Current party standing in Canadian Government

1. Current party standing in Canadian Government Keegan Hind Michael Kim AllenChang Christina

2. House of Commons • There are total 308 members in the House of Commons. • They are the representatives whom people choose in general elections that held every five years.

3. Current standings at the House of Common

4. Members of House of Common

5. Members of House of Common • The major party is the Conservative and the Prime Minister is Steven Harper. • As pie graph shows most members coming from three biggest provinces. Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.

6. Duty of Parliament • Members of Parliament are able to influence legislation through debates in the House of Commons, that decides at all party committee meetings. • They participate in House of Commons committees and review federal government department activities and spending.

7. Duty of Parliament • Members maintain two offices with same staff, one on Parliament Hill in Ottawa and one in the constituency. • They represent the regional and local concerns of the constituents in their electoral districts.

8. Members of the Senate • The Senate has created under the Constitution Act in 1867, ‘Primarily to protect regional interests but also to provide a “power of resistance to oppose the democratic element”. • The Senate has 105 seats and it is divided into regional basis..

9. Structure of Senate

10. The Senate • The Senators also have political affiliations like House of Commons. • Liberal Party, the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance Party and few independents. • Up to 1965, they were appointed for life, but has changed to retire at of age 75.

11. To be a member of Senate • Be at least 30 years old. • Be a Canadian citizen by birth or naturalization. • Have a net estate worth at least $4,000. • Own real property within the province for which he or she is appointed to the net value of $4,000. • Be a resident in the province for which he or she is appointed.

12. Current Standings in the Senate

13. The order of Precedence • This is a long list about succession of power amongst all of the government officials in Canada. • The rank goes The Governor General-> The Prime Minister-> The Chief Justice-> Former Governors General->....... • http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/government/precedence.html

14. Speaker • Speaker in House of Common is responsible for maintaining order and decorum. • As chairman of the Board of Internal Economy, he/she oversees the administration of the House. • The Speaker is elected by his or her colleagues by secret ballot.

15. Speaker • The Speaker of Senate is appointed by the Prime Minister and is responsible for keeping order and following protocol in the House.

16. The Opposition Party • It is a political party which is neither the Government party nor part of the coalition of parties forming the government.

17. Leader of the Official Opposition • He is the leader of the party with the second largest number of seats in the House of Commons. • Sitting directly across the Prime Minister, and criticizing government policies and suggesting improvements. Also presenting alternatives.

18. Governor General • The Letters Patent of 1947 permanently vested all powers of the Sovereign to the Governor General. And 1st on the Canadian Order of Precedence. • She/he is selected by the PM and formally appointed by the Sovereign for 5 years. Maximum 7 years.

19. Works of Governor General • Until she has given them royal assent, bills that have passed House of Common and Senate do not become law. • Also she executes all orders-in-council and other state documents, appoints all superior court judges and summons, prorogues, and dissolves Parliament.

20. Works of Governor General • Governor General invites the leader of the political party with the most support in the House of Commons to form a government. • Also delivers the Speech from the Throne at the beginning of each parliamentary session.

21. Prime Minister • PM is the leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons, which controls the House. • PM may lose his or her seat in an election, but can remain in office as long as the party keeps a majority in the House of Commons.

22. Prime Minister • The Prime Minister is more powerful than any other colleague. PM has power for appointment and resignation of ministers. • Even other ministers against PM’s view for policy of government, unless they resign they have to follow.

23. Cabinet Ministers • They are the strongest elected officials in Canadian government. They work to make policies for their ministries and present/defend those policies in the House of Commons.

24. Privy Council Office • Those whom summoned to the Queen’s Privy Council(QPC) are appointed for life by the Governor General. • Most of them were former Cabinet ministers.

25. The Judicial system • It is separate from the legislative branch of the government. • There is the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal that handles civil and criminal matters of federal jurisdiction.

26. The Judicial system • Tax Court handles all appeals of the tax system and employment insurance matters. • Finally the Supreme Court acts as the final arbiter of appeals of any other court in the country.

27. Bibliography • http://canadaonline.about.com/cs/parliament/a/rolemps.htm • http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/government/house.html