Canadian Government and Politics

Canada has a parliamentary democracy, differing from the presidential form of government, with a distinct role for the Head of State, where Queen Elizabeth II serves as the apolitical Head of State, while the Prime Minister is the Head of government.
In a parliamentary democracy, voters elect the legislature, which then elects the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the party with the most seats or able to form a coalition with smaller parties.
In contrast, a presidential democracy, like the US, has separate elections for the legislature and the executive.
Canada gained sovereignty over 100 years, starting with Responsible Government in the 1840s, unifying colonies in 1867, and achieving de facto nationhood with control over domestic affairs, but still under British foreign policy.
The UK's declaration of war in 1914 automatically included Canada, but Canada's participation in World War I, including the Battle of Vimy Ridge, earned respect and a sense of distinct identity, leading to Canada becoming a separate signatory of the Treaty of Versailles and a fully independent participant in the League of Nations.
The Statute of Westminster in 1931 recognized Canada's legal autonomy, except in constitutional matters, and Canada declared war on Germany separately from Britain in 1939.
The Canadian Parliament adopted the Constitution Act in 1982, including a Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but Quebec did not officially accept it, although it is subject to it.
Canada has a federal system with three levels of government: federal, provincial, and municipal, with each province having its own parliament and the federal government having three branches: judicial, legislative, and executive.
The legislative branch is bicameral, with the House of Commons and the Senate, where the Commons introduces legislation, debates, and passes it to the Senate for review and approval.
The Senate has 105 appointed members, representing regions, and is considered the "house of sober second thought," but is largely powerless due to its undemocratic nature.
The executive branch is run by the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the largest party, and serves at "Her Majesty's Pleasure" with no fixed term.
The Canadian political system is leader-centric, with party leaders having significant powers over party policy and legislative agenda.
The Constitution of Canada is largely unwritten, derived from English Common Law, and includes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which outlines principal freedoms and liberties guaranteed to Canadians.
Constitutionalism in Canada is still controversial, as Quebec never ratified the Constitution and considers it invalid, making hard constitutional reforms difficult.- Provinces in Canada govern education, healthcare, and transportation, with a political structure mirroring the federal government, but often with divergent party systems.
Provincial parties may have similar names to federal parties but have a significant disconnect between the two.
Municipal governments in Canada are non-partisan, with candidates running on their name alone, and councilors are elected to represent wards and mayors are popularly elected.
Most municipalities employ a strong council, weak mayor framework, with elections held every four years, not coinciding with provincial or federal elections.
Both Canada and the United States have a bicameral legislature, consisting of two houses: one representing the people (House of Representatives in the US or House of Commons in Canada) and one representing geographic regions (the Senate in both countries).
Members of the people's house represent a set number of individuals in a predetermined political area, while members of the Senate represent a political division, such as a state or province.
Each country has an executive branch with separate powers, headed by the president or prime minister and their Cabinet.
The key difference between the two systems lies in the selection process for House of Representatives or House of Commons members, Senators, and the executive branch.
In both countries, members of the people's house are elected directly by the people they represent through a simple plurality election, with one member representing each electoral district.
In the US, elections for the House of Representatives are held every two years, with no term limits for Representatives.
In Canada, the only general election is for members of Parliament, with other positions in government chosen from its elected members.
In the US, Senators are elected directly by the people they represent, with two Senators representing each state, elected to four-year terms, and no term limits.
In Canada, Senators are appointed directly by the Governor-General on the direction of the Prime Minister, with a constitutional formula determining representation by geographic region, and Senators serving for life or until mandatory retirement at age 75.
The executive branch in the US is headed by the president, elected by the Electoral College, with a four-year term limit and a maximum of two terms.
In Canada, the governor-general is appointed by the current prime minister, serving a five-year term, and appoints most members of the executive, although in practice only acting on the advice of the current prime minister.
The prime minister is normally the leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons, and the Cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General on the prime minister's recommendation.
The difference between the two systems lies in the election process, with Americans directly electing their Representative, Senator, and President, while Canadians only elect their Member of Parliament, with more senior roles chosen from the elected members.