- What type of Government does your country have?
Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary type of government wherein the Crown is the foundation of the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government. Canada is also a federation in the sense that the provincial governments and the federal government have separate jurisdictions of political authority. There are three territorial governments, but the territories are not sovereign divisions and are part of the federal realm. The role of the monarch is practical and legal but not political. Thus, political authority is shared by multiple institutions which act under the authority of the sovereign. Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, is the sovereign and head of state of Canada. The Queen-in-Parliament, the Queen-in-Council, and the Queen on the Bench are the legislature, the executive, and the courts, respectively. [1-2]
There are three branches of government Executive branch, legislative branch, Judicial branch. Therefore, the legislative branch would create a law about the time of year that a person could fish. The executive branch would see to it through setting up various ministries and agencies that people only fished during that time. The judiciary would put anyone on trial that broke the law and fished outside of the allotted time and would decide upon an appropriate punishment.[3]
Under his leadership, the Conservatives gained 25 seats in the 2004 federal election, largely as a result of a major breakthrough in Canada’s most populous province, Ontario. Two years later, Canadians gave Mr. Harper and his party a mandate to form a Conservative government for the first time in 13 years. In 2008, the Harper led Conservatives were returned to office with a larger seat count and a mandate to guide Canada through the volatile economic conditions presaging the worst global recession in half a century. [4]
Yes, Canada does have a constitution. Some basic principles in the constitution is:
- Victims of crime should be treated with courtesy, compassion, and respect.
- The privacy of victims should be considered and respected to the
greatest extent possible. - All reasonable measures should be taken to minimize inconvenience to victims.
- The safety and security of victims should be considered at all stages of the criminal justice process and appropriate measures should be taken when necessary to protect victims from intimidation and retaliation.
- Information should be provided to victims about the criminal justice system and the victim’s role and opportunities to participate in criminal justice processes.
- Victims should be given information, in accordance with prevailing law, policies, and procedures, about the status of the investigation; the scheduling, progress and final outcome of the proceedings; and the status of the offender in the correctional system.
- Information should be provided to victims about available victim assistance services, other programs and assistance available to them, and means of obtaining financial reparation.
- The views, concerns and representations of victims are an important consideration in criminal justice processes and should be considered in accordance with prevailing law, policies and procedures.
- The needs, concerns and diversity of victims should be considered in the development and delivery of programs and services, and in related education and training.
- Information should be provided to victims about available options to
raise their concerns when they believe that these principles have not
been followed. [5]
Constitutionally, elections must be held every five years, although, by tradition, they are usually held at approximately four-year intervals. Only the Governor General has the power under the Constitution to dissolve Parliament on the advice of the Prime Minister. The process is set in motion when the Prime Minister requests the Governor General, who represents the Queen as the head of state, to dissolve Parliament and to request the issue of writs by the Chief Electoral Officer for an election. [6]
Notes:
[1-2] http://www.canadafaq.ca/what+type+of+government+does+canada+have/
[3] "The Canada Page." The Canada Page. 15 Jan. 2014
[4] "Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada." WHO. 15 Jan. 2014
[5] "A Crime Victim's Guide to the Criminal Justice System." Government of Canada, Department of Justice, Electronic Communications. 15 Jan. 2014
[5] "Welcome to Federal-Provincial-Territorial Relations at the Privy Council Office."Government of Canada, Privy Council Office, Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat, IGA. 15 Jan. 2014
[6] "Current Publications: Government, Parliament and politics." : The Canadian Electoral System (BP 437E). 15 Jan. 2014