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The Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition is the leader of the party with the second greatest number of seats in the House of Commons. Their task is to keep the government of the day responsible by asking questions of cabinet members of their latest program initiatives. The Leader of the Official Opposition is 8th on the Canadian Order of Precedence. |
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DutiesThe party with the greatest number of elected representatives outside the governing party becomes Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition. This party takes the lead in holding the Government accountable for its policies and actions. The leader of this party becomes the Leader of the Official Opposition, sitting directly across from the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. The duty of the Official Opposition and other opposition parties is to "oppose," criticizing government policies and suggesting improvements, and presenting an alternative to the current Government's policy agenda.Opposition members have various opportunities to influence the formulation of laws and policies including the daily Question Period in the House of Commons. The opposition is allocated 20 "Opposition Days" or "Supply Days" each calendar year, during which it can propose a motion for debate in the House of Commons and criticize the Government on issues of broad national policy. Members of opposition parties also serve on parliamentary committees in both the Senate and the House of Commons. Twice at the provincial level, there has been no official opposition. The elections in Prince Edward Island in 1935 and New Brunswick in 1987 brought only one party to their respective legislatures. This situation has never occurred in the House of Commons. The Honourable Candice Bergen
As Deputy Leader, Candice has been given the task of connecting the Conservative Party with companies expanding their focus on ESG (Environment & Social Governance) to lessen their impact on the environment and attract new, green investment. Conservatives understand that companies, especially in the energy sector, are turning to green governance to make Canada’s already clean, ethical energy, even better. Candice brings extensive experience in both the business and political communities. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, she worked in the financial planning industry, and was the Manitoba Campaign Manager for Stephen Harper’s leadership bid for the Conservative Party of Canada. She has also acted as an advisor to several Members of Parliament and served as Chief Organizer for the Conservative Party of Canada in Manitoba. Candice is also committed to her community and has done extensive volunteer work within Manitoba. She has dedicated her time to various youth groups and has worked with at-risk youth as well adults in correctional facilities. She has also volunteered with the palliative care program at her local hospital, Boundary Trails Health Centre. Born in Morden, Manitoba, Candice now resides in Oak Bluff, Manitoba with her husband, Michael. |
