Can someone who’s not an MP become prime minister?

Potential candidates to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the upcoming Liberal leadership race may not currently hold seats in the House of Commons, but that won’t stop them from being sworn in as prime minister if they emerge victorious.

Among the contenders are Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada, who is expected to formally announce his bid for leadership this week. Additionally, former B.C. premier Christy Clark has expressed interest in running, stating that she is “seriously thinking about” entering the race. Frank Baylis, a businessman and former Montreal MP, has already announced his candidacy.

While these candidates do not currently have a seat in the House of Commons, historical precedence shows that winning the leadership race would still make them eligible to take on the role of prime minister. Past examples include John Turner, who became prime minister in 1984 without holding a seat in the House. Turner, a former MP and minister, had vacated his seat in 1976 but was sworn in as prime minister later that year.

Similarly, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest-serving prime minister, lost his seat in two elections but was still able to form government and run in byelections to re-enter the House. Recent provincial examples include N.L. Premier Andrew Furey and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who both had to win seats in their respective legislatures after being sworn in as premiers.

In the early days of confederation, Canada even had two prime ministers from the Senate. John Abbott and MacKenzie Bowell, both senators from Quebec, briefly held the office of prime minister following the deaths of their predecessors.

These historical examples demonstrate that winning the leadership race can pave the way for candidates without current seats in the House of Commons to become prime minister. As the Liberal leadership race heats up, it will be interesting to see how these contenders navigate the path to potentially leading the country.