CCF convention. This attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, and Coldwell resigned on August 10, 1960. The CCF caucus elected Argue as the new leader on the following day.

Despite the leadership crisis, the merger talks continued, and eventually culminated in the New Democratic Party founding convention in the summer of 1961. During the convention, the NDP was formally established on August 3, 1961. On the same day, Argue and Douglas ran against each other for the party leadership, with Douglas winning a landslide victory to become the first leader of the NDP. Argue left the party for the Liberals shortly afterwards.

The NDP's most successful leader was Jack Layton, who served as leader from 2004 to 2011, and led the NDP to a 103 seat result in the 2011 Canadian federal election. The NDP won the second-most seats in the House of Commons, and Layton became the first leader of the NDP to serve as the leader of the Official Opposition. However, his tenure as opposition leader was very short lived, as he died from cancer a few months later.

In the 2017 New Democratic Party leadership election, the party elected Jagmeet Singh, making him the first visible minority to lead a major Canadian federal political party.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/world/canada/jagmeet-singh-canada-politics.html|author=Austen, Ian|title=Sikh Becomes Canada's First Nonwhite Political Party Leader|work=The New York Times|date=October 1, 2017|access-date=October 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002011742/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/01/world/canada/jagmeet-singh-canada-politics.html|archive-date=October 2, 2017|url-status=live}} Singh, who was a member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament at the time, resigned his provincial seat and was first elected to the House of Commons on February 25, 2019 for the riding of Burnaby South.

List of leaders

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1932–1961)
rowspan="2" \| No. ! rowspan="2" \| Portrait ! rowspan="2" \| Leader ! colspan="3" \| Tenure ! rowspan="2" \| Riding(s) ! rowspan="2" colspan="2"\|Prime Minister(s) while leader
Took office ! Left office ! Time in office
rowspan="2" \|1 \| rowspan="2" \|60px \| rowspan="2" \|{{sortname\|J. S.\|Woodsworth}} (1874–1942) \| rowspan="2" \|August 1, 1932 \| rowspan="2" \|March 21, 1942 \| rowspan="2" \|{{ayd\|August 1, 1932\|March 21, 1942}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:left"\|Winnipeg North Centre {{small\|(1921–1925)}} Winnipeg Centre {{small\|(1925–1942)}} \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Conservative (historical)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"\|Bennett {{nowrap\|(1930–1935)}} Conservative
rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"\|King {{nowrap\|(1935–1948)}} Liberal
rowspan="3" \|2 \| rowspan="3" \|60px \| rowspan="3" \|{{sortname\|M. J.\|Coldwell}} (1878–1974) \| rowspan="3" \|July 29, 1942 \| rowspan="3" \|August 10, 1960 \| rowspan="3" \|{{ayd\|July 29, 1942\|August 10, 1960}} \| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"\|Rosetown—Biggar
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"\|St. Laurent {{nowrap\|(1948–1957)}} Liberal
rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|PC}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"\|Diefenbaker {{nowrap\|(1957–1963)}} PC
3 \| 60px \| {{sortname\|Hazen\|Argue}} (1921–1991) \| August 11, 1960 \| August 2, 1961 \| {{ayd\|August 11, 1960\|August 2, 1961}} \| style="text-align:left"\|Wood Mountain {{small\|(1945–1949)}} Assiniboia {{small\|(1949–1963)}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1932–1961)

rowspan="2" | No.

! rowspan="2" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Leader

! colspan="3" | Tenure

! rowspan="2" | Riding(s)

! rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Prime Minister(s) while leader

Took office

! Left office

! Time in office

rowspan="2" |1

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |{{sortname|J. S.|Woodsworth}}
(1874–1942)

| rowspan="2" |August 1, 1932

| rowspan="2" |March 21, 1942

| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|August 1, 1932|March 21, 1942}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:left"|Winnipeg North Centre {{small|(1921–1925)}}
Winnipeg Centre {{small|(1925–1942)}}

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative (historical)}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"|Bennett {{nowrap|(1930–1935)}}
Conservative

rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"|King {{nowrap|(1935–1948)}}
Liberal

rowspan="3" |2

| rowspan="3" |60px

| rowspan="3" |{{sortname|M. J.|Coldwell}}
(1878–1974)

| rowspan="3" |July 29, 1942

| rowspan="3" |August 10, 1960

| rowspan="3" |{{ayd|July 29, 1942|August 10, 1960}}

| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"|Rosetown—Biggar

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"|St. Laurent {{nowrap|(1948–1957)}}
Liberal

rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|PC}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"|Diefenbaker {{nowrap|(1957–1963)}}
PC

| 60px

| {{sortname|Hazen|Argue}}
(1921–1991)

| August 11, 1960

| August 2, 1961

| {{ayd|August 11, 1960|August 2, 1961}}

| style="text-align:left"|Wood Mountain {{small|(1945–1949)}}
Assiniboia {{small|(1949–1963)}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+New Democratic Party (1961–present)
rowspan="2" \| No. ! rowspan="2" \| Portrait ! rowspan="2" \| Leader ! colspan="3" \| Tenure ! rowspan="2" \| Riding(s) ! rowspan="2" colspan="2"\|Prime Minister(s) while leader
Took office ! Left office ! Time in office
rowspan="3" \|1 \| rowspan="3" \|60px \| rowspan="3" \|Tommy Douglas (1904–1986) \| rowspan="3"\|August 3, 1961 \| rowspan="3"\|April 24, 1971 \| rowspan="3" \|{{ayd\|August 3, 1961\|April 24, 1971}} \| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"\|Weyburn {{small\|(SK: 1944–1961)}}{{refn\|group=n\|name=MLA\|Held a seat in a provincial legislature while serving as the federal NDP leader.}} Burnaby—Coquitlam {{small\|(1962–1968)}} Nanaimo—Cowichan—The Islands {{small\|(1969–1979)}} \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|PC\|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"\|Diefenbaker {{nowrap\|(1957–1963)}} PC
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal; height:10px;"\|Pearson {{nowrap\|(1963–1968)}} Liberal
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal; height:60px;"\|P. Trudeau {{nowrap\|(1968–1979)}} Liberal
2 \| 60px \| David Lewis (1909–1981) \| April 24, 1971 \| July 7, 1975 \| {{ayd\|April 24, 1971\|July 7, 1975}} \| style="text-align:left"\|York South \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
rowspan="5" \|3 \| rowspan="5" \|60px \| rowspan="5" \|Ed Broadbent (1936–2024) \| rowspan="5"\|July 7, 1975 \| rowspan="5"\|December 5, 1989 \| rowspan="5" \|{{ayd\|July 7, 1975\|December 5, 1989}} \| rowspan="5" style="text-align:left"\|Oshawa–Whitby {{small\|(1968–1979)}} Oshawa {{small\|(1979–1990)}} \| height=15 style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|PC\|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal; height:8px;;"\|Clark {{nowrap\|(1979–1980)}} PC
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal; height:5px;;"\|P. Trudeau {{nowrap\|(1980–1984)}} Liberal
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal"\|Turner {{nowrap\|(1984)}} Liberal
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|PC\|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal" rowspan="2"\|Mulroney {{nowrap\|(1984–1993)}} PC
rowspan="3" \|4 \| rowspan="3" \|60px \| rowspan="3" \|Audrey McLaughlin (b. 1936) \| rowspan="3"\|December 5, 1989 \| rowspan="3"\|October 14, 1995 \| rowspan="3"\|{{ayd\|December 5, 1989\|October 14, 1995}} \| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"\|Yukon \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|PC\|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|PC\|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal"\|Campbell {{nowrap\|(1993)}} PC
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal" rowspan="3"\|Chrétien {{nowrap\|(1993–2003)}} Liberal
5 \| 60px \| Alexa McDonough (1944–2022) \| October 14, 1995 \| January 25, 2003 \| {{ayd\|October 14, 1995\|January 25, 2003}} \| style="text-align:left"\|Halifax Fairview {{small\|(NS: 1993–1996)}}{{refn\|group=n\|name=MLA}} Halifax {{small\|(1997–2008)}} \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
rowspan="3" \|6 \| rowspan="3" \|60px \| rowspan="3" \|Jack Layton (1950–2011) \| rowspan="3"\|January 25, 2003 \| rowspan="3"\|August 22, 2011{{refn\|group=n\|On July 28, 2011, Layton took a leave of absence until his death, with Nycole Turmel serving as acting leader.{{cite news\|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jack-layton-to-take-leave-after-new-cancer-found-1.1017020\|title=Jack Layton to take leave after new cancer found\|publisher=CBC News\|date=July 25, 2011\|access-date=March 17, 2025}}}} \| rowspan="3"\|{{ayd\|January 25, 2003\|August 22, 2011}} \| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"\|Toronto–Danforth \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal"\|Martin {{nowrap\|(2003–2006)}} Liberal
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| style="font-weight:normal" rowspan="3"\|Harper {{nowrap\|(2006–2015)}} Conservative
— \| 60px \| Nycole Turmel (interim leader) (b. 1942) \| August 22, 2011{{refn\|group=n\|Turmel had been serving as acting leader of the party since July 28, 2011.{{cite news\|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-caucus-backs-turmel-as-interim-leader-1.1076227\|title= NDP caucus backs Turmel as interim leader\|author=Fitzpatrick, Meagan\|publisher=CBC News\|date=July 27, 2011 \|access-date=July 27, 2011}}}} \| March 24, 2012 \| {{ayd\|August 22, 2011\|March 24, 2012}} \| style="text-align:left"\|Hull—Aylmer \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
rowspan="2" \|7 \| rowspan="2" \|60px \| rowspan="2" \|Tom Mulcair (b. 1954) \| rowspan="2"\|March 24, 2012 \| rowspan="2"\|October 1, 2017 \| rowspan="2"\|{{ayd\|March 24, 2012\|October 1, 2017}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:left"\|Outremont \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" \|J. Trudeau {{nowrap\|(2015–2025)}} Liberal
rowspan="2" \|8 \| rowspan="2" \|60px \| rowspan="2" \|Jagmeet Singh (b. 1979) \| rowspan="2" \|October 1, 2017 \| rowspan="2" \|May 5, 2025 \| rowspan="2" \|{{ayd\|October 1, 2017\|May 5, 2025}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:left"\|Bramalea—Gore—Malton {{small\|(ON: 2011–2017)}}{{refn\|group=n\|name=MLA}} Burnaby South {{small\|(2019–2025)}} \| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \|
rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour\|CA\|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" \| \| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" \|Carney {{nowrap\|(2025–present)}} Liberal
— \| 90x90px \| Don Davies (interim leader) (b. 1963) \| May 5, 2025 \| incumbent \| {{ayd\|May 5, 2025}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Vancouver Kingsway

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+New Democratic Party (1961–present)

rowspan="2" | No.

! rowspan="2" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Leader

! colspan="3" | Tenure

! rowspan="2" | Riding(s)

! rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Prime Minister(s) while leader

Took office

! Left office

! Time in office

rowspan="3" |1

| rowspan="3" |60px

| rowspan="3" |Tommy Douglas
(1904–1986)

| rowspan="3"|August 3, 1961

| rowspan="3"|April 24, 1971

| rowspan="3" |{{ayd|August 3, 1961|April 24, 1971}}

| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"|Weyburn {{small|(SK: 1944–1961)}}{{refn|group=n|name=MLA|Held a seat in a provincial legislature while serving as the federal NDP leader.}}
Burnaby—Coquitlam {{small|(1962–1968)}}
Nanaimo—Cowichan—The Islands {{small|(1969–1979)}}

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|PC|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal; height:30px;"|Diefenbaker {{nowrap|(1957–1963)}}
PC

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal; height:10px;"|Pearson {{nowrap|(1963–1968)}}
Liberal

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| rowspan="3" style="font-weight:normal; height:60px;"|P. Trudeau {{nowrap|(1968–1979)}}
Liberal

| 60px

| David Lewis
(1909–1981)

| April 24, 1971

| July 7, 1975

| {{ayd|April 24, 1971|July 7, 1975}}

| style="text-align:left"|York South

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

rowspan="5" |3

| rowspan="5" |60px

| rowspan="5" |Ed Broadbent
(1936–2024)

| rowspan="5"|July 7, 1975

| rowspan="5"|December 5, 1989

| rowspan="5" |{{ayd|July 7, 1975|December 5, 1989}}

| rowspan="5" style="text-align:left"|Oshawa–Whitby {{small|(1968–1979)}}
Oshawa {{small|(1979–1990)}}

| height=15 style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|PC|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal; height:8px;;"|Clark {{nowrap|(1979–1980)}}
PC

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal; height:5px;;"|P. Trudeau {{nowrap|(1980–1984)}}
Liberal

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal"|Turner {{nowrap|(1984)}}
Liberal

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|PC|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal" rowspan="2"|Mulroney {{nowrap|(1984–1993)}}
PC

rowspan="3" |4

| rowspan="3" |60px

| rowspan="3" |Audrey McLaughlin
(b. 1936)

| rowspan="3"|December 5, 1989

| rowspan="3"|October 14, 1995

| rowspan="3"|{{ayd|December 5, 1989|October 14, 1995}}

| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"|Yukon

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|PC|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|PC|Progressive Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal"|Campbell {{nowrap|(1993)}}
PC

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal" rowspan="3"|Chrétien {{nowrap|(1993–2003)}}
Liberal

| 60px

| Alexa McDonough
(1944–2022)

| October 14, 1995

| January 25, 2003

| {{ayd|October 14, 1995|January 25, 2003}}

| style="text-align:left"|Halifax Fairview {{small|(NS: 1993–1996)}}{{refn|group=n|name=MLA}}
Halifax {{small|(1997–2008)}}

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

rowspan="3" |6

| rowspan="3" |60px

| rowspan="3" |Jack Layton
(1950–2011)

| rowspan="3"|January 25, 2003

| rowspan="3"|August 22, 2011{{refn|group=n|On July 28, 2011, Layton took a leave of absence until his death, with Nycole Turmel serving as acting leader.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/jack-layton-to-take-leave-after-new-cancer-found-1.1017020|title=Jack Layton to take leave after new cancer found|publisher=CBC News|date=July 25, 2011|access-date=March 17, 2025}}}}

| rowspan="3"|{{ayd|January 25, 2003|August 22, 2011}}

| rowspan="3" style="text-align:left"|Toronto–Danforth

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal"|Martin {{nowrap|(2003–2006)}}
Liberal

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| style="font-weight:normal" rowspan="3"|Harper {{nowrap|(2006–2015)}}
Conservative

—

| 60px

| Nycole Turmel
(interim leader)
(b. 1942)

| August 22, 2011{{refn|group=n|Turmel had been serving as acting leader of the party since July 28, 2011.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-caucus-backs-turmel-as-interim-leader-1.1076227|title= NDP caucus backs Turmel as interim leader|author=Fitzpatrick, Meagan|publisher=CBC News|date=July 27, 2011 |access-date=July 27, 2011}}}}

| March 24, 2012

| {{ayd|August 22, 2011|March 24, 2012}}

| style="text-align:left"|Hull—Aylmer

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

rowspan="2" |7

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Tom Mulcair
(b. 1954)

| rowspan="2"|March 24, 2012

| rowspan="2"|October 1, 2017

| rowspan="2"|{{ayd|March 24, 2012|October 1, 2017}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:left"|Outremont

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" |J. Trudeau {{nowrap|(2015–2025)}}
Liberal

rowspan="2" |8

| rowspan="2" |60px

| rowspan="2" |Jagmeet Singh
(b. 1979)

| rowspan="2" |October 1, 2017

| rowspan="2" |May 5, 2025

| rowspan="2" |{{ayd|October 1, 2017|May 5, 2025}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:left"|Bramalea—Gore—Malton {{small|(ON: 2011–2017)}}{{refn|group=n|name=MLA}}
Burnaby South {{small|(2019–2025)}}

| style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}; border-top:solid 0 gray; border-bottom:solid 0 gray" |

| rowspan="2" style="font-weight:normal" |Carney {{nowrap|(2025–present)}}
Liberal

—

| 90x90px

| Don Davies
(interim leader)
(b. 1963)

| May 5, 2025

| incumbent

| {{ayd|May 5, 2025}}

| style="text-align:left"| Vancouver Kingsway

Related positions

=Deputy leaders=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
NDP deputy leader ! Term start ! Term end ! Riding(s) ! NDP leader ! Notes
Bill Blaikie \| {{dts\|August 1, 2004}}	{{dts\|October 14, 2008}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Elmwood—Transcona \| Jack Layton
Tom Mulcair \| {{dts\|September 27, 2007}}	{{dts\|October 12, 2011}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Outremont \| Jack Layton Nycole Turmel
Libby Davies \| {{dts\|September 27, 2007}}	{{dts\|October 18, 2015}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Vancouver East \| Jack Layton Nycole Turmel Tom Mulcair
Megan Leslie \| {{dts\|April 19, 2012}}	{{dts\|October 18, 2015}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Halifax \| Tom Mulcair
David Christopherson \| {{dts\|April 19, 2012}}	{{dts\|March 11, 2019}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Hamilton Centre \| Tom Mulcair Jagmeet Singh
Sheri Benson \| {{dts\|March 14, 2019}}	{{dts\|October 20, 2019}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Saskatoon West \| Jagmeet Singh
Alexandre Boulerice \| {{dts\|March 14, 2019}}	incumbent \| style="text-align:left"\| Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie \| Jagmeet Singh Don Davies

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

NDP deputy leader

! Term start

! Term end

! Riding(s)

! NDP leader

! Notes

Bill Blaikie

| {{dts|August 1, 2004}}

| style="text-align:left"| Elmwood—Transcona

| Jack Layton

Tom Mulcair

| {{dts|September 27, 2007}}

| style="text-align:left"| Outremont

| Jack Layton
Nycole Turmel

Libby Davies

| {{dts|September 27, 2007}}

| style="text-align:left"| Vancouver East

| Jack Layton
Nycole Turmel
Tom Mulcair

Megan Leslie

| {{dts|April 19, 2012}}

| style="text-align:left"| Halifax

| Tom Mulcair

David Christopherson

| {{dts|April 19, 2012}}

| style="text-align:left"| Hamilton Centre

| Tom Mulcair
Jagmeet Singh

Sheri Benson

| {{dts|March 14, 2019}}

| style="text-align:left"| Saskatoon West

| Jagmeet Singh

Alexandre Boulerice

| {{dts|March 14, 2019}}

incumbent

| style="text-align:left"| Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie

| Jagmeet Singh
Don Davies

=Federal caucus officers=

==House Leaders==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
NDP house leader{{cite web\|url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/OfficersParliament/politicalOfficersCommons/partyHouseLeaders\|title=Party House Leaders\|work=Library of Parliament\|access-date=March 17, 2025}} ! Term start ! Term end ! Riding(s) ! Notes
Stanley Knowles \| {{dts\|1962\|09}}	{{dts\|September 3, 1984}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Winnipeg North Centre
Ian Deans \| {{dts\|September 4, 1984}}	{{dts\|September 3, 1986}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Hamilton Mountain	Acting NDP house leader from 1981 to 1984
Nelson Riis \| {{dts\|September 5, 1986}}	{{dts\|January 11, 1994}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Kamloops—Shuswap {{small\|(1980–1988)}} Kamloops {{small\|(1988–2000)}}
Len Taylor \| {{dts\|January 12, 1994}}	{{dts\|January 10, 1996}} \| style="text-align:left"\| The Battlefords—Meadow Lake
Bill Blaikie \| {{dts\|January 11, 1996}}	{{dts\|February 5, 2003}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Winnipeg—Transcona
Libby Davies \| {{dts\|February 6, 2003}}	{{dts\|May 25, 2011}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Vancouver East
Tom Mulcair \| {{dts\|May 26, 2011}}	{{dts\|October 12, 2011}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Outremont \| rowspan="3" \| Opposition House Leader
Joe Comartin \| {{dts\|October 13, 2011}}	{{dts\|April 14, 2012}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Windsor—Tecumseh
Nathan Cullen \| {{dts\|April 19, 2012}}	{{dts\|March 19, 2014}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Skeena—Bulkley Valley
Peter Julian {{small\|(1 of 3)}} \| {{dts\|March 20, 2014}}	{{dts\|October 18, 2016}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Burnaby—New Westminster {{small\|(2004–2015)}} New Westminster—Burnaby {{small\|(2015–2025)}} \| Opposition House Leader {{small\|(March 20, 2014 to October 20, 2015)}}
Murray Rankin	{{dts\|October 19, 2016}}	{{dts\|October 23, 2017}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Victoria
Peter Julian {{small\|(2 of 3)}} \| {{dts\|October 24, 2017}}	{{dts\|January 24, 2018}} \| style="text-align:left"\| New Westminster—Burnaby
Ruth Ellen Brosseau \| {{dts\|January 25, 2018}}	{{dts\|March 13, 2019}} \| style="text-align:left"\| Berthier—Maskinongé
Peter Julian {{small\|(3 of 3)}} \| {{dts\|March 14, 2019}}	{{dts\|April 28, 2025}} \| style="text-align:left"\| New Westminster—Burnaby

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

NDP house leader{{cite web|url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/OfficersParliament/politicalOfficersCommons/partyHouseLeaders|title=Party House Leaders|work=Library of Parliament|access-date=March 17, 2025}}

! Term start

! Term end

! Riding(s)

! Notes

Stanley Knowles

| {{dts|1962|09}}

| style="text-align:left"| Winnipeg North Centre

Ian Deans

| {{dts|September 4, 1984}}

| style="text-align:left"| Hamilton Mountain

Acting NDP house leader from 1981 to 1984

Nelson Riis

| {{dts|September 5, 1986}}

| style="text-align:left"| Kamloops—Shuswap {{small|(1980–1988)}}
Kamloops {{small|(1988–2000)}}

Len Taylor

| {{dts|January 12, 1994}}

| style="text-align:left"| The Battlefords—Meadow Lake

Bill Blaikie

| {{dts|January 11, 1996}}

| style="text-align:left"| Winnipeg—Transcona

Libby Davies

| {{dts|February 6, 2003}}

| style="text-align:left"| Vancouver East

Tom Mulcair

| {{dts|May 26, 2011}}

| style="text-align:left"| Outremont

| rowspan="3" | Opposition House Leader

Joe Comartin

| {{dts|October 13, 2011}}

| style="text-align:left"| Windsor—Tecumseh

Nathan Cullen

| {{dts|April 19, 2012}}

| style="text-align:left"| Skeena—Bulkley Valley

Peter Julian
{{small|(1 of 3)}}

| {{dts|March 20, 2014}}

| style="text-align:left"| Burnaby—New Westminster {{small|(2004–2015)}}
New Westminster—Burnaby {{small|(2015–2025)}}

| Opposition House Leader
{{small|(March 20, 2014 to October 20, 2015)}}

Murray Rankin

| style="text-align:left"| Victoria

Peter Julian
{{small|(2 of 3)}}

| {{dts|October 24, 2017}}

| style="text-align:left"| New Westminster—Burnaby

Ruth Ellen Brosseau

| {{dts|January 25, 2018}}

| style="text-align:left"| Berthier—Maskinongé

Peter Julian
{{small|(3 of 3)}}

| {{dts|March 14, 2019}}

| style="text-align:left"| New Westminster—Burnaby

==Party whips==

NDP party whips{{cite web\|url=https://lop.parl.ca/sites/ParlInfo/default/en_CA/People/OfficersParliament/politicalOfficersCommons/whips\|title=Whips\|work=Library of Parliament\|access-date=March 20, 2025}} ! Term start ! Term end ! Riding(s) ! Notes
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Stanley Knowles	1962	December 1972 \| style="text-align:left"\| Winnipeg North Centre
William George Knight	January 3, 1973	1974 \| style="text-align:left"\| Assiniboia
Lorne Edmund Nystrom	June 1974	1981 \| style="text-align:left"\| Yorkton—Melville
Neil Young	October 1981	October 28, 1984 \| style="text-align:left"\| Beaches
Victor Fredrich Althouse	October 29, 1984	September 4, 1986 \| style="text-align:left"\| Humboldt—Lake Centre
Rodney Edward Murphy	September 5, 1986	January 21, 1990 \| style="text-align:left"\| Churchill
Iain Angus	January 22, 1990	October 24, 1993 \| style="text-align:left"\| Thunder Bay—Atikokan
Christopher Axworthy	September 6, 1994	January 10, 1996 \| style="text-align:left"\| Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing
John Solomon	January 11, 1996	January 30, 2000 \| style="text-align:left"\| Regina—Lumsden {{small\|(1993–1997)}} Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre {{small\|(1997–2000)}}
Yvon Godin	February 1, 2000	May 25, 2011 \| style="text-align:left"\| Acadie—Bathurst \| Chief Opposition Whip {{small\|(May 2–25, 2011)}}
Chris Charlton	May 26, 2011	April 18, 2012 \| style="text-align:left"\| Hamilton Mountain \| Chief Opposition Whip
Nycole Turmel	April 19, 2012	November 11, 2015 \| style="text-align:left"\| Hull—Aylmer \| Chief Opposition Whip
Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet	November 12, 2015	March 13, 2019 \| style="text-align:left"\| Hochelaga
Ruth Ellen Brosseau	March 14, 2019	October 20, 2019 \| style="text-align:left"\| Berthier—Maskinongé
Rachel Blaney	November 26, 2019	April 4, 2024 \| style="text-align:left"\| North Island—Powell River
Heather McPherson	April 5, 2024	April 28, 2025 \| style="text-align:left"\| Edmonton Strathcona

=Party executive positions=

==Presidents==

Michael Kelway Oliver (1961–1963)
Merv Johnson (1963–1965)
Eamon Park (1965–1967)
James Renwick (1967–1969)
Allan Blakeney (1969–1971)"Moderate elected president; Watkins joins executive", The Globe and Mail, Nov 1, 1969
Donald C. MacDonald (1971–1975)
Joyce Nash (1975–1977)
Alvin Hewitt (1977–1981)
Tony Penikett (1981–1985)
Marion Dewar (1985–1987)
Johanna den Hertog (1987–1989)
Sandra Mitchell (1989–1991)
Nancy Riche (1991–1995)
Iain Angus (1995–1997)
Ed Tchorzewski (1997–1999)
Dave MacKinnon (c. 1999–2000)"New Democrats grit teeth over MP's outbursts", Montreal Gazette, June 17, 1999
Adam Giambrone (2001–2006){{cite news |last=Connor |first=Kevin |date=April 15, 2011 |title=Sun News talking the talk |url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/04/16/18015651.html |access-date=December 23, 2012 |newspaper=Toronto Sun}}
Anne McGrath (2006–2009){{cite press release |title=Anne McGrath elected NDP President |date=September 10, 2006 |publisher=New Democratic Party |url=https://www.ndp.ca/page/4280 |access-date=August 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930233031/http://www.ndp.ca/page/4280 |archive-date=September 30, 2008}}
Peggy Nash (2009–2011){{cite news |last=Galloway |first=Gloria |date=2009-08-15 |title=Folksy Dexter plays the hero |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/folksy-dexter-plays-the-hero/article1253618/protected/ |access-date=2009-09-22 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto}}
Brian Topp (2011){{cite news |last=Smith |first=Joanna |date=2011-06-19 |title=Heated debate as New Democrats defer motion to drop socialist from constitution |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1011415--heated-debate-as-new-democrats-defer-motion-to-drop-socialist-from-constitution |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622081521/http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1011415--heated-debate-as-new-democrats-defer-motion-to-drop-socialist-from-constitution |archive-date=2011-06-22 |access-date=2011-06-25 |newspaper=The Toronto Star |location=Toronto}}
Rebecca Blaikie (2011–2016){{cite news |last=Bryden |first=Joan |date=March 26, 2012 |title=NDP hunts for source of cyber-attack on electronic voting system |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ndp-hunts-for-source-of-cyber-attack-on-electronic-voting-system/article2380956/ |access-date=March 31, 2012 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |agency=The Canadian Press}}
Marit Stiles (2016–2018)
Mathieu Vick (2018–2021)
Dhananjai Kohli (2021–2023)
Mary Shortall (2023–present)

=Provincial and territorial leaders=

The NDP is formally affiliated with ten provincial and territorial NDP sections that contest elections for seats in the legislative assemblies of Canadian provinces and territories.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2" \| Province/territory ! rowspan="2" \| First leader ! colspan="3" \| Current leader
Leader ! Took office ! Current position
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|British Columbia}} British Columbia \| Robert Connell (CCF) Robert Strachan (NDP) \| David Eby \| October 21, 2022 ({{ayd\|October 21, 2022}}) \| Premier
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Alberta}} Alberta \| Chester Ronning (CCF) Neil Reimer (NDP) \| Naheed Nenshi \| June 22, 2024 ({{ayd\|June 22, 2024}}) \| Leader of the Opposition
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Saskatchewan}} Saskatchewan \| M. J. Coldwell (CCF) Woodrow Lloyd (NDP) \| Carla Beck \| June 26, 2022 ({{ayd\|June 26, 2022}}) \| Leader of the Opposition
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Manitoba}} Manitoba \| Seymour Farmer (CCF) Russell Paulley (NDP) \| Wab Kinew \| September 16, 2017 ({{ayd\|September 16, 2017}}) \| Premier
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Ontario}} Ontario \| Agnes Macphail (CCF) Donald C. MacDonald (NDP) \| Marit Stiles \| February 4, 2023 ({{ayd\|February 4, 2023}}) \| Leader of the Opposition
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|New Brunswick}} New Brunswick \| Jim Mugridge (CCF) Jack Currie (NDP) \| Alex White \| June 28, 2022 ({{ayd\|June 28, 2022}}) \| N/A
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Prince Edward Island}} Prince Edward Island \| David Hall \| Michelle Neill \| April 23, 2022 ({{ayd\|April 23, 2022}}) \| N/A
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Nova Scotia}} Nova Scotia \| Donald MacDonald (CCF) James H. Aitchison (NDP) \| Claudia Chender \| June 25, 2022 ({{ayd\|June 25, 2022}}) \| Leader of the Opposition
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Newfoundland and Labrador}} Newfoundland and Labrador \| Sam Drover (CCF) Ed Finn (NDP) \| Jim Dinn \| October 19, 2021 ({{ayd\|October 19, 2021}}) \| Third party leader
style="text-align:left"\| {{flagdeco\|Yukon}} Yukon \| Fred Berger \| Kate White \| May 5, 2019 ({{ayd\|May 5, 2019}}) \| Third party leader

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

rowspan="2" | Province/territory

! rowspan="2" | First leader

! colspan="3" | Current leader

Leader

! Took office

! Current position

style="text-align:left"| {{flagdeco|British Columbia}} British Columbia

| Robert Connell (CCF)
Robert Strachan (NDP)

| David Eby

| October 21, 2022
({{ayd|October 21, 2022}})

| Premier