Report for Government and Constitution

1. PARLIAMENTARY
GOVERNMENT
IN CANADA
Prepared by: James Chadric Yu Estrada

2. GOVERNMENTS IN CANADA
 Canada is a federal state, parliamentary democracy
and constitutional monarchy.
 A federal state brings together a number of different
political communities with a central government
(federal) for national matters and separate local
governments (provincial/territorial) for local affairs.
 As a parliamentary democracy, they elect
members to their parliament and legislatures across
the country.
 As a constitutional monarchy, Canada’s head of
state is a hereditary sovereign (queen or king), who
reigns in accordance with the Constitution.

3. THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
Canada is a very large country with
different needs and interests.
In order to meet the needs of citizens, the
Canadian government is structured into a
three-level system: federal,
provincial/territorial and municipal/local.
Each level has its own arrangement of
elected and appointed officials as well as a
unique set of responsibilities.

4. FEDERAL
 The elected representative at the federal level is
called a Member of Parliament (MP).
 Canadians will elect 338 MPs in the current
election. This is the federal legislative body,
which creates or enacts laws.
 MPs debate and pass laws in the House of
Commons in Ottawa.
 The leader of the government is called the prime
minister.
 The Queen is represented by the governor
general.

5. PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL
 The elected representatives are called Members of the
Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Members of Provincial
Parliament (MPPs), Members of the National
Assembly (MNAs) or Members of the House of
Assembly (MHAs), depending on the province or
territory.
 Elected representatives debate and pass laws at the
provincial or territorial legislature.
 The leader of the government is called the premier.
 The Queen is represented by a lieutenant governor in
Canada’s ten provinces and by a territorial
commissioner in the three territories.

6. MUNICIPAL/LOCAL
The elected representative at the
municipal level is called a councillor
or alderman.
The head of the council is called a
mayor, reeve or chairperson.
The size and structure of the council
differs depending on the population it
represents.

7. DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Federal: Justice, citizenship and
immigration, national defence, currency,
public safety, fisheries and oceans
Provincial/Territorial: Education,
healthcare delivery, environment, energy
Municipal/Local: Road maintenance,
water and sewer service, recreation and
community facilities, libraries, police
protection services

8. PARLIAMENT OF CANADA
The body consists of
the Canadian monarch,
represented by a viceroy,
the governor general; an upper
house: the Senate; and a lower
house: the House of Commons.
The Prime Minister and Cabinet.

9. The Constitution Act, 1867
provides that a Parliament
last no longer than five
years.

11. Canada's Parliament consists of three parts:
the Queen, the Senate and the House of
Commons. They work together to make the
laws for our country.
The executive branch consists of the Queen,
the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the
departments of government. They implement
the laws.
The legislative branch makes the laws, and
the judicial branch — which is not part of
Parliament — interprets them.

12. THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
 Legislative Branch: Creates laws, rules and regulations
under federal jurisdiction. The legislative branch is made
up of federal elected representatives called Members of
Parliament.
 Executive Branch: Responsible for government
operations, and implementing and enforcing laws and
regulations. Includes the Queen’s representative (the
governor general) and cabinet ministers (appointed by
the prime minister).
 Judicial Branch: Interprets the law and determines the
penalty for those who violate established laws, rules and
regulations. Includes the Canadian court system, which is
headed by the Supreme Court and nine appointed
judges.

13. CANADIAN MONARCH
The QUEEN and the GOVERNOR GENERAL

14. THE CANADIAN MONARCH
Canada is a constitutional monarchy. This
means that the laws governing Canada
recognize the Queen as the formal Head of
State. All federal laws are made in the
Queen's name. She also performs many
important ceremonial duties when visiting
Canada.
the monarch is primarily a symbolic figure
with little actual political power.

15. HEAD OF STATE OF CANADA
QUEEN ELIZABETH II

16. VICEROY
GOVERNOR GENERAL
representative of the Canadian
monarch
the governor general has daily and
fully exercised the duties of the Head
of State, not only in Canada, but also
abroad. As per the letters patent, the
governor general is also the
commander-in-chief of Canada.
or

17. GOVERNOR GENERAL
DAVID JOHNSTON

18. THE LISLATIVE BRANCH
The UPPER HOUSE or SENATE
&
The LOWER HOUSE or HOUSE OF COMMON

19. The legislative branch includes: the
Monarch (represented in Canada
by the Governor General),
the Senate, whose members are
appointed by the Governor General
on the advice of the Prime Minister,
and the House of Commons,
whose members are elected by
voters.

20. UPPER HOUSE: THE SENATE
 is a member of that house appointed by the
governor general, as advised by the prime minister
 is a group of 105 individuals
 all those summoned to the Senate by the viceroy
must be a minimum of 30 years old
 own property with a net worth of at least $4,000
 Senators served for life until 1965, when a
constitutional amendment imposed a mandatory
retirement age of 75.
 maximum possible number of senators at 113

21.  The Senate is divided equally amongst four
geographic regions:
 24 for Ontario
 24 for Quebec
 24 for the Maritimes
 10 forNova Scotia
 10 for New Brunswick
 4 for Prince Edward Island
 24 for the Western provinces
 6 each for Manitoba, British Columbia,
Saskatchewan, and Alberta).
 6 for the Newfoundland and Labrador
 2 for theNorthwest Territories
 1 each for Yukon, and Nunavut
 Additional 4 to 8 senators may be temporarily appointed by
the governor general, provided the approval of the Queen

22. LOWER HOUSE: THE HOUSE
OF COMMONS.
The elected component of the Canadian
parliament.
Members are elected by simple plurality
('first-past-the-post' system) in each of the
country's electoral districts
must be at least 18 years old
holds office until parliament is dissolved
(every 5 years)
required minimum of 282 seats.
maximum of 338 seats

23. The Chief Electoral Officer and
Assistant Chief Electoral Officer (the
heads of Elections Canada, the federal
agency responsible for conducting
elections) are prohibited not only from
standing as candidates, but also from
voting.
a member of the Senate may not also
become a member of the House of
Commons and MPs must give up their
seats when appointed to the Senate or
the bench.

24. Both the Senate and House of
Common consider and review bills.
(Proposals for new laws)
No bill can become law until it has
approval from both of these chambers
and received royal assent. Which is
granted by the Governor General on
behalf of the sovereign.

25. EXECUTIVE BRANCH
The PRIME MINISTER and the CABINET

26. THE PRIME MINISTER
primary minister of the Crown
chairman of the Cabinet
and thus head of
government for Canada
 charged with advising the Canadian
monarch or federal viceroy on the
exercise of the executive
powers vested in them by the
constitution

27.  prime minister is the person most likely to
command the confidence of the
elected House of Commons; this individual
is typically the leader of the political
party that holds the largest number of
seats in that chamber.
The current, and 23rd, Prime Minister of
Canada is the Liberal Party's Justin
Trudeau, who was appointed on November
4, 2015, by Governor General David
Johnston, following the general election
that took place that year.

28. the prime minister remains in
office until he or she resigns, is
dismissed, or dies.
The lifespan of parliament is
limited by the constitution to five
years and, though the governor
general may still, on the advice of
the prime minister

29. THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA
JUSTIN TRUDEAU

30. THE CABINET
The governor general appoints to
the Cabinet persons chosen by the
prime minister
as the governing party usually holds
a majority of seats in the legislature,
almost all bills proposed by the
Cabinet are enacted. This leads to
Cabinet having almost total control
over the legislative agenda of the
House of Commons.

31. All Cabinet meetings are held behind
closed doors and the minutes are kept
confidential, Cabinet members being
forbidden from discussing what transpires.
once a decision has been reached, all
Cabinet members must publicly support it.
If any of these rules are violated, the
offending minister is usually removed by
the prime minister and, if the disagreement
within the Cabinet is strong, a minister may
resign,

32. The cabinet ministers are responsible
for running the federal government.
Along with the Prime Minister the
cabinet makes important decisions
about how the country is governed.
Which includes budgeting and project
propositions.
Their decisions can be questioned by
any of members in the House of
Commons.

33. THE CABINET
 Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth
 Prime Minister - Right Hon. Justin Trudeau
 Minister of Public Safety and
Emergency Preparedness
 - Hon. Ralph Goodale
 Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
 - Hon. Lawrence MacAulay
 Minister of Foreign Affairs
 - Hon. Stéphane Dion
 Minister of Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship
 - Hon. John McCallum

34.  Minister of Indigenous and
Northern Affairs
 - Hon. Carolyn Bennett
 President of the Treasury Board
 - Hon. Scott Brison
 Leader of the Government
in the House of Commons
 - Hon. Dominic LeBlanc
 Minister of Innovation, Science and
Economic Development
 - Hon. Navdeep Bains
 Minister of Finance
 - Hon. Bill Morneau

35.  Minister of Justice
& Attorney General of Canada
 - Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould
 Minister of Public Services
and Procurement
 - Hon. Judy Foote
 Minister of International Trade
 - Hon. Chrystia Freeland
 Minister of Health
 - Hon. Jane Philpott
 Minister of Families, Children
and Social Development
 - Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos

36. JUDICIAL BRANCH
The SUPREME COURT OF CANADA,
the FEDERAL COURT and
the PROVINCIAL COURT

37. THE SUPREME COURT
is the highest court of Canada, the
final court of appeals in
the Canadian justice system.

38. The sovereign is responsible for
rendering justice for all her subjects,
and is thus traditionally deemed
the fount of justice. However, she does
not personally rule in judicial cases;
instead the judicial functions of the
Royal Prerogative are performed in
trust and in the Queen's name by
officers of Her Majesty's courts.

39. THE FEDERAL COURT
 Deals with maters concerning the federal
government.
 Exist in the province to less offenses
THE PROVINCIAL COURT

40. JURISDICTION
The powers of the Parliament
of Canada are limited by the
constitution, which divides
legislative abilities between the
federal and provincial
legislatures.