Canada Today

Canada's Government

“Peace, order, and good government” is a statement from Canada’s constitution that Canadians greatly value. The country’s 1867 founding document provided the framework for Canada’s current government. It has been amended and modified a number of times since then, but the constitution has maintained its basic structure. It still holds the force of the highest law in the land.

​In part for historical reasons, Canada’s government can be characterized as a constitutional monarchy. The monarch in the United Kingdom inherits the right to rule. Laws strictly limit the monarch’s role in government. On the other hand, the royal influence can be seen in a variety of ways, such as on Canadian currency bearing Queen Elizabeth II’s image, and a Governor General with mostly ceremonial duties.

​It’s more accurate, however, to describe the country as a parliamentary democracy. Canadians are proud of their democratic government, which is led by a prime minister. Similar to a president, a prime minister is the head of a country’s government.

Canada’s prime minister oversees the country’s parliament, Canada’s governing body. Parliament consists of the House of Commons and the Senate. Canadians elect members of the House of Commons. However, senators are appointed by the prime minister. Legislation is proposed and debated in these chambers, and must be approved by both the House and the Senate to become law.

Multiple Choice

In Canada’s Parliament, the political party that has the largest number of members in the ____________________ chooses the chief executive.

• House of Commons

• Grand National Assembly

• House of Representatives

• House of Lords

Multiple Choice

Canada has a presidential democracy.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The governor general selects a prime minister from the majority party in Parliament.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The chief executive of the Canadian government (with the most political power) is the

• .President.

• Monarch.

• Prime Minister.

• Emperor.

​Canada's Regions

​Canada’s physical geography separates the country into different regions. For example, people living on the Pacific coast in British Columbia are isolated from Canadians living in the eastern provinces on the Atlantic coast. Just as geographic distance separates much of Canada, differences in culture also define regions.

​Regionalism

​The cultural differences between English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians have led to problems. English is the main language in most of Canada. In Quebec, however, French is the main language. When Canadians from different regions discuss important issues, they are often influenced by regionalism. Regionalism refers to the strong connection that people feel toward the region in which they live. In some places, this connection is stronger than people’s connection to their country as a whole. To better understand regionalism in Canada, we will now explore each region of the country. As you read, refer to the map to locate each region.

​Eastern Provinces

​The region called the Eastern Provinces is a region that lies on the Atlantic coast. The provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island are often called the Maritime Provinces. Maritime means on or near the sea. The province of Newfoundland and Labrador is usually not considered one of the Maritime Provinces. It includes the island of Newfoundland and a large region of the mainland called Labrador.

​The Heartland

​The provincial capital of Quebec is also called Quebec. The city’s older section has narrow streets, stone walls, and French-style architecture. Montreal is Canada’s second-largest city and one of the largest French-speaking cities in the world. About 3.8 million people live in the Montreal metropolitan area. It is the financial and industrial center of the province. Winters in Montreal are very cold. To deal with this harsh environment, Montreal’s people use underground passages and overhead tunnels to move between buildings in the city’s downtown.

​Canada’s national capital, Ottawa, is also in Ontario. In Ottawa many people speak both English and French. The city is known for its grand government buildings, parks, and several universities.

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​The Western Provinces

​British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province and home to almost 4 million people. This mountainous province has rich natural resources, including forests, salmon, and valuable minerals. Nearly half of British Columbia’s population lives in and around the coastal city of Vancouver. The city’s location on the Pacific coast helps it to trade with countries in Asia.

​Canada's Economy

​As you learned in Lesson 1, Canada has many valuable natural resources. Canada’s economy is based on the industries associated with these resources. In addition, Canada’s economy also benefits from trade. Like the United States, Canada has a market-based, though mixed, economy. Some observers have noted that Canada’s government involves itself more with its country’s economy than the U.S. government involves itself with the U.S. economy.

​Trade

​Canada’s economy depends on trade. Many of Canada’s natural resources that you have learned about are exported to countries around the world. Industries successful in trading grow and hire more workers. Trade also allows foreign companies to invest in Canada, which provides jobs to Canadians. Canada’s leading trading partner is the United States.

​Industries

​Thanks in part to the Canadian Shield, Canada is one of the world’s leading mineral producers. Canadians mine valuable titanium, zinc, iron ore, gold, and coal. Canada’s iron and steel industry uses iron ore to manufacture products like planes, automobiles, and household appliances. However, most Canadians work in the services industry. For example, tourism is Canada’s fastest-growing services industry. Canada’s economy also benefits from the millions of dollars visitors spend in the country each year.