Prime ministers of Canada in popular culture

There have been numerous depictions of Prime Ministers of Canada in popular culture.

Film

Real

• John A. Macdonald: in 1979 TV movie Riel, played by Christopher Plummer (Note: Plummer is a great-grandson of John Abbott)
• Pierre Trudeau: in the 1980 film The Kidnapping of the President, played by Aubert Pallascio
• In the 2002 CBC mini series Trudeau, four Prime Ministers were portrayed
  • Pierre Trudeau, played by Colm Feore
  • Jean Chrétien, played by Guy Richer (during the film's time frame, Chrétien was a cabinet minister under Trudeau)
  • Lester Pearson, played by William Parsons
  • John Turner, played by Karl Pruner
• Pierre Trudeau: in 2005 CBC mini series Trudeau II: Maverick in the Making, played by Stéphane Demers
• In the 2006 CBC mini series Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story, two Prime Ministers were portrayed
  • John Diefenbaker, played by Paul Gross
  • Mackenzie King, played by Andy Jones
• John Diefenbaker, in the 1997 CBC miniseries The Arrow played by Robert Haley

Fictional

Fictional Prime Ministers of Canada have been portrayed in television series, including Rideau Hall, South Park and The West Wing, televisions films such as H2O, and the motion pictures Canadian Bacon and Buried on Sunday.

Literature

Real

• Sir John Sparrow David Thompson plays a significant role in Knights of the Sea by Paul Marlowe

Fictional

• Jean-Jacques Charles: A Very Political Lady (1979) by Judy LaMarsh, said to be based on Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
• Ross Hamilton: Party Favours (1997) by Jean Doe, said to be based on Brian Mulroney
• Bobby Laurier: Party Favours (1997) by Jean Doe, said to be based on Jean Chrétien
• Sir Henry Marwood: Pour la patrie (1895) by Jean-Paul Tardival, said to be based on Sir John A. Macdonald.
• Barton McGarvie: Scribes and Scoundrels (1997) by George Galt, said to be based on Brian Mulroney.
• Huntley McQueen: Two Solitudes (1945) by Hugh MacLennan, said to be based on William Lyon Mackenzie King.
• April McTavish: Party Favours (1997) by Jean Doe, said to be based on Kim Campbell.
• Perry Pleaser: Jacob Two Two and the Dinosaur (1987) by Mordecai Richler
• The Prime Minister: S: Portrait of a Spy (1977) by Ian Adams, said to be based on Pierre Elliott Trudeau.
• Jean Rioux: Party Favours (1997) by Jean Doe, said to be based on Paul Martin.
• Carter Warden: A Very Political Lady (1979) by Judy LaMarsh, said to be based on John Turner.

As themselves

Paul Martin and Stephen Harper have appeared as themselves as the sitting prime ministers on the CTV sitcom Corner Gas:

• Paul Martin in the third-season episode "Fun Run"
• Stephen Harper in the fourth season episode "Gopher It"

Several sitting prime ministers have also appeared as themselves on the CBC sketch comedy series Royal Canadian Air Farce, while Harper appeared in an installment of the satirical CBC series The Rick Mercer Report.

Prime minister impersonators

Radio and TV parodies

• Royal Canadian Air Farce has portrayed several Prime Ministers
  • Pierre Trudeau, played by Don Ferguson
  • Joe Clark, played by Don Ferguson
  • Brian Mulroney, played by Don Ferguson
  • Kim Campbell, played by Luba Goy
  • Jean Chrétien, played by Roger Abbott
  • Paul Martin, played by Don Ferguson
  • Stephen Harper, played by Craig Lauzon
• Double Exposure has portrayed several Prime Ministers
  • Joe Clark, played by Bob Robertson
  • Jean Chrétien, played by Bob Robertson
  • Pierre Trudeau, played by Bob Robertson
  • Brian Mulroney, played by Bob Robertson
  • Kim Campbell, played by Linda Cullen
• Max Ferguson has portrayed several Prime Ministers on his radio shows
  • Pierre Trudeau: on CBC Radio's Max Ferguson Show
  • Lester Pearson: on CBC Radio's Rawhide and the Max Ferguson Show
  • John Diefenbaker: on CBC Radio's Rawhide and the Max Ferguson Show
• Martin Short played Pierre Trudeau on episodes of SCTV
• Brian Mulroney was portrayed in the "Robin Sparkles" video on season two of How I Met Your Mother.