stipulates that the leader of the government party is known as the "Premier and President of the Council". Due to Ontario being a unicameral Westminster-style parliamentary government, the premier is typically the leader of the party which has the most support in the Legislative Assembly at that time. Members are first elected to the legislature during general elections. General elections must be conducted every four years from the date of the last election. An election may also happen if the governing party loses the confidence of the legislature, by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a confidence motion. Premiers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly. They typically sit as a member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) and lead the largest party or a coalition in the assembly. Once sworn in, the premier holds office until their resignation or is removed by the lieutenant governor after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election. The premier does not have to be serving in Provincial Parliament to be selected as premier. In practice, this is highly unlikely to occur in a majority-government situation, while it can occur in a minority-government situation if the government had been struck down by its previous partners. Duration of the role The government exists independently of the legislature. While the legislature may be dissolved for an election, the executive council continues serving under the caretaker convention, where government ceases to make major policy decisions except in response to disaster. The premier has been a continuous role since 1914, when there was a one-week vacancy in the office between James Whitney and William Howard Hearst. In modern times, the premier serves until their successor is sworn in. There are no term limits on the role of premier, the premier may continue serving as long as they retain the confidence of the legislature. Deputy Premier Deputy premiers may be selected by the premier and often concurrently hold other senior roles within the government. However, the role of deputy premier holds no specific formal power, and does not automatically receive any powers in the case of absence or death of a premier. Functions Selection of the cabinet The premier plays multiple functions in the Ontario political system, mirroring most conventions of the federal level of Canadian government. The premier has a near absolute power