Politics of Canada

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and a Commonwealth Realm (see Monarchy in Canada) with a federal system of parliamentary government, and strong democratic traditions. Many of the country's legislative practices derive from the unwritten practices of and precedents set by the United Kingdom's Westminster parliament; however, Canada has evolved variations. Party discipline in Canada is stronger than in the United Kingdom, and more of the votes are considered confidence votes, which tends to diminish the role of non-cabinet Members of Parliament (MPs), known as backbenchers. Backbenchers can, however, exert their influence by sitting in parliamentary committees, like the Public Accounts Committee or the National Defence Committee.

Canada: political information

Country name:

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• conventional form: Canada
• former official style: Dominion of Canada

Data code: CA

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Government type: Constitutional Monarchy

Related Topics:
Government - Constitutional Monarchy

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Capital: Ottawa, Ontario

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Administrative divisions: 10 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*

Related Topics:
Provinces - Territories* - Alberta - British Columbia - Manitoba - New Brunswick - Newfoundland and Labrador - Northwest Territories - Nova Scotia - Nunavut - Ontario - Prince Edward Island - Quebec - Saskatchewan - Yukon Territory

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National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Related Topics:
Canada Day - 1 July

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Constitution: Based on several unwritten conventions as well as the Constitution Act, 1982 (including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms) and the Constitution Act, 1867 (formerly the British North America Act, 1867).

Related Topics:
Constitution - Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

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Legal system: except for criminal law, it is based on English common law, except in Quebec, where a civil law system, centred on the Civil Code of Quebec and based on the Custom of Paris in pre-revolutionary France; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations. See Law of Canada.

Related Topics:
English - Common law - Civil law - Civil Code of Quebec - Law of Canada

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Suffrage: Citizens aged 18 years or older. Only 2 citizens in Canada cannot vote; the Chief Electoral Officer, and the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer.

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Executive branch:

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• Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada (since February 6, 1952), represented by Governor General Michaelle Jean (since September 27, 2005)
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Paul Martin (since December 12, 2003)
• Cabinet: Ministers (usually around 30) chosen by the Prime Minister to lead various ministries and agencies. Most, but not all, will be members of his own party in the House of Commons. See also: Cabinet of Canada
• Elections: The monarch is hereditary. The governor general is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term. Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister.

Legislative branch: The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Commons. Currently the Senate is limited to 104 members, who are appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister to serve until age 75. The number of Senators was exceeded once when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney sought to ensure the passage of a national sales tax. The House of Commons currently has 308 members elected by a plurality of popular votes in separate constituencies for terms that do not exceed five years. The five-year term has been exceeded once when Prime Minister Robert Borden perceived the need during World War I.

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• elections: House of Commons - last held June 28, 2004
• election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative 29.6%, New Democratic Party 15.7%, Bloc Québécois 12.4%, Green Party 4.3% other 1.3%; seats by party - Liberal Party 135, Conservative Party 99, Bloc Québécois 54, New Democratic Party 19, Not Affiliated 1
• current seats by party: See Canadian House of Commons

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the governor general on the advice of the Cabinet without parliamentary review.

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Political parties and leaders: by number of elected representatives

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• Liberal Party of Canada - Paul Martin;
• Conservative Party of Canada - Stephen Harper;
• Bloc Québécois - Gilles Duceppe;
• New Democratic Party - Jack Layton;

Government department and structure

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• Notable departments include the Department of Finance and Foreign Affairs Canada. For full details, see Structure of the Canadian federal government.

Notable Crown corporations and other government agencies

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• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
• VIA Rail
• Elections Canada
• Canada Council

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), Council of Europe (observer), , EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, La Francophonie, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, 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, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, Zangger Committee

Related Topics:
CDB - Council of Europe - - La Francophonie - G-7 - ICC - ICC - IDA - ILO - IMF - Inmarsat - Intelsat - Interpol - Kyoto Protocol - NAFTA - NATO - OECD - UN - UNESCO - UNHCR - WHO - WTO - Zangger Committee

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Flag description: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centred in the white band. (See Flag of Canada.)

Related Topics:
Flag - Maple - Flag of Canada

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