Government

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Canada is a federal state, a parliamentary democracy, and a constitutional monarchy.

Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign, the Senate, the House of Commons.

The three branches: Executive, Legislative, Judicial.

The three levels: federal, provincial/territorial, municipal.

Who appoints whom

Office	Role	Chosen how
Sovereign	Head of State	Hereditary
Governor General	Represents the Sovereign in Canada	Appointed by the Sovereign on the PM's advice, ~5 years
Lieutenant Governor	Represents the Sovereign in a province	Appointed by the Governor General on the PM's advice, ~5 years
Commissioner	Represents the federal government in a territory; ceremonial	—
Prime Minister	Head of Government; directs the governing of the country	Leader of the party with the most seats, invited by the Governor General
Premier	Head of a provincial government	As the PM is, provincially
Cabinet ministers	Run federal departments; propose most new laws	Chosen by the Prime Minister, mostly from MPs
MPs	Represent an electoral district	Elected, traditionally every four years
Senators	Review bills	Appointed by the Governor General on the PM's advice; serve until 75

Head of State ≠ Head of Government. The Sovereign is Head of State. The Prime Minister is Head of Government. The Governor General only represents the Head of State.

Who is responsible for what

Federal	Provincial	Municipal
National defence Foreign policy Citizenship Criminal law Currency, navigation Interprovincial trade International trade Aboriginal affairs Policing	Education Health care Natural resources Highways Property and civil rights Municipal government Policing (Ontario, Quebec)	Urban planning Streets and roads Sanitation, recycling Snow removal Firefighting Ambulance, emergency Public transit Recreation Policing

Shared: agriculture, immigration, environment.

How a bill becomes law

1	First Reading — read and printed
2	Second Reading — debate the principle
3	Committee Stage — clause by clause
4	Report Stage — further amendments
5	Third Reading — debate and vote
6	Senate — a similar process
7	Royal Assent

Elections

Third Monday in October, every four years
To vote: citizen + 18 on voting day + on the voters' list
The guide says 308 electoral districts (ridings, constituencies)
Most votes wins the riding
Majority = at least half the seats; minority = less than half
Elections Canada — neutral agency; National Register of Electors
The ballot is secret; no one may insist you say how you voted
Guide's three major parties: Conservative, New Democratic, Liberal

What legislators are called

MPP	Ontario
MNA	Quebec
MHA	Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia
MLA	Most other provinces and territories

Justice

Presumption of innocence; due process
Representatives make laws, courts settle disputes, police enforce
Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court
Provincial police in Ontario and Quebec only; RCMP elsewhere

Current office-holders — not in the 2021 guide

Sovereign	King Charles III
Governor General	Louise Arbour (31st, June 2026)
Prime Minister	Mark Carney
Premier of Ontario	Doug Ford
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario	Edith Dumont (30th, Nov 2023)

Verified 2026-09-24 — see research/exam-mechanics.md

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