THE STRUCTURE OF

CANADA’S GOVERNMENT
EAL Canadian History
 CANADA’S HEAD OF STATE

• At the top of the Canadian government is the monarch

– Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II
• She is the most important person in our government, but not
the most powerful

• Because the queen does not live here, she is

represented in Canada by a Governor General
GRAPHIC OF THE STRUCTURE OF
CANADA’S GOVERNMENT

Monarch

Governo
r
General
 THE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

• Legislative Branch
• Responsible for making the laws

• Executive Branch
• Responsible for administering the laws

• Judicial Branch
• Responsible for enforcing the laws
GRAPHIC OF THE STRUCTURE OF
CANADA’S GOVERNMENT
Monarch

Governo
r
General
Legislative Executive Judicial
Branch Branch Branch
Responsible
Responsible for Responsible for
for making administering enforcing laws
laws laws
 LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

• Made up of 2 bodies that can make laws (Bicameral)

• House of Commons
• Elected by the people
• Represents the needs of the people
• Senate
• Appointed by the Prime Minister
• Represents the needs of the government and Crown
GRAPHIC OF THE STRUCTURE OF CANADA’S
GOVERNMENT
Monarch

Governor
General

Legislative Executive Judicial Branch

Branch Branch

Responsible
for making
laws

House of
Commons
Senate
 EXECUTIVE BRANCH

• Prime Minister • Caucus

• Leader of the party with the most • All the other elected members of
seats parliament who belong to the
• Most powerful person in the same party as the Prime Minister
government
• Is actually also an MP • Departments
• Run the departments
• Cabinet
• Not elected; hired; don’t change
• Advisors to the Prime Minister when the government changes
• Elected; members of the Prime
Minister’s party
• Are in charge of 1 or 2 government
departments; referred to as
ministers
GRAPHIC OF THE STRUCTURE OF CANADA’S
GOVERNMENT
Monarch

Governor
General

Legislative Judicial Branch

Branch Executive Branch

Responsible Responsible
for making for
laws administering
laws
House of Prime Minister
Commons Cabinet
Senate Caucus
Departments
 JUDICIAL BRANCH

• Do not change when the government changes

• Judges at all levels are appointed by the Prime Minister
• Supreme Court
• highest court in the country
• Only deals with cases involving the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

• Federal Courts
• Deals with any criminal cases (anything where the penalty could be going
to jail)

• Provincial Courts
• Deals with any other cases (property disputes, traffic violations, etc.)
 GRAPHIC OF THE STRUCTURE OF CANADA’S
GOVERNMENT
Monarch

Governor
General

Legislative Judicial Branch

Branch Executive Branch

Responsible Responsible Responsible for

for making for enforcing laws
laws administering
laws
House of Prime Minister Supreme Court
Commons Cabinet Federal Courts
Senate Caucus Provincial Courts
Departments