List of prime ministers of Canada by religious affiliation

This is a list of Prime Ministers of Canada by religious affiliation. In early Canadian history religion played an important role in politics. The Conservative Party of Canada was composed mainly of Anglicans and conservative French Canadian Catholics while the Liberal Party of Canada was backed by reform minded French Canadian Catholics and non-Anglican English Canadians. In more recent years religion has played a background role in Canadian politics. Modern Prime Ministers have been reticent about discussing their faith. See also Religion in Canada.

Christian (22)

Anglican (5)

• Sir John A. Macdonald Liberal-Conservative Party
• Sir John Abbott Liberal-Conservative Party
• Sir Robert Borden Unionist Party (Canada) [1]
  • Raised Presbyterian.
• Richard Bennett Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
• Kim Campbell Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
  • Does not attend church and once stated that she was "uneasy about organized religion"

Baptist (3)

• Alexander Mackenzie Liberal Party of Canada
• Sir Charles Tupper Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
  • Born a Baptist, married an Anglican and attended that church with his family.
  • On his own sometimes attended Baptist churches.
• John Diefenbaker Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
  • Evangelical

Christian and Missionary Alliance (1)

• Stephen Harper Conservative Party of Canada
  • Raised in the United Church of Canada.
  • Much more willing to talk openly about religion than other Prime Ministers in the last 50 years.
  • Ends speeches with “God bless Canada” because he thinks that Canadians view their faith in the same way as the Americans.
  • Made a point of bringing fundamentalist religious values to Canadian politics, such as gay bashing.

Presbyterian (3)

• Sir Mackenzie Bowell Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
  • Orange Order leader.
• Arthur Meighen Unionist Party (Canada)
  • Became a major fundraiser for the Salvation Army [2].
• William Lyon Mackenzie King Liberal Party of Canada
  • Also a believer in various forms of mysticism.

Roman Catholic (9)

• Sir John Thompson Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
  • Born a Methodist but converted to Catholicism when he married.
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Liberal Party of Canada
  • Strongly anti-clerical.
• Louis St. Laurent Liberal Party of Canada
• Pierre Trudeau Liberal Party of Canada
  • Believer in Catholic Personalism.
• Joe Clark Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
• John Napier Turner Liberal Party of Canada
• Brian Mulroney Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
• Jean Chrétien Liberal Party of Canada
  • Strongly anti-clerical in his youth.
• Paul Martin Liberal Party of Canada
  • Came into conflict with the Vatican over his support for the Civil Marriage Act.

United Church of Canada (1)

• Lester B. Pearson Liberal Party of Canada
  • The only Prime Minister belonging to Canada's largest Protestant denomination. Came from the Methodist branch.