Canadian government

Canada

Official name	Canada
Common name	Canada
Motto
Anthem
Flag
Coat of arms
Capital	Ottawa
Largest city	Toronto
Government	Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Legislature	Parliament

Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. It is the second largest country in the world by total area, covering approximately 9.98 million square kilometers. Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy, and it is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Government Structure

Canada's government is a federal system, meaning that power is divided between the national government and the provinces and territories. The country is a constitutional monarchy, which means that it recognizes a monarch as the official head of state, but the monarch's powers are limited by a constitution.

The Monarchy

The monarch of Canada is currently Charles III, who serves as the ceremonial head of state. The monarch's representative in Canada is the Governor General, who performs various ceremonial duties and acts on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Executive Branch

The executive branch of the Canadian government is headed by the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the political party that has the most seats in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister appoints members of the Cabinet, who are responsible for various government departments and agencies.

The Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of Canada is a bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Commons.

• The Senate: The Senate is composed of 105 members who are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Senators serve until the age of 75.

• The House of Commons: The House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the Canadian public in general elections. The number of MPs is based on the population of each province and territory.

The Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of Canada is independent of the executive and legislative branches. The highest court in the country is the Supreme Court of Canada, which has the authority to interpret the constitution and make decisions on important legal issues.

Political Parties

Canada has a multi-party system, with several political parties represented in the House of Commons. The major parties include:

• The Liberal Party
• The Conservative Party
• The New Democratic Party (NDP)
• The Bloc Québécois
• The Green Party

Provinces and Territories

Canada is divided into ten provinces and three territories, each with its own government that has jurisdiction over certain areas such as education and healthcare. The provinces are:

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nova Scotia
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan

The territories are:

• Northwest Territories
• Nunavut
• Yukon

See Also

• Politics of Canada
• Constitution of Canada
• History of Canada

External Links

• Government of Canada Official Website