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Notice to the reader: This document is no longer in effect. It has been archived online and is kept purely for historical purposes.

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Introduction
Alone at the Top
The Path to Power
Leading Canada
Private Life
Afterwards
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Profiles
Speeches
Comments
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Banner: First Among Equals: The Prime Minister in Canadian Life and Politics
Banner: The Path to Power

Elusive Victory

Nearly half of our prime ministers first attained the office not through electoral victory, but rather as a result of becoming the leader of the party in power. Only two politicians, Louis St. Laurent and Pierre Trudeau, succeeded in winning both the party leadership and the office of prime minister and then leading their parties to victory in the next election. To date, the greatest victory in a federal election was that of Brian Mulroney in 1984.

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