section_path: Abstract
section_name: Abstract
paragraph_text: The prime minister of Canada (French: premier ministre du Canada) is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons; as such, the prime minister typically sits as a member of Parliament (MP) and leads the largest party or a coalition of parties. As first minister, the prime minister selects ministers to form the Cabinet.
  
  Not outlined in any constitutional document, the prime minister is appointed by the monarch 's representative, the governor general, and the office exists per long-established convention. Constitutionally, executive authority is vested in the monarch (who is the head of state), but the powers of the monarch and governor general are nearly always exercised on the advice of the Cabinet, which is collectively responsible to the House of Commons. Canadian prime ministers are appointed to the Privy Council and styled as the Right Honourable (French: le très honorable), a privilege maintained for life.
  
  The prime minister is supported by the Prime Minister's Office and heads the Privy Council Office. The prime minister also selects individuals for appointment as governor general, provincial lieutenant governors, territorial commissioners, as well as to the Senate of Canada, Supreme Court of Canada, other federal courts, and senior members of the military and public service.
  
  Mark Carney is the current prime minister of Canada, taking office on March 14, 2025. Since the Confederation of Canada in 1867, 24 prime ministers have formed 30 ministries.