Canada's system of government rests on three foundations: it is a federal state, a parliamentary democracy, and a constitutional monarchy. Understanding these means knowing the levels of government, how Parliament makes law, and the roles of the Crown and its representatives.
FoundationsThree Key Facts
Everything about how Canadians govern themselves flows from three defining facts. Canada is a federal state, meaning power is divided among levels of government; a parliamentary democracy, meaning the people elect representatives to make law; and a constitutional monarchy, meaning a hereditary Sovereign reigns under the rule of law.
Remember this
- Canada is a federal state
- Canada is a parliamentary democracy
- Canada is a constitutional monarchy
Federal stateThe Levels of Government
Canada has federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. How responsibilities divide between the federal and provincial levels was set out in 1867 by the British North America Act, today called the Constitution Act, 1867. Each province elects a Legislative Assembly of its own, while the three northern territories, though not provinces in status, carry out many of the same functions.
Who does what
- Federal: citizenship, defence, criminal law, currency, foreign policy, navigation, and interprovincial trade and communications
- Provincial: education, health, highways, natural resources, municipal government, and property and civil rights
- Shared by federal and provinces: agriculture and immigration
Parliamentary democracyHow Parliament Works
Voters elect members of the House of Commons in Ottawa, and members of the provincial and territorial legislatures, where representatives pass laws, approve and monitor spending, and hold the government to account. Cabinet ministers must keep the confidence of the House, and must resign if a non-confidence vote goes against them.
The three parts of Parliament
- The Sovereign (Queen or King)
- The Senate — the Governor General appoints senators on the Prime Minister's advice, and they serve until age 75
- The House of Commons — the representative chamber, whose members of Parliament the people elect, traditionally every four years
A bill becomes law only once both chambers have passed it and it has received royal assent, which the Governor General grants on the Sovereign's behalf.
Making lawsHow a Bill Becomes Law
A bill moves through a fixed sequence of stages in the House of Commons, then a similar path in the Senate, before becoming law.
First Reading — the bill counts as read a first time and is printed
Second Reading — members debate the bill's principle
Committee Stage — committee members study the bill clause by clause
Report Stage — members can make other amendments
Third Reading — members debate and vote on the bill
Senate — the bill follows a similar process in the Senate
Royal Assent — once both Houses have passed the bill, it receives royal assent
Constitutional monarchyThe Crown and Its Representatives
A hereditary Sovereign (Queen or King) is Canada's Head of State, reigning in accordance with the Constitution — the rule of law. The head of state (the Sovereign) is clearly distinct from the head of government (the Prime Minister, who directs how the country is governed). The Sovereign, as Head of the Commonwealth, links Canada with 53 other nations.
The Sovereign does not live in Canada, so the Crown is represented here. Nationally that is the Governor General, appointed by the Sovereign on the Prime Minister's advice, usually for five years. In each of the ten provinces the Lieutenant Governor stands for the Sovereign, appointed by the Governor General on the Prime Minister's advice, normally for five years.
Branches and rolesBranches and Other Key Roles
Government is divided into three branches and supported by leaders and judges at every level.
Remember this
- The three branches of government are the Executive, Legislative and Judicial
- Members of provincial/territorial legislatures are called MLAs, MNAs, MPPs or MHAs, depending on the province or territory
- In each province the Premier has a role similar to the Prime Minister
- In the three territories the Commissioner stands for the federal government in a ceremonial role
- The Supreme Court of Canada has nine judges appointed by the Governor General
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