Canada
Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a federal system, a
parliamentary government, and strong democratic traditions. The 1982
Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees basic rights in many
areas. Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, serves as a symbol of
the nation's unity. She appoints a governor general, who serves as
her representative in Canada, on the advice of the Prime Minister of
Canada, usually for a 5-year term. The prime minister is the leader
of the political party in power and is the head of the cabinet. The
governing party remains in office as long as it retains majority
support in the House of Commons on major issues. |
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Canada's Parliament consists of an elected House of Commons and an
appointed Senate. Legislative power rests with the 308-member
Commons. Legislation to provide for federal elections to be held on
fixed dates, every four calendar years, was passed in the spring of
2006. The next fixed election date is scheduled for 2012, but the
prime minister may ask the governor general to dissolve Parliament
and call new elections at any time should the governing party lose
the support of the House of Commons. Vacancies in the 105-member
Senate, whose members serve until the age of 75, are filled by the
governor general on the advice of the prime minister. Recent
constitutional initiatives have sought unsuccessfully to strengthen
the Senate by making it elective and assigning it a greater regional
representational role. In an effort to bring about incremental
Senate reform without a constitutional amendment, the government
plans to re-introduce bills to place term limits upon Senators and
to create a process of public consultation in the appointment of
Senators. However, the bills face substantial opposition, both from
within Parliament and from certain provinces, which question the
constitutionality of the proposed legislation, putting the success
of the legislation in doubt.
Criminal law, based largely on British law, is uniform throughout
the nation and is under federal jurisdiction. Civil law is also
based on the common law of England, except in Quebec, which has
retained its own civil code patterned after that of France. Justice
is administered by federal, provincial, and municipal courts.
Each province is governed by a premier and a single, elected
legislative chamber. A lieutenant-governor appointed by the governor
general represents the Crown in each province. |
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