Short facts about the government of Canada
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: none
conventional short form:
Canada |
| Government
type: |
confederation with parliamentary
democracy |
| Administrative divisions: |
10 provinces and 3 territories*;
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec,
Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* |
| Independence: |
1 July 1867 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day/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)
head of
government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November
1993)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from
among the members of his own party sitting in
Parliament
elections: none; the monarch 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 |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral Parliament or Parlement
consists of the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve
until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the
advice of the prime minister; 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 2005)
election results:
percent of vote by party as of January 2001 - Liberal Party 42%, Canadian
Alliance 22%, Bloc Quebecois 13%, New Democratic Party 4%, Progressive
Conservative Party 4%; seats by party as of January 2001 - 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 [Stockwell DAY]; Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN]; New Democratic
Party [Alexa MCDONOUGH]; Progressive Conservative Party [Joe
CLARK] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF (dialogue
partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB
(non-regional), CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state),
FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO,
ZC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael KERGIN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202)
682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s)
general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles,
Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Miami,
Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Gordon D. GIFFIN
embassy: 490 Sussex
Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000,
Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335,
4470
FAX: [1] (613) 238-5720
consulate(s) general:
Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and
Vancouver |
| 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 | Source: World Factbook |
