List of prime ministers of Canada by religious affiliation

This is a list of prime ministers of Canada by religious affiliation. It notes party affiliation after the name. All Canadian prime ministers have affiliations with Christianity.

In early Canadian history, religion played an important role in politics. The Conservative Party was composed mainly of Anglicans and conservative French-Canadian Catholics while the Liberal Party was backed by reform-minded French Canadian Catholics and non-Anglican English Canadians due to their support in Quebec and Ontario.

List of prime ministers by religious affiliation
Name Party Religion Denomination Years in office Notes
Sir John Thompson Liberal-Conservative Christian Roman Catholic December 5, 1892–December 12, 1894 Born a Methodist but converted to Catholicism when he married.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Liberal Christian Roman Catholic July 11, 1896–October 6, 1911 Strongly anti-clerical.
Louis St. Laurent Liberal Christian Roman Catholic November 5, 1948–June 21, 1957
Pierre Trudeau Liberal Christian Roman Catholic April 20, 1968–June 4, 1979,
March 3, 1980–March 30, 1984		 Believer in Catholic Personalism. Former board member of the Humanist Fellowship of Montreal.[1]
Joe Clark Progressive Conservative Christian Roman Catholic June 4, 1979–March 3, 1980
John Turner Liberal Christian Roman Catholic June 30, 1984–September 17, 1984
Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative Christian Roman Catholic September 17, 1984–June 25, 1993
Jean Chrétien Liberal Christian Roman Catholic November 4, 1993–December 12, 2003 Strongly anti-clerical in his youth.
Paul Martin Liberal Christian Roman Catholic December 12, 2003–February 6, 2006 Came into conflict with the Catholic Church over his support for the Civil Marriage Act, by not allowing Cabinet ministers to have conscience votes.
Justin Trudeau Liberal Christian Roman Catholic November 4, 2015–Present Baptized and raised as a Catholic, became a lapsed Catholic in his youth until the death of his brother Michel. Mother is Anglican.[2]
Sir John A. Macdonald Liberal-Conservative Christian Anglican July 1, 1867–November 5, 1873,
October 17, 1878–June 6, 1891		 Raised Presbyterian, converted in 1875.
Sir John Abbott Liberal-Conservative Christian Anglican June 16, 1891–November 24, 1892
Sir Robert Borden Conservative (historical) Christian Anglican[3] October 10, 1911–July 10, 1920 Raised Presbyterian.
Kim Campbell Progressive Conservative Christian Anglican June 25, 1993–November 4, 1993 Does not attend church and criticizes the treatment of women by organized religion. In 2004 she stated that religion "gets in the way of morality".[4][5]
Sir Mackenzie Bowell Conservative (historical) Christian Presbyterian December 12, 1894–April 27, 1896 Orange Order leader
Arthur Meighen Conservative (historical) Christian Presbyterian[6] July 10, 1920–December 29, 1921,
June 29, 1926–September 25, 1926		 Became a major fundraiser for the Salvation Army.
William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal Christian Presbyterian December 29, 1921–June 28, 1926,
September 25, 1926–August 7, 1930,
October 23, 1935–November 15, 1948		 Also a believer in various forms of mysticism.
Alexander Mackenzie Liberal Christian Baptist November 7, 1873–October 8, 1878 Raised Presbyterian, but converted to Baptist at age 19 or 20.[7]
Sir Charles Tupper Conservative (historical) Christian Baptist May 1, 1896–July 8, 1896 Born a Baptist, married an Anglican and attended that church with his family. On his own sometimes attended Baptist churches.
John Diefenbaker Progressive Conservative Christian Baptist June 21, 1956–April 22, 1963
Richard Bedford Bennett Conservative (historical) Christian United Church of Canada August 7, 1930–October 23, 1935 Was a Methodist before that denomination merged into the United Church of Canada.
Lester B. Pearson Liberal Christian United Church of Canada April 22, 1963–April 20, 1968 Was a Methodist before that denomination merged into the United Church of Canada.
Stephen Harper Conservative (modern) Christian Christian and Missionary Alliance[8] February 6, 2006–November 4, 2015 Raised in the United Church of Canada.[9]

Timeline
Justin TrudeauStephen HarperPaul MartinJean ChrétienKim CampbellBrian MulroneyJohn TurnerJoe ClarkPierre TrudeauLester B. PearsonJohn DiefenbakerLouis St. LaurentR. B. BennettWilliam Lyon Mackenzie KingArthur MeighenRobert BordenWilfrid LaurierCharles TupperMackenzie BowellJohn Sparrow David ThompsonJohn AbbottAlexander Mackenzie (politician)John A. Macdonald

See also

References
  1. Bushfield, Ian (September 21, 2013). "Political Atheists". Terahertz. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  2. "Justin Trudeau fumes at Tory MP's 'bad Catholic' taunt". Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  3. Brown, Robert Craig (2004). "Borden, Sir Robert Laird". Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
  4. Dobbin, Murray (1993). The Politics of Kim Campbell: From School Trustee to Prime Minister. James Lorimer.
  5. "Morality vs Religion". 2004. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  6. Glassford, Larry A. (2004). "Meighen, Arthur". Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
  7. Forster, Ben (1990). "Mackenzie, Alexander". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. XII (1891–1900) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  8. Campbell, Colin (February 20, 2006). "The church of Stephen Harper". Maclean's. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
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