TL;DR:

Mark Carney’s candidacy for Liberal leadership sparked misinformation claiming he would be barred from Parliament as he lacks a seat. However, historical precedents allow non-elected leaders to assume roles, albeit without participating directly in House business.

Synopsis:

A post on January 17, 2025, claimed that Mark Carney, a former central bank head for Canada and England, would be barred from Canada’s House of Commons due to not being elected. As Carney announced his Liberal leadership candidacy to potentially succeed Justin Trudeau as prime minister, this misinformation circulated widely on social media. While it is true that non-elected individuals cannot participate in House debates or votes, they are not barred from stepping foot in Parliament, as clarified by experts Philippe Lagassé and Lori Turnbull. Historically, leaders like Christy Clark and John Turner have served in leadership roles without initially holding a seat in their respective legislative bodies. The practice, although not ideal, involves the leader delegating parliamentary duties to other members. The Liberal leadership race culminates on March 9, 2025, with candidates including Chrystia Freeland and Karina Gould as Carney’s primary rivals. The next federal election is due by October 20, though a snap election could occur earlier due to the Liberals’ standing. This incident highlights ongoing misinformation issues in Canadian politics.