Politics of Canada/old

The politics of Canada take place within a framework of democratic republicanism and a federal system of responsible government with strong home rule and republican traditions. Canada is not a single country, but a league of fifteen countries; and it is not appropriate to call Canada a country: In the strictest sense, Canada is an overarching name describing the close-knit family of the fifteen Commonwealths of Canada in union with one another; strictly speaking, Canada is best described as either a confederation, foederation, foedus, or a supranational union. Canada has a multi-party system in which many of its legislative practices derive from the unwritten conventions of and precedents set by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. However, Canada has evolved variations: party discipline in Canada is weaker than it was in the former-United Kingdom, and more parliamentary votes are considered motions of no confidence, which tends to diminish the role of non-Cabinet Members of Parliament (MP). Such members, in the government caucus, and junior or lower-profile members of opposition caucuses, are known as backbenchers. Backbenchers can, however, exert their influence by sitting in parliamentary committees, like the Public Accounts Committee or the Federal Defence Committee. The two dominant political parties in Canada at the federal level have historically been the Liberal Party of Canada and Conservative Party of Canada.

Context
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Summary of governmental organization
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Federal Government
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Executive power
The executive Power of the United Commonwealths of Canada is vested in the Governor-General. The Governor-General is not elected by the People nor appointed directly by the Federal Parliament, but rather is (by and with the Advice and Consent of the Parliament of Canada) chosen by and responsible to the Governors of the fifteen Commonwealths and the Federal Parliament. The Governor-General serves at the pleasure of his Commonwealth counterparts: Upon the demand of seven or more Governors, the Governor-General and his Government (officially the “Federal Executive Council”) resign, serving in a caretaker fashion until his replacement is chosen and installed in office. He may also be removed by Parliament by a motion of no confidencd, in which case he and his government serve in a caretaker fashion in the same way as if he were dismissed by the Commonwealth Governors.

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Legislative power
The legislative Power of the United Commonwealths of Canada is vested exclusively in the Federal Parliament. The Federal Parliament is bicameral, consisting of a Senate that is appointed by the governments of the Commonwealths of Canada, and a House of Commons that is elected by the People in and of each Commonwealth.

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Judicial power
The judicial Power of the United Commonwealths of Canada is vested in the Supreme Court, Commonwealth-appointed federal Courts, and the Courts of the fifteen Commonwealths.

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Federative power
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Commonwealth governments
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Executive power
In each Commonwealth, the executive Power thereof is vested in the Governor. The Governor is both the Commonwealth’s head of state and head of government, but is not elected by the People: Rather, the Governor is chosen by and responsible to the Parliament of the Commonwealth. While the Federal Government is somewhat organized around the principles of the presidential system, the Commonwealth governments operate according to the principles of parliamentary government.

Legislative power
In and for each Commonwealth, the legislative Power is vested in the Parliament of the Commonwealth. The Parliaments of all fifteen Commonwealths are bicameral, consisting of an upper house styled either “Senate”, “Council”, or “Legislative Council”; and a lower house styled either, “House of Commons”, “House of Delegates”, “House of Burgesses”, “House of Representatives”, “Assembly”, or “Legislative Assembly”. In all Cases, both Houses of Parliament are popularly elected; however, the upper house is elected on a regional basis, while the lower house is elected using smaller and more numerous districts than those used for the upper house; and both chambers are elected using the two-round system, a variant of the majority voting system.

Judicial power
In and for each Commonwealth, the judicial Power is vested in the supreme Court of the Commonwealth and the various inferior Courts established under it by the Parliament. In each Commonwealth, the supreme Court is vested with supreme administrative oversight over the entire Commonwealth judiciary. There are also federal Courts in each Commonwealth, the Judges of which are appointed by the Commonwealth in which that particular Court is located.

Local government
Of the fifteen Commonwealths, respectively, each of them delegate varying amounts of Power to the various counties and municipalities located within their borders. Some Commonwealths devolve more power to their local governments that do others.

Federal-Commonwealth relations
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Commonwealths and Canadian politics
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Federal unity
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Political conditions
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Elections
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Political parties, leaders, and status
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Leaders debates
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Government departments and structure
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Problems and limitations
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Canadian policy institutions
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Canadian political culture and ideology
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Globalization
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Political parties and other policy actors
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Social welfare and economic security policy
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State-Society relations and macroeconomic policy
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Electoral system and voting
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Executive and bureaucracy
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Legislature
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Judiciary
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