Canada · Government
Government and administration in Canada
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Head of State — The Sovereign, represented by the Governor General
- Constitutional and ceremonial.
- Executive — Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Responsible to the House of Commons.
- Legislative — Parliament: House of Commons and Senate
- 338 elected MPs; 105 appointed senators.
- Judicial — Unified court system
- Provincial courts apply both federal and provincial law.
How legislation is made
Three readings plus committee study in each chamber, then Royal Assent. Money bills must originate in the Commons.
Enforcement institutions
- Public Prosecution Service of Canada
- Federal prosecutions; provinces prosecute most Criminal Code offences.
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Federal force, also contracted for provincial policing.
- Canadian Human Rights Commission
- Federal discrimination complaints.
Government bodies and regulators
- executiveDepartment of Justice CanadaLegal adviser to the Crown and steward of federal justice policy.
- executiveImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaSelects immigrants and administers citizenship.
- executiveCanada Revenue AgencyAdministers tax law and benefit programmes.
- independentOffice of the Privacy Commissioner of CanadaOversees PIPEDA and the federal Privacy Act.
- independentCanadian Human Rights CommissionAdministers the Canadian Human Rights Act.
- executiveCorporations CanadaIncorporates and regulates federal corporations.
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