|
Canada
Government
Country name: conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Canada
Government type:
confederation
with parliamentary democracy
Capital: Ottawa
Administrative divisions: 10
provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador,
Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario,
Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*
Independence: 1 July 1867
(from UK)
National holiday: Canada
Day, 1 July (1867)
Constitution: 17
April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of
the government was set up in the British North America Act
of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs
Legal system: based
on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18
years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief
of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7
October 1999)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor
general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime
minister for a five-year term; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of
Commons is automatically designated by the governor general
to become prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN
(since 4 November 1993); Deputy Prime Minister John MANLEY
(since NA January 2002)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime
minister from among the members of his own party sitting in
Parliament
Legislative branch: bicameral
Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(members appointed by the governor general with the advice
of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of
age ; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of
Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected
by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November
2000 (next to be held by 2005)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote
by party - Liberal Party 41%, Conservative Alliance 26%,
Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive
Conservative Party 12%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172,
Conservative Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic
Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12; note - percent
of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%,
Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic
Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party
- Liberal Party 172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois
38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party
12
Judicial branch: Supreme
Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister
through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named
variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior
Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Bloc
Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian Alliance [Stephen
HARPER]; Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; New Democratic Party
[Alexa McDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Joe
CLARK]
Political pressure groups and
leaders: NA
International organization
participation: ACCT,
AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB, CE (observer),
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7,
G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC
Flag description: three
vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width,
square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white
band
|