Welcome to Canadian-Politics.com

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Site Contents

The Constitution

Canada is a constitutional monarchy and this section includes a discussion of the Canadian Constitutional acts - both the Constitution Act 1867 and the Constitution Act 1982 as well as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. You will also find an overview of the role of the monarchy in Canada, a biography of Queen Elizabeth II and a brief look at the main arguments for and against the monarchy. The section also provides an overview of federalism, both in general terms as well as Canadian federalism in particular, as well as a look at Canada's constitutional history. The role and powers of the Governor General are covered, along with a complete list of Governors General since 1867, the letters patent, and a special look at the King-Byng Affair, a 1926 constitutional crisis that occurred when the Governor General, Lord Byng of Vimy refused a request by the Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, to dissolve parliament and call a general election, a crisis which came to redefine the role of Governor General not only in Canada but throughout the dominions.

Parliament

This section begins with an overview of Parliamentarism, which includes a discussion of key concepts such as parliamentary democracy, responsible government, and the Westminster System. It will also look at the differences between parliament and government, minority government, coalition government and more. This section will then look at the five main functions of Government. Readers will also find information on the House of Commons, the Senate, the Speaker, Parliamentary procedure, how legislation is passed, Question Period, the role of Parliamentary Committees, Royal Commissions, Hansard, the Opposition and Private Members.

The Executive

This section provides an overview of executive Government in Canada, including a discussion of the Privy Council, Cabinet Secrecy, Cabinet Committees, Cabinet Shuffles, a list of current federal, provincial and territorial governments, a list of ministerial resignations since 1867, and more. There is also an explanation of the major conventions of Canadian executive government, as well as a thorough look at the role of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and the Public Service.

The Judiciary

This section provides a general description of the judicial system in Canada. Here you will find information on Canada's bijural legal system, how laws are made, the role of government in the judicial and law-making process, as well as a look at Canada's court system, including federal courts, provincial/territorial courts, new approaches to justice, and how the system is kept fair and efficient. You will also find information on specialised courts and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Elections

How are elections conducted in Canada? Here you will find information on the history of the vote in Canada, the First-past-the-post voting system used in Canada, the timeline for federal elections, information on Elections Canada, election funding, moves toward electoral reform in Canada, as well as a discussion of other types of voting, such as by-elections and referendums.

Political Parties

Canada's political parties fulfill a number of roles. The two oldest parties in Canada are the Liberal Party, often called Canada's governing party due to the fact that it has held power for 62 of the past 75 years, and the Conservative Party, the only other party to hold power at the federal level. Other important federal parties include the New Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Bloc Québécois. Some parties exist only at the provincial level, such as the Parti Québécois. There is also a look at how parties choose their leaders.

The Provinces

Canada is a federal state consisting of ten provinces and three territories. To better understand the workings of the Canadian federal system, this section will provide a brief overview of the Canadian federal system, the differences between provinces and territories, and the constitutional division of powers between the provinces and the federal government. It will also explore how the provinces and territories are governed by looking at the roles of the Lieutenant Governor and Territorial Commissioners, the provincial and territorial executive councils, Provincial Courts and Territorial Courts, Consensus Government, the provincial legislatures, and the role of a member of a provincial legislature. Finally, the section will look at current issues in federal-provincial relations.