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Canada

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Canada

Executive (The Crown)
Legislative (Parliament)
Elections
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The politics of Canada function within a framework of constitutional monarchy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Throughout the Commonwealth realms The Crown is an abstract metonymic concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, The Queen's Privy Council for Canada (QPC (Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada (CPR sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or the Privy Council The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. The Twenty-Eighth Canadian Ministry is the combined Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Secretaries of State that have governed The following list outlines the Structure of the Canadian federal government. In the Canadian cabinet the President of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada (President du Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada is nominally in charge of the Privy In Canada the Privy Council Office (Bureau du Conseil privé is the Secretariat of the federal cabinet and the department of the Prime Minister The Clerk of the Privy Council (Greffier du Conseil privé is the senior Civil servant in the government and the Secretary to the Canadian Cabinet. The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3 2006 until September 7 2008 The Senate of Canada (Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the sovereign (represented by the governor general The Speaker of the Senate of Canada ( French: Président du Sénat du Canada) is the presiding officer of the Senate of Canada. The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Leader du gouvernement au Sénat is a Canadian cabinet minister who leads the government side in the Canadian Senate In Canada, the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Senate ( French: Leader de l'opposition au Sénat) is the leader of the largest party in the Representation in the Canadian Senate is divided into seats on a provincial basis The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and In Canada the Speaker of the House of Commons ( French: Président de la Chambre des communes) is the presiding officer of the The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Leader du gouvernement à la Chambre des communes more commonly known as the Government House Leader, is the In Canada Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition ( French: L'Opposition Loyale de Sa Majesté) commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a Front bench Member of Parliament (MP and an expert The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 39th Canadian parliament is listed below See also Canadian electoral system, Timeline of Canadian elections The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada has two chambers. The Canadian electoral system is based on a Parliamentary system of Government, modelled on that of the United Kingdom. The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian The Supreme Court of Canada consists of the Chief Justice of Canada ( Juge en chef du Canada) and eight Puisne Justices all appointed by Beverley McLachlin PC (born September 7, 1943) is the Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold that position List of final courts of appeal in Canada. For details on the court system see Canadian court system. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions The British North America Acts 1867&ndash1975 are the original names of a series of Acts at the core of the Constitution of Canada. In many Commonwealth jurisdictions the phrase "peace order and good government" is an expression used in law to express the legitimate objects of Legislative The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as The Charter of Rights and Freedoms or simply the Charter) is a Bill of rights entrenched in the The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. Canadian federalism is one of the three pillars of the constitutional order along with Responsible government and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Federal and provincial aspects Across the country the Canadian Crown is unitary the headship of state is not a part of either the federal or provincial jurisdictions In Canada, the Lieutenant-Governor (lɛfˈtɛnənt often without a Hyphen) ( French: lieutenant-gouverneur, or: lieutenant-gouverneure Executive Councils in the Provinces and territories of Canada are constitutional organs headed by the Lieutenant-Governor. National regions Provinces and territories are normally grouped into the following Regions (generally from west to east Northern Canada Canadian political culture is in some ways part of a greater North American and European political culture, which emphasizes Constitutional law The foreign relations of Canada are Canada 's relations with other governments and peoples This is a list of leaders and office-holders of Canada. See also Canadian incumbents by year. Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal" The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system

Many of the country's legislative practices derive from the unwritten conventions of and precedents set by the United Kingdom's Westminster parliament; however, Canada has evolved variations. A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted Standards norms social norms or criteria, often taking the form of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Westminster is an area of Central London, within the City of Westminster. For example, party discipline in Canada is stronger than in the United Kingdom, and more parliamentary votes are considered motions of confidence, which tends to diminish the role of non-Cabinet Members of Parliament (MPs). A Motion of Confidence is a motion of support proposed by a government in a Parliament or other assembly of elected representatives to give members of parliament (or A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Such members, in the government caucus, and junior or lower-profile members of opposition caucuses, are known as backbenchers. Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government particularly in a Westminster -based Parliamentary system For other meanings see Backbench A backbencher is a Member of Parliament (MP or a legislator who does not hold governmental Backbenchers can, however, exert their influence by sitting in parliamentary committees, like the Public Accounts Committee or the National Defence Committee.

Contents

Context

Canada's governmental structure was originally established by the British parliament through the British North America Act (now known as the Constitution Act, 1867), but the federal model and division of powers were devised by Canadian politicians. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories The British North America Acts 1867&ndash1975 are the original names of a series of Acts at the core of the Constitution of Canada. The Constitution Act 1867 (formerly called the British North America Act 1867, and still known informally as the BNA Act) constitutes a major part of Particularly after World War I, citizens of the self-governing Dominions, such as Canada, began to develop a strong sense of identity, and, in the Balfour Declaration of 1926, the British government expressed its intent to grant full autonomy to these regions. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and The Balfour Declaration of 1926, named after the British Lord President of the Council Arthur Balfour, Earl of Balfour was the name given to a report resulting Thus in 1931, the British Parliament passed the Statute of Westminster, giving legal recognition to the autonomy of Canada and other Dominions. The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (22 & 23 Geo Following this, Canadian politicians were unable to obtain consensus on a process for amending the constitution until 1982, meaning amendments to Canada's constitution continued to require the approval of the British parliament until that date. Similarly, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in Britain continued to make the final decision on legal issues until 1949. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom, established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 As well, because of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and rulings of courts on legislation, Canada is becoming more like a constitutional democracy, as opposed to the parliamentary democracy of its design. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as The Charter of Rights and Freedoms or simply the Charter) is a Bill of rights entrenched in the In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State For the revolt in Brazil, see Constitutionalist Revolution. The term Constitutionalism is a word with a variety of meanings A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which

Summary of governmental organization

Main article: Government of Canada
Name
Canada (for conventional and legal use; "Dominion of Canada" remains legal but rarely used)
Further information: Canada's name
Type of government 
federal parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy. The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The name of Canada has been in use since the earliest European settlement in Canada, with the Name originating from a First Nations word A federation ( Latin: foedus, covenant is a union comprising a number of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central ("federal" A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is
Capital 
Ottawa, Ontario. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec
Administrative divisions 
Ten provinces and three territories*: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*. The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. Alberta (ælˈbɝtə is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1 1905 British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Manitoba (English ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə French /manitoba/ is a province of Canada, spanning 647797 square kilometres (250116  sq mi of North America New Brunswick ( French: Nouveau-Brunswick /nuvobʁɔnzwik/ is one of Canada 's three Maritime provinces and is the only constitutionally Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation The Northwest Territories (ˌnɔrθˌwɛstˈtɛrɨtɔriz ( NWT or NT; French, les Territoires du Nord-Ouest) is a territory Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's Nunavut (ˈnuːnəvʊt ( Inuktitut syllabics: ᓄᓇᕗᑦ is the largest and newest territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Prince Edward Island (ˌprɪns ˌɛdwɚd ˈaɪlɨnd ( PEI or P Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Saskatchewan (səˈskætʃəwən) is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of 588276 Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories.
National holiday 
Canada Day, July 1. Canada Day (Fête du Canada formerly Dominion Day, is Canada 's national day, a federal statutory holiday, celebrating the anniversary of the "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song.
Constitution 
Westminster system, based on unwritten conventions and written legislation. The Westminster system is a democratic Parliamentary system of Government modelled after the British government (the Parliament of the United Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political meeting A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions
Legal system 
English common law for all matters within federal jurisdiction and in all provinces and territories except Quebec, which is based on the civil law, based on the Custom of Paris in pre-revolutionary France as set out in the Civil Code of Quebec; accepts compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction, with reservations. English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of Common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countriesand the Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive Civil law or Romano-Germanic law or Continental law is the predominant system of law in the world. The Civil Code of Québec ( Code civil du Québec) is the Civil code in force in the province of Quebec, Canada. See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour
Further information: Law of Canada
Suffrage 
Citizens aged 18 years or older. The Canadian legal system has its foundation in the British Common law system inherited from being a part of the Commonwealth. Only two adult citizens in Canada cannot vote: the Chief Electoral Officer, and the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer. The Chief Electoral Officer was created in 1920 by the Dominion Elections Act. The Governor General is eligible to vote, but abstains due to constitutional convention. The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political meeting A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is
Participation in international organizations 
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), Council of Europe (observer), Commonwealth of Nations, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, La Francophonie, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICJ, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, Kyoto Protocol, MINURCA, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORTHCOM, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (prior/temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, Zangger Committee. International Organization is a peer-reviewed Academic journal that covers the entire field of International affairs. The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 The European Space Agency ( ESA) established in 1975 is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 17 member La Francophonie is an international organisation of French-speaking countries and governments and in French, the community of French-speaking peoples The International Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit private international organization that works to promote and support global trade and Globalization. The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour The International Development Association ( IDA) created on September 24, 1960, is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries The International Labour Organization The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic Inmarsat plc ( is an international Telecommunications company originally operating as an Intergovernmental organization Intelsat Ltd is the world’s largest commercial Satellite communications services provider The International Criminal Police Organization, better known by its telegraphic address Interpol is an organization facilitating international police cooperation The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the international Framework Convention on Climate Change with the objective of reducing Greenhouse gases in an effort The North Atlantic Treaty The Organization of American States ( OAS, or as it is known in the three other official languages OEA) is an International organization, headquartered The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR (established December 14, 1950) is a The Zangger Committee, also known as the Nuclear Exporters Committee, sprang from Article III
Description of national flag 
A red maple leaf centred on a Canadian pale: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red, with a length twice that of its height. A national flag is a Flag that symbolises a country The flag is flown by the government but usually can be flown by Citizens of that country as well Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or In Vexillology and Heraldry, a Canadian pale is a centre band of a vertical triband Flag (a pale in heraldry that covers half the
Further information: Flag of Canada

Executive power

Head of state 
Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada (since February 6, 1952). The National Flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and fr l'Unifolié ( French for "the one-leafed" is a red Flag Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Viceroy 
Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada (since September 27, 2005). A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the Monarch. Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Head of government 
Prime Minister Stephen Harper (since February 6, 2006). This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
Cabinet 
Ministers (usually around thirty) chosen by the Prime Minister and appointed by the Governor General to lead various ministries and agencies, generally with regional representation. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. A ministry (usually preceded by the Definite article, ie the ministry) refers to a collective body of Government ministers headed by a Traditionally most, if not all, cabinet ministers will be members of the leader's own party in the House of Commons (see Cabinet of Canada); however this is not legally or constitutionally mandated, and occasionally the Prime Minister will appoint a cabinet minister from another party. The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System.
Elections 
The monarchy is hereditary. The Governor General is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister for a non-specific term, though it is traditionally approximately five years. Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is usually designated by the Governor General to become Prime Minister.
Further information: Monarchy of Canada, Monarchy in the Canadian provinces, Lieutenant-Governor (Canada), Premier (Canada), and Elections in Canada

Legislative power

The bicameral parliament consists of three parts: the monarch, the Senate, and the House of Commons. TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of Federal and provincial aspects Across the country the Canadian Crown is unitary the headship of state is not a part of either the federal or provincial jurisdictions In Canada, the Lieutenant-Governor (lɛfˈtɛnənt often without a Hyphen) ( French: lieutenant-gouverneur, or: lieutenant-gouverneure In Canada, a premier is the Head of government of a province or territory. See also Canadian electoral system, Timeline of Canadian elections The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada has two chambers. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of The Senate of Canada (Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the sovereign (represented by the governor general The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and

Currently, the Senate, which is frequently described as providing "regional" representation, has 105 members appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister to serve until age 75. It was created with equal representation from each of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime region. However, it is currently the product of various specific exceptions, additions and compromises, meaning that regional equality is not observed, nor is representation-by-population. The normal number of senators can be exceeded by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister, as long as the additional senators are distributed equally with regard to region (up to a total of 8 additional Senators). This power of additional appointment has only been used once, when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney petitioned Queen Elizabeth II to add eight seats to the Senate so as to ensure the passage of the Goods and Services Tax legislation. Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ (predominantly known as Brian Mulroney) (born March 20, 1939) was the eighteenth For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Canadian Goods and Services Tax ( GST) ( French:) is a multi-level Value-added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991

The House of Commons currently has 308 members elected by a plurality of popular votes in separate constituencies (ridings) for mandates that cannot exceed five years. An electoral district (also known as a Constituency or a riding in the Canadian English political Jargon) is a geographically-based This fixed mandate has been exceeded only once, when Prime Minister Robert Borden perceived the need to do so during World War I. Not to be confused with his cousin Frederick Borden, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence from 1896 to 1911 World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The size of the House and apportionment of seats to each province is revised after every census, conducted every five years, and is based on population changes and approximately on representation-by-population.

Majority and minority governments

Canadians vote for their local Member of Parliament (MP) only. The party leaders are elected prior to the general elections by party memberships. Parties elect their leaders in run-off elections to ensure that the winner receives more than 50% of the votes. Normally the party leader stands as a candidate to be an MP during an election.

The election of a local MP gives a seat to one of the several political parties. The party that gets the most seats normally forms the government, with that party's leader becoming prime minister. The Prime Minister is not directly elected by the general population, although the Prime Minister is directly elected as an MP within his or her constituency.

Canada's parliamentary system empowers political parties and their party leaders. Where one party gets a majority of the seats in the House of Commons, that party is said to have a "majority government. " Through party discipline, the party leader, who is only elected in one riding, exercises a great deal of control over the cabinet and the parliament.

A minority government situation occurs when the party that holds the most seats in the House of Commons still holds less than the opposition parties combined. A minority government or a minority cabinet is a Cabinet of a Parliamentary system formed when the governing Political party or In this scenario a party leader is selected by the Governor General to lead the government, however, to attempt to create stability, the person chosen must command the support of at least one other party.

Federal-provincial relations

In Canada, the provinces are considered co-sovereign; sovereignty of the provinces is passed on, not by the Governor General or the Canadian parliament, but through the Crown itself. The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. This means that the Crown is "divided" into eleven legal jurisdictions; into eleven "Crowns" - one federal and ten provincial.

Federal-provincial (or intergovernmental, formerly Dominion-provincial) relations is a regular issue in Canadian politics: Quebec wishes to preserve and strengthen its distinctive nature, western provinces desire more control over their abundant natural resources, especially energy reserves; industrialized Central Canada is concerned with its manufacturing base, and the Atlantic provinces strive to escape from being less affluent than the rest of the country. Central Canada (sometimes the Central provinces) is a region consisting of Canada 's two largest and most populous provinces: Ontario and

In order to ensure that social programs such as health care and education are funded consistently throughout Canada, the "have-not" (poorer) provinces receive a proportionately greater share of federal "transfer (equalization) payments" than the richer, or "have," provinces do; this has been somewhat controversial. Equalization payments are cash payments made in some federal systems of government from the federal government to state or provincial governments with the objective of offsetting differences The richer provinces often favour freezing transfer payments, or rebalancing the system in their favour, based on the claim that they already pay more in taxes than they receive in federal government services, and the poorer provinces often favour an increase on the basis that the amount of money they receive is not sufficient for their existing needs.

Particularly in the past decade, some scholars have argued that the federal government's exercise of its unlimited constitutional spending power has contributed to strained federal-provincial relations. This power, which allows the federal government to spend the revenue it raises in any way that it pleases, allows it to overstep the constitutional division of powers by creating programs that encroach on areas of provincial jurisdiction. The federal spending power is found in s. 102 of the Constitution Act, 1867. The Constitution Act 1867 (formerly called the British North America Act 1867, and still known informally as the BNA Act) constitutes a major part of A prime example of an exercise of the spending power is the Canada Health Act, which is a conditional grant of money to the provinces. The Canada Health Act (CHA is a piece of Canadian federal Legislation, adopted in 1984 which specifies the conditions and criteria with which the provincial and Delivery of health services is, under the Constitution, a provincial responsibility. However, by making the funding available to the provinces under the Canada Health Act contingent upon delivery of services according to federal standards, the federal government has the ability to influence health care delivery. This spending power, coupled with Supreme Court rulings — such as Reference re Canada Assistance Plan (B.C.) — that have held that funding delivered under the spending power can be reduced unilaterally at any time, has contributed to strained federal-provincial relations. Reference re Canada Assistance Plan (BC, 2 SCR 525 is a leading constitutional decision of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Quebec and Canadian politics

Except for three short-lived transitional or minority governments, prime ministers from Quebec have led Canada continuously from 1967 to 2003. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Quebecers have led both Liberal and Conservative governments in this period. The Liberal Party of Canada ( Parti libéral du Canada) colloquially known as the Grits (originally " Clear Grits " is a major Canadian political The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative

Monarchs, Governors General, and Prime Ministers are now expected to be at least functional, if not fluent, in both English and French. Canadian English ( CanE, en-CA) is the variety of English used in Canada. French is the mother tongue of about 67 million Canadians (22 In selecting leaders, political parties give preference to candidates who are fluently bilingual.

Also, by law, judges from Quebec must hold three of the nine positions on the Supreme Court of Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian This representation makes sure that at least three judges have sufficient experience with the civil law system to treat cases involving Quebec laws. Civil law or Romano-Germanic law or Continental law is the predominant system of law in the world.

National unity

Canada has a long and storied history of secessionist movements (see Secessionist movements of Canada). Throughout the history of Canada, there have been movements seeking secession from Canada. National unity has been a major issue in Canada since the forced union of the Canadas in 1840.

The predominant and lingering issue concerning Canadian national unity has been the ongoing conflict between the French-speaking majority in Quebec and the English-speaking majority in the rest of Canada. Quebec's continued demands for recognition of its "distinct society" through special political status has led to attempts for constitutional reform, most notably with the failed attempts to amend the constitution through the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord (the latter of which was rejected though a national referendum). Distinct society (in French la société distincte) is a political expression especially used during a Constitutional debate in Canada, in the second half The Meech Lake Accord was a set of failed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and the provincial The Charlottetown Accord was a package of constitutional amendments proposed by the Canadian federal and provincial governments in 1992. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita

Since the Quiet Revolution, sovereigntist sentiments in Quebec have been variably stoked by the patriation of the Canadian constitution in 1982 (without Quebec's consent) and by the failed attempts at constitutional reform. The Quiet Revolution ( Révolution tranquille) was the 1960s period of intense change in Quebec, Canada, characterized by the rapid and effective Secularization The Canada Act 1982 (1982 c 11 is an Act of Parliament passed by the British Parliament that severed all remaining legislative dependence of Canada Two provincial referendums, in 1980 and 1995, rejected proposals for sovereignty with majorities of 60% and 50. The 1980 Quebec referendum was the first Referendum in Quebec on the place of Quebec within Canada and whether Quebec should pursue a path toward sovereignty The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second Referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should 6% respectively. Given the narrow federalist victory in 1995, a reference was made by the Chrétien government to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1998 regarding the legality of unilateral provincial secession. Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian Reference re Secession of Quebec, 2 SCR 217 was an opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada regarding the legality under both Canadian and International law The court decided that a unilateral declaration of secession would be unconstitutional. This resulted in the passage of the Clarity Act in 2000. The Clarity Act (known as Bill C-20 before it became law is legislation of Canada 's federal parliament that established the conditions under which the

The Bloc Québécois, a sovereigntist party which runs candidates exclusively in Quebec, was started by a group of MPs who left the Progressive Conservative (PC) party (along with several disaffected Liberal MPs), and first put forward candidates in the 1993 federal election. The Bloc Québécois ( BQ) is a federal political party in Canada that defines itself as devoted to both the protection of Quebec's interests on a federal Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk With the collapse of the PCs in that election, the Bloc and Liberals were seen as the only two viable parties in Quebec. Thus, prior to the 2006 election, any gain by one party came at the expense of the other, regardless of whether national unity was really at issue. The Bloc, then, benefited (with a significant increase in seat total) from the impressions of corruption that surrounded the Liberal Party in the leadup to the 2004 election. However, the newly-unified Conservative party re-emerged as a viable party in Quebec by winning 10 seats in the 2006 election, meaning that Quebecers' electoral choices are now more complex.

Western alienation is another national-unity-related concept that enters into Canadian politics. Western alienation, in Canadian politics, is the concept of the Western provinces, namely British Columbia (B Residents of the four western provinces, particularly Alberta, have often been unhappy with a lack of influence and a perceived lack of understanding when residents of Central Canada consider "national" issues. Central Canada (sometimes the Central provinces) is a region consisting of Canada 's two largest and most populous provinces: Ontario and While this is seen to play itself out through many avenues (media, commerce, etc. ), in politics, it has given rise to a number of political parties whose base constituency is in western Canada. These include the United Farmers of Alberta, who first won federal seats in 1917, the Progressives (1921), the Social Credit Party (1935), the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (1935), the Reconstruction Party (1935), New Democracy (1940) and most recently the Reform Party (1989). The United Farmers of Alberta (UFA is an Agricultural supply cooperative headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s The Social Credit Party of Canada ( French: Parti Crédit social du Canada) was a conservative - Populist political party in The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF (French Fédération du commonwealth coopératif, then Parti social démocratique du Canada) was a Canadian The Reconstruction Party was a Canadian political party founded by Henry Herbert Stevens, a long-time Conservative Member of Parliament (MP New Democracy was a Political party in Canada founded by William Duncan Herridge in 1939. The Reform Party of Canada ( Parti réformiste du Canada) was a Canadian federal Political party that existed from 1987 to 2000 The Reform Party's slogan "The West Wants In" was echoed by commentators when, after a successful merger with the PCs, the successor party to both parties, the Conservative Party won the 2006 election. Led by Stephen Harper, who is an MP from Alberta, the electoral victory was said to have made "The West IS In" a reality. However, regardless of specific electoral successes or failures, the concept of western alienation continues to be important in Canadian politics, particularly on a provincial level, where opposing the federal government is a common tactic for provincial politicians. For example, in 2001, a group of prominent Albertans (including Harper) produced the Alberta Agenda, urging Alberta to take steps to make full use of its constitutional powers, much as Quebec has done. The Alberta Agenda is a loosely-organized Political movement initiated by a letter written by prominent Albertans including federal Prime Minister

Political conditions

The Liberal Party of Canada, under the leadership of Paul Martin, won a minority victory in the June 2004 general elections. The Canadian federal election 2004 (more formally the 38th General Election) was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of In December 2003, Martin had succeeded fellow Liberal Jean Chrétien, who had, in 2000, become the first Prime Minister to lead three consecutive majority governments since 1945. However, in 2004 the Liberals lost seats in Parliament, going from 172 of 301 Parliamentary seats to 135 of 308, and from 40. 9% to 36. 7% in the popular vote. The Canadian Alliance, which did well in western Canada in the 2000 election, but was unable to make significant inroads in the East, merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the Conservative Party of Canada in late 2003. The Canadian Alliance (in French Alliance Canadienne) formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (or in French Alliance réformiste-conservateur The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ( PC) ( Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) ( 1867 – 2003) was a Canadian The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative They proved to be moderately successful in the 2004 campaign, gaining seats from a combined Alliance-PC total of 78 in 2000 to 99 in 2004. However, the new Conservatives lost in popular vote, going from 37. 7% in 2000 down to 29. 6%. In 2006 the Conservatives, led by Stephen Harper, won a minority government with 124 seats. They improved their percentage from 2004, garnering 36. 3% of the vote. During this election, the Conservatives also made major breakthroughs in Quebec. They gained 10 seats here, whereas in 2004 they had no seats.

This was the second minority government in Canada federally since 1979-1980. That government, led by Joe Clark, lasted only seven months. Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark PC CC AOE (born June 5 1939 is a Canadian Journalist, Politician, Statesman The situation, however, was different. The Clark government was elected in part because many voters did not want to support the Liberal party, but they did not expect that the Progressive Conservatives would win enough seats for a minority government.

Minority governments are not always short-lived. While they have not generally lasted four years, there have been minority governments in the time before 1979 that were fairly stable and able to pass legislation. Minority government situations in Canada may become somewhat difficult to manage though, as in the past there were only three parties that had a significant number of seats in parliament (fourth parties were at times represented in small numbers), although the third party has changed over time. In Canada, a third party usually refers to a relatively small federal or provincial political party that is not considered to have a realistic chance of forming a This meant an alliance between the governing and third parties would have a solid majority. Since the 1930s, the third party was usually the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation or later the New Democratic Party, which was created when an alliance was formed between labour unions and the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF (French Fédération du commonwealth coopératif, then Parti social démocratique du Canada) was a Canadian Principles policies and electoral achievement The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots The Social Credit Party of Canada was the third party at times. The Social Credit Party of Canada ( French: Parti Crédit social du Canada) was a conservative - Populist political party in Before this, there were other parties that had significant influence; such as the Progressive Party in the 1920s. The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s

No such governing coalition was able to form in the 38th Parliament.

Party funding reform

Funding changes were in a greater manner on personal contributions. It should be noted that personal donations to federal parties and campaigns benefit from tax credits, although the amount of tax relief depends on the amount given. Also only people paying income taxes receive any benefit from this.

A good part of the reasoning behind the change in funding was that union or business funding should not be allowed to have as much impact on federal election funding as these are not contributions from citizens and are not evenly spread out between parties. They are still allowed to contribute to the election but only in a minor fashion. The new rules stated that a party had to receive 2% of the vote nationwide in order to receive the general federal funding for parties. Each vote garnered a certain dollar amount for a party (approximately $1. 75) in future funding. For the initial dispersement, approximations were made based on previous elections. The NDP received more votes than expected (its national share of the vote went up) while the new Conservative Party of Canada received fewer votes than had been estimated and has been asked to refund the difference. It should be noted that the province of Quebec was the first province to implement a similar system of funding many years before the changes to funding of federal parties. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk

Federal funds are disbursed quarterly to parties, beginning at the start of 2005. For the moment, this disbursement delay leaves the NDP and the Green Party in a better position to fight an election, since they rely more on individual contributors than federal funds. The Green party now receives federal funds, since it for the first time received a sufficient share of the vote in the 2004 election.

Commonly, two national debates receive nationwide coverage during an election, one in each official language. Both debates are broadcast in translation, so it is possible to watch either debate without a working knowledge of the language of the debate, although part of the meaning can be lost. People who are bilingual enough to understand both the English- and French-language debates without need of translation will get a better idea of the substances of the two debates and the differences between them if they decide to watch both debates.

Currently only the parties represented in Parliament participate in the debates. The Green Party, however, has argued that it should also be allowed to participate. Its share of the vote has increased greatly, due in part to the new funding formula, in part because it ran in many more ridings than in previous elections (it nominated candidates in every riding in the 2004 and 2006 elections), and in part to increased popularity. The Canadian federal election 2004 (more formally the 38th General Election) was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the Thus the argument goes that if there is sufficient national support to earn official recognition as a party (i. e. , one that is granted funding based on getting 2% or more of the national vote) it should also be allowed to debate on the same level as the other officially recognized parties.

Also, having received 6% of the vote in British Columbia and based on past precedent, the Greens will have a stronger case for being included in the debates in future elections. The Bloc Québécois was allowed to participate in debates on the basis of its support in Quebec - even before it had elected any MPs in a general election (the only Bloc's MPs at the time had either switched parties or won in by-elections). Furthermore, on the basis of anticipated support, the Reform Party of Canada was included in debates despite only having a single MP. The Reform Party of Canada ( Parti réformiste du Canada) was a Canadian federal Political party that existed from 1987 to 2000 Therefore, past party performance or number of seats is not how participants are chosen.

In 2007, news emerged of a funding loophole that "could cumulatively exceed the legal limit by more than $60,000," through anonymous recurrent donations of 199 dollars to every riding of a party from corporations or unions. [1][2][3]

Elections

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 23 January 2006 Canadian House of Commons election results
Party Party leader Candi-
dates		 Seats Popular vote
2004 Dissol. 2006 % Change # % Change
     Conservative Party of Canada Stephen Harper 308 99 98 124 +25. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the The Canadian federal election 2004 (more formally the 38th General Election) was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of In Parliamentary systems a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a Legislature at the call of an Election. The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC 3% 5,374,071 36. 27% +6. 64%
     Liberal Party of Canada Paul Martin 308 135 133 103 -23. The Liberal Party of Canada ( Parti libéral du Canada) colloquially known as the Grits (originally " Clear Grits " is a major Canadian political Paul Edgar Philippe Martin. PC, MP (also known as Paul Martin Jr 7% 4,479,415 30. 23% -6. 50%
     Bloc Québécois Gilles Duceppe 75 54 53 51 -5. The Bloc Québécois ( BQ) is a federal political party in Canada that defines itself as devoted to both the protection of Quebec's interests on a federal Gilles Duceppe, MP (born July 22, 1947) is a Quebec nationalist and Social democratic politician in Canada. 6% 1,553,201 10. 48% -1. 90%
     New Democratic Party Jack Layton 308 19 18 29 +52. Principles policies and electoral achievement The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots John Gilbert "Jack" Layton PC MP (born July 18, 1950) is a social democratic Canadian Politician 6% 2,589,597 17. 48% +1. 79%
     Green Party of Canada Jim Harris 308 - - -   664,068 4. The Green Party of Canada is a Canadian federal Political party founded in 1983 with around 9000 registered members as of November 2007. James R M "Jim" Harris (born February 12, 1961) is a Canadian author environmentalist and politician 48% +0. 19%
     Christian Heritage Party of Canada Ron Gray 45 - - -   28,152 0. Electoral activity National leaders Ron Gray, national leader Jim Hnatiuk, deputy leader Kelsey Ronald "Ron" O Gray is a minor Canadian federal politician 19% -0. 11%
     Progressive Canadian Party Tracy Parsons 25 - - -   14,151 0. Founding and 2004 election Following the dissolution of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and its merger with the Canadian Alliance into the Tracy Parsons was the second leader of the Progressive Canadian Party, from May 2005 to November 2007 10% +0. 02%
     Marijuana Party of Canada Blair Longley 23 - - -   9,171 0. The Marijuana Party of Canada ( French: Parti Marijuana du Canada) is a Canadian federal Political party whose short-form name that Blair Timothy Longley (born September 25, 1950 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a Canadian Politician and Activist 06% -0. 18%
     Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) Sandra L. Smith 69 - - -   8,980 0. History and ideology Hardial Bains founded the Internationalists at the University of British Columbia on March 13 1963. This article is about a Canadian politician For the Fox Business Network reporter named Sandra Smith see Sandra Smith (TV. 06% +0. 00%
     Canadian Action Party Connie Fogal 34 - - -   6,102 0. The Canadian Action Party (CAP (French Parti action canadienne (PAC is a Canadian federal Political party founded in 1997 Constance (Connie Fogal (born 1940 is the leader of the Canadian Action Party. 04% -0. 02%
     Communist Party of Canada Miguel Figueroa 21 - - -   3,022 0. History Origins The Communist Party was organized with great secrecy in a barn near the city of Guelph Ontario, on May 28 and 29 1921 Miguel Figueroa (born 1953 has been the leader of the Communist Party of Canada since 1992 02% -0. 01%
     Libertarian Party of Canada Jean-Serge Brisson 10 - - -   3,002 0. The Libertarian Party of Canada is a political party in Canada that subscribes to the tenets of the libertarian movement Jean-Serge Brisson (born in 1954 in Embrun, Ontario) is a Politician in Ontario Canada. 02% +0. 01%
     First Peoples National Party of Canada Barbara Wardlaw 5 * - - * 1,201 0. The First Peoples National Party of Canada (FPNPC is a registered federal Political party in Canada. Barbara Wardlaw is the Interim leader of the First Peoples National Party of Canada. 01% *
     Western Block Party Doug Christie 4 * - - * 1,094 0. The Western Block Party (WBP is a political party in Canada founded in 2005 by Doug Christie. Douglas Hewson Christie Jr, known as Doug Christie, (b April 1946 is a Canadian lawyer and far-right political activist based in Victoria, 01% *
     Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party Liz White 1 * - - * 72 0. Ideology The party’s program is centred on Animal rights and Environmentalism; it generally takes a more radical position on the latter than that taken by Elizabeth "Liz" White is a Canadian politician and animal rights activist residing in Toronto, Ontario. 0005% *
     Independents and no affiliation 90 1 4 11 - 81,860 0. In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. 55% -0. 07%
     Vacant 2  
Total 1634 308 308 308 - 14,845,680 100%  
Source: Elections Canada

Notes:

Official candidate nominations closed January 2, 2006. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Candidate totals cited above are based on official filings. Nominations were official on January 5, 2006. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
"% change" refers to change from previous election
* indicates the party did not contest in the previous election.
1 André Arthur was elected as an independent candidate in the Quebec City-area riding of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. André Arthur MP (born December 21, 1943 in Quebec City) is a Canadian Radio host and Politician. Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier (formerly known as Portneuf) is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in He personally won 20,158 votes.
See also: Canadian Senate

Political parties, leaders, and status

(By number of elected representatives in House of Commons)

Judiciary

Main article: Supreme Court of Canada

The highest court in Canada is the Supreme Court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian justice system. The Senate of Canada (Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the sovereign (represented by the governor general The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC A minority government or a minority cabinet is a Cabinet of a Parliamentary system formed when the governing Political party or The Liberal Party of Canada ( Parti libéral du Canada) colloquially known as the Grits (originally " Clear Grits " is a major Canadian political Stéphane Maurice Dion PC not change it to "Liberal"! --> MP In Canada Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition ( French: L'Opposition Loyale de Sa Majesté) commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually Gilles Duceppe, MP (born July 22, 1947) is a Quebec nationalist and Social democratic politician in Canada. Principles policies and electoral achievement The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots John Gilbert "Jack" Layton PC MP (born July 18, 1950) is a social democratic Canadian Politician Bill Casey can also refer to former CIA director William J Casey. André Arthur MP (born December 21, 1943 in Quebec City) is a Canadian Radio host and Politician. Louise Thibault (born 1947 in Montreal, Quebec) is a Canadian politician Blair Wilson (born May 18, 1963 in North Vancouver, British Columbia) is the Canadian Member of Parliament (MP in The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian The Canadian legal system has its foundation in the British Common law system inherited from being a part of the Commonwealth. The court is composed of nine judges: eight Puisne Justices and the Chief Justice of Canada. A judge, or justice, is an Official who presides over a Court of law A Puisne Justice or Puisne Judge (pronounced puny, and derived from the obsolete French puisné, modern French puîné, "junior" is The Supreme Court of Canada consists of the Chief Justice of Canada ( Juge en chef du Canada) and eight Puisne Justices all appointed by Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada are appointed by the Governor-in-Council. The Supreme Court Act limits eligibility for appointment to persons who have been judges of a superior court, or members of the bar for ten or more years. The Supreme Court Act is an Act passed by the Parliament of Canada which established the Supreme Court of Canada. A bar association is a Professional body of Lawyers Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their Jurisdiction Members of the bar or superior judiciary of Quebec, by law, must hold three of the nine positions on the Supreme Court of Canada. [4]

Government departments and structure

Further information: Structure of the Canadian federal government

Crown corporations and other government agencies

Significant Crown corporations and agencies of the federal government include:

See also

References

  1. ^ Conacher, Duff (2007-08-13). The following list outlines the Structure of the Canadian federal government. In the Commonwealth realms a Crown corporation is a State-controlled company or enterprise VIA Rail Canada (also referred to as VIA Rail and VIA; ˈviːə 'vee-ah' is an independent Crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail Elections Canada is an independent non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an Arts council of Canada Post Corporation ( Société canadienne des postes) is the Canadian postal operator operated as a crown corporation. Origin of differences There is much discussion particularly in academic circles of the differences and similarities between United States (US and Canadian politics There are a great many similarities between the countries of Canada and Australia. Canadian political culture is in some ways part of a greater North American and European political culture, which emphasizes Constitutional law This article lists political parties in Canada. Federal parties See also List of federal political parties in Canada Provincial This is a list of major Political scandals in Canada: Federal Pacific Scandal - allegations of Bribes being taken Liberalism has been a strong force in Canadian politics since the late 18th Century In Canada, political conservatism is generally considered to be primarily represented by the Conservative Party of Canada at the federal level and by various Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy have been along with liberalism and conservatism, a political force in Canada Canadian nationalism is a term which has been Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Our Democracy for Sale, Still. The Tyee. Retrieved on 2007-08-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting
  2. ^ Leblanc, Daniel; Jane Taber (2007-08-02). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Ottawa refuses to close donation loophole. The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2007-08-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Retrieved on 2007-08-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting
  3. ^ Leblanc, Daniel (2007-08-01). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Loophole tears lid off political donations. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved on 2007-08-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting
  4. ^ Supreme Court Act, s. 6.

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