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The Canadian Government
System
So far, we have learned:
• The government is
divided into Municipal,
Provincial and
Federal
The Canadian Government
• Consists of 3 Branches:
– The Executive Branch – The ability to carry
out laws
– The Legislative Branch – The power to make
laws
– The Judicial Branch – The power to interpret
the laws and judge those who break them
FEDERAL
The Queen
• Queen Elizabeth II
• Ascended to the throne Feb 6, 1952
• Coronation on June 2, 1953
– How many years will the Queen be in ruling
this year?
Role of the Queen
• Canada’s official head of state
• Recognized but no real power
• Performs important ceremonial duties
when visiting Canada
• Overseas all 3 branches federally, and
provincially
Governor General
• David Johnston
• Assumed office on
Oct 1, 2010
• 28th Governor
General since
confederation
Role of the Governor General
• The Queen’s representative in Canada,
appointed by the Queen
• Usually serves for 5 years
• Welcomes Foreign dignitaries and visits
other countries representing Canada
• One of the main duties is to ensure that
Canada always has a Prime Minister
• Signs important documents
Executive Branch
• Has the power to administer and carry out
laws
• Day to day operations of the government
• Consists of: The Prime Minister, Cabinet
and Public Service (Civil Servants)
Prime Minister
• Stephen Harper
• Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister
• Sworn in on Feb 6, 2006
Role of Prime Minister
• Leader of the Nation
• Leader of the party with the most number
of seats (which party is Stephen Harper a
part of?)
• Chooses a cabinet that makes up his/her
team
• Usually elected for a 4 year term
– Has the power to call an election but must get
permission from the GG first
The Cabinet
• Made up of Members of Parliament (MP’s) that
help the PM to run the government
• Usually made up of members of the same party
• Cabinet Ministers usually have the
responsibility of running certain departments
• They are helped in the day to day by the Civil
Servants, that make up the Public Service
Ministers – Have you heard their
names in the news?
• Minister of Finance
– Jim Flaherty,
– MP Oshawa – Whitby
• Minister for the Status
of Women
– Rona Ambrose,
– MP Edmonton –
Spruce Grove
Legislative Branch
• Also known as Parliament
• Has the power to make and change laws
• Consists of: The Senate and the House of
Commons
House of Commons (Lower House)
House of Commons
House of Commons
• Where the MP’s who are voted in by the
people debate and vote on bills to become
laws
• Bills are proposed laws and they must be
debated and approved by the House of
Commons before becoming a law
• PM is the leader of the House of
Commons
House of Commons – 3 Major
Activities
• The speech from the Throne – Although the
speech is given by the GG, it is written by the
governing party’s cabinet and outlines the
policies and laws they plan to bring to
Parliament during the upcoming season
• Question Period – lasts for 45 minutes each
day and is televised in English and French to all
Canadians. This allows MPs to ask questions
about proposed bills, policies and government
actions, and brings issues to the attention of
Canadians
House of Commons – 3 Major
Activities
• Debates and Legislation – When an MP
has an idea for a new law, they present it
to the Legislature as a bill. Most bills are
presented by Cabinet Ministers and are
called “Government Orders”
– When a non-Cabinet MP presents a bill, it is
called a “private members bill”
Seats in the House of commons
Members of Parliament
• MP’s represent each community in
Canada in the Federal Government
• Represent and support the ideas / policies
(party platform) of their party on Federal
issues
• Term: Every 4 years, same as PM
The Opposition
• The party with the 2nd largest number of
elected MP’s becomes the Official
Opposition
• The NDP are the Official Opposition of our
current government
• The opposition must criticize government
policies they do not agree with and provide
alternatives if they are displeased
Leader of the Official Opposition
• Thomas Muclair, replacing Jack Layton
• Elected by his party
Opposition
• All other parties who had MP’s elected into
the House of Commons are part of the
Opposition
• Other opposition leaders include Bob Rae
(Liberals), Daniel Paille (Bloc Quebecois)
and Elizabeth May (The only Green Party
MP elected!)
The Senate (Upper House)
• The Senate studies, amends, and either rejects
or approves bills passed in the house of
commons
• No bill can become a law until it is passed by the
Senate
• Can propose own bills but not where they are
spending public money or impose taxes, which
must be introduced in the HoC
• One of the duties of the Senate is to represent
the interests of Canada’s regions, provinces,
territories and minority groups
Senators
• Approve all bills to make them into laws
• Act as government advisors on specific
issues and problems
• Are appointed by the GG, on advice from
the PM
• Term: Appointed until age 75, usually from
the PM’s party (hmmmm…)
Standings in the Senate
Conservative
59
Liberal
41
IDP PC
2
1
British Columbia
6
Alberta
6
Ontario
23
Quebec
24
Manitoba
6
Saskatchewan
6
Nova Scotia
9
Newfoundland and
Labrador
6
New Brunswick
10
Northwest Territories
1
Prince Edward Island
4
Yukon
1
Nunavut
1
Judicial Branch
• Decides who has broke the law and sets
the penalties
• Works to ensure that the government does
not go above the law
• Consists of: Supreme Court of Canada,
Court of Appeal, Criminal Courts and Civil
Courts
Court System
• Canada has two court systems, the civil court
deals with the protection of private rights where
as the criminal court deal with crimes against
society
• If you are not happy with your verdict, you can
appeal it to the Supreme Court of Canada.
– It’s verdicts are final because members of this court
have been selected by Parliament out of respect for
years of sound service to the legal system
PROVINCIAL
Comparisons to FEDERAL
• Also consists of 3 branches – Executive,
legislative and Judicial
Executive
• Same functions as federal
• Consists of: Premier, Cabinet and Public
Service
Lieutenant-Governor
• David Onley
Premier
• Kathleen Wynne
• Liberal Party of Canada
Role of the Premier
• Leadership role, similar to the Prime
Minister
• Addressed the citizens of the province and
works with other Premiers and the Federal
government to defend the province’s
interests
• Chooses cabinet members to direct
specific provincial affairs
MPP’s
• Members of Provincial Parliament
• Elected by citizens, party with the most
MPP’s ends up as Premier of the province
Cabinet
• Similar to Federal government
Civil Servants
• Public servants within the Provincial
government consist of police officers,
health care personnel and education
workers.
Legislative Branch
• Similar to Federal, except no Senate
• Instead of HoC, it is called a Legislative
Assembly, or Legislature
• Once bills are passed by a majority in
legislature, it goes directly to the
lieutenant-governor for royal assent
Judicial Branch
• Same as Federal
• Consists of: Provincial Supreme Court,
Criminal Courts and Civil Courts
MUNICIPAL
Executive
• Consists of: The Mayor, City Councillors
and Council Committees
Mayor
• Hazel McCallion
• Longest running Mayor in Guinness Book
of World Records
City Councillors
• Elected by citizens
• Term: 4 years
• City Councillors do not usually state their
political parties, but it is generally known
once they state their platforms
Council Committees
• City councillors are assigned to various
committees to discuss policies and
structures within different departments
Legislative
• For Municipalities, it is the Town or City
Council that works to pass bylaws
Judicial
• Municipal bylaws