If Justin Trudeau were to resign as Prime Minister of Canada?.....

[Hatman 🍁]

Does Ralph Goodale speak French? I don't think he does.

[Hatman 🍁]

Does Ralph Goodale speak French? I don't think he does.

He could have his PS or a minister take French questions for him. He's the most experienced minister, and interim has to be a Chretien-era greybeard.

I'm sorry, but even the interim Prime Minister of Canada has to be able to speak French. If Goodale can't speak French there is no way in hell he would become Prime Minister even in the interim. It is not the 1960s anymore.

[Hatman 🍁]

Why do you need to speak French? Isn't only the province of Quebec majority-French-speaking? It seems really antiquated to demand the PM be able to speak French.

Not just Quebec, but 1/3 of NB, parts of Ontario, and Acadian communities in Nova Scotia, PEI and there are even French communities in Western Canada, particularly in Manitoba.

[Hatman 🍁]

If he were to die, historical precedent would be to select someone from the Senate. Might not work considering all Liberal Senators are officially "independent". And, a prime minister hasn't died in office in over 100 years, so historical precedent may mean nothing.

It should be noted though that before they elected Harper, the Conservative leader was also selected from the Senate after the merger.

[Hatman 🍁]

If he were to die, historical precedent would be to select someone from the Senate. Might not work considering all Liberal Senators are officially "independent". And, a prime minister hasn't died in office in over 100 years, so historical precedent may mean nothing.

It should be noted though that before they elected Harper, the Conservative leader was also selected from the Senate after the merger.

If I recall correctly, Turner wasn't even member of either house when appointed PM, but at least he was already elected Liberal Leader. Also, wasn't Mackenzie King appointed PM one time after actually losing his seat in GE?

It doesn't apply here, since both were official party leaders, but theoretically speaking, having a non-MP to head a brief caretaker ministry doesn't sound that far-fetched.

True. You don't need a seat in the House of Commons to be Prime Minister, and many haven't for brief periods in the past. Some have spent their entire premiership without a seat.

However I doubt in this far-fetched scenario that the Liberals would look outside of caucus for interim leadership. What would be the point?