Download Government Branches in Canada: Executive Role - Crown, Governor General, PM and more Slides Law in PDF only on Docsity! Government and Law Making Branches of Government in Canada Docsity.com Structure of the Federal Government
Dominion of Canada
EXECUTIVE
LEGISLATIVE | Sovaiienl
Her Majesty o i:
Queen Elizabeth II =
Sovereign Her Excellency
The Right Honourable
Michaélle Jean The Right Honourable
Governor General Stephen Harper
& © 2006 Craig LW, Marlatt Privae Minister
wow, Cradeldfarlad. com
Source:
www.wikipedia.org
Docsity.com
Branches of Government Judicial Comprised of the various federal and provincial courts of Canada. They decide who broke the law and the punishment that corresponds Docsity.com Executive Branch The Crown • As expressed in the constitution, “the Executive Government and Authority of and over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen,” and the government acts in her name • The term The Crown is usually used to represent the power of the monarchy • The Governor General represents the Queen as head of state in Canada • Government ministers are ministers of the Crown; Criminal prosecutions are made Crown prosecutors in the name of the monarch Docsity.com Executive Branch The Governor General • The Monarch appoints the governor general on the advice of the Prime Minister • By convention the governor general usually serves for approximately five years, although no term has been established • Michaëlle Jean is Canada’s current Governor General Docsity.com Executive Branch The Prime Minister • Head of the Government of Canada • The office does not formally exist in the Canadian Constitution, where executive authority is vested in the Canadian Sovereign • The current Prime Minister is Stephen Harper Docsity.com Executive Branch The Prime Minister • Usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in the Canadian House of Commons • A prime minister does not have a fixed mandate • The prime minister is, in practice, the most powerful member of the Canadian government • In modern-day Canada, his duties are those to which the constitution refers to as the job of the Governor General (who acts as a figurehead) Docsity.com Executive Branch The Prime Minister • The prime minister plays a prominent role in most legislation passed by the Canadian Parliament • The majority of Canadian legislation originates in the Cabinet, which is a body appointed by the prime minister largely from the ranks of his party's MPs • The Cabinet must have "unanimous" consent on all decisions they make, but in practice whether or not unanimity has been achieved is decided by the prime minister • An elected Member of Parliament is usually expected to follow strict party discipline and not vote against the party line Docsity.com Executive Branch The Cabinet • Advise the Prime Minister and other ministers on any and all political matters • Responsible the general administration of at least one government portfolio • Expected to introduce and defend new legislation regarding their portfolio • Answer questions on their job performance from the Opposition Docsity.com Executive Branch The Cabinet • Cabinet has almost total control over the legislative agenda of the House of Commons • It is within Cabinet that many of the most important debates on Canadian policy take place • Each opposition party appoints what is known as a Shadow Cabinet, with each of its members "shadowing" one or more cabinet portfolios Docsity.com
