Parliament of Canada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parliament of CanadaParlement du Canada |
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| 44th Parliament | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Senate House of Commons |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 July 1867 |
| Preceded by | Initially assumed some jurisdiction from:
Later added some jurisdiction from:
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| Leadership | |
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Charles III
Since 8 September 2022 |
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Mary Simon
Since 26 July 2021 |
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Raymonde Gagné, (Non-affiliated)
Since 12 May 2023 |
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| Structure | |
| Seats | 443 338 Members of Parliament 105 senators |
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Senate political groups
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Independent Senators Group (39)
Conservative (15) Progressive Senate Group (11) Canadian Senators Group (15) Non-affiliated (10) Vacant (15) |
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House of Commons political groups
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His Majesty's Government
His Majesty's Loyal Opposition
Parties with official status
Parties without official status
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| Elections | |
| Appointment by the governor general on advice of the prime minister | |
| First-past-the-post | |
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House of Commons last election
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20 September 2021 |
| Meeting place | |
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| House of Commons of Canada – West Block – Parliament Hill Ottawa, Ontario Canada and Senate of Canada – Senate of Canada Building 2 Rideau Street Ottawa, Ontario Canada |
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The Parliament of Canada (French: Parlement du Canada) is Canada's main law-making body. It is located on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The Parliament has three main parts: the King, the Senate, and the House of Commons.
The House of Commons is the most powerful part. The Senate usually agrees with its decisions. The Senate checks new laws carefully. The King, or his representative, the Governor General, must approve new laws. This approval is called royal assent.
The Governor General chooses the 105 senators. They do this based on advice from the Prime Minister. The 338 members of the House of Commons are called Members of Parliament (MPs). Canadians vote for MPs in their local areas, called ridings.
The Governor General also starts and ends Parliament sessions. They can also call for a new election. The Governor General gives a speech called the Throne Speech. This speech happens at the start of each new Parliament.
The Parliament we have now started in November 2021. It is the 44th Parliament since Canada became a country in 1867. The official languages used in Parliament are English and French.
Contents
How Canada's Parliament Works
Canada's Parliament is made up of three parts. These are the Canadian monarch (the King), the Governor General, the Senate, and the House of Commons. Each part has its own leaders and rules. They all work together to make laws.
This system comes from the United Kingdom. It is very similar to the British Parliament. The main differences are because of Canada's unique history. For example, the King does not live in Canada all the time. Also, Canada does not have nobles like Britain does for its upper house.
Only those in the House of Commons are usually called MPs. Senators are not usually called MPs, even though they are part of Parliament. Senators have a higher rank in Canada's official order of importance. No one can be a member of both the Senate and the House of Commons at the same time.
The King's Role in Parliament
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The King's role in making laws is set by the Constitution Act, 1867. The King or his representative, the Governor General, does not take part in debates. Their job is to give Royal Assent to bills. This approval is needed for a bill to become a law.
All federal laws start with a special phrase. It says the King, with the Senate and House of Commons, makes the law. The Governor General usually gives Royal Assent. The King can also do it if asked.
The King and Governor General do not go into the House of Commons. So, ceremonies with them happen in the Senate chamber. Both the Senate and House of Commons have a special staff called a mace. This mace shows the King's authority. It also shows the special rights given to Parliament by the King.
All new members of Parliament must promise loyalty to the King. This is done by taking the Oath of Allegiance. The main opposition party is called "His Majesty's Loyal Opposition." This shows they are loyal to the King, even if they disagree with the government.
The Senate: Canada's Upper House
The Senate is the upper house of Canada's Parliament. It has 105 members. The Governor General appoints senators based on the Prime Minister's advice. To be a senator, you must be at least 30 years old. You must also be a subject of the King. You need to own property worth at least $4,000. This property must be in the province you represent.
Before 1965, senators served for life. Now, they must retire at age 75. Senators can also resign. They can lose their job if they miss two Parliament sessions in a row.
The Senate tries to have equal representation for Canada's regions. There are 24 senators for Ontario. There are 24 for Quebec. The Maritimes (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) have 24. The Western provinces (Manitoba, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Alberta) also have 24. Newfoundland and Labrador has 6 senators. Each of Canada's three territories (Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut) has 1 senator.
Sometimes, 4 or 8 extra senators can be appointed. This needs the King's approval. This power has only been used once since 1867. This was in 1990 to help pass a new tax law. When extra senators are appointed, the total number can go up to 113. But it must return to 105 over time.
The House of Commons: Elected Representatives
The House of Commons is the elected part of Canada's Parliament. It is also called the lower house. Each member is chosen by voters in their local area, or riding. To run for one of the 338 seats, you must be at least 18 years old. Members stay in office until Parliament is ended. Then, they can run for re-election.
The number of ridings is updated after each national census. This happens every ten years. There are rules to make sure each province has a fair number of MPs. These rules mean the House of Commons has more than the minimum of 282 seats.
What Laws Parliament Can Make
The Canadian constitution limits Parliament's powers. It divides law-making powers between the federal and provincial governments. Provincial governments can only make laws on topics specifically given to them. These include education, local governments, and charities.
The federal Parliament can make laws on anything not given to the provinces. This includes things like the postal service, the military, banking, and copyrights. It also covers First Nations issues.
Sometimes, federal and provincial powers can overlap. For example, both can make laws about taxes or agriculture.
Parliament's powers are also limited by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This Charter protects the rights of Canadians. Laws that go against the constitution can be cancelled by the courts.
Parliament's Leaders and Officials
Each part of Parliament has a leader called a Speaker. The Senate Speaker is chosen by the Governor General. The House of Commons Speaker is an MP elected by other MPs. The House of Commons Speaker usually has more power.
The Usher of the Black Rod is a very important official in the Senate. They are the personal messenger for the King and Governor General. This person is also in charge of security in the Senate. They handle important events on Parliament Hill. These events include the Speech from the Throne.
Other important officials help Parliament work. These include the Auditor General and the Chief Electoral Officer. They are sometimes called Agents of Parliament. They report to Parliament through the Speaker of each house. The Parliamentary Librarian runs the Library of Parliament.
Parliamentary Sessions and Elections
The Governor General is in charge of starting Parliament sessions. The King has the power to end or dissolve Parliament. After Parliament is dissolved, a federal election is usually called.
After an election, the Governor General calls Parliament to meet. New MPs are sworn in. Then, all MPs go to the Senate. There, they are told to elect their Speaker.
A new Parliament session begins with a special ceremony. This is called the opening of Parliament. The King, Governor General, or a royal representative gives the Speech From the Throne. This speech outlines the government's plans.
A Parliament session lasts until it is ended. This is called a prorogation. All work stops until the Governor General calls for a new session. After several sessions, Parliament is dissolved. This leads to a general election.
General elections are usually held every four years. They happen on the third Monday in October. The Governor General can call an election earlier. This usually happens if the Prime Minister asks for it. It can also happen if the government loses a motion of no confidence.
How Parliament Votes
Both the Senate and House of Commons vote on motions by voice vote. The Speaker listens to "yea" and "nay" shouts. Then, they announce the winner. Members can ask for a recorded vote. This needs at least two senators or five MPs.
Members vote by standing up to be counted. The Senate Speaker can vote, but usually does not. This helps them stay fair. If there is a tie in the Senate, the motion fails. In the House of Commons, the Speaker cannot vote unless there is a tie. If there is a tie, the Speaker usually votes to keep things as they are.
For a vote to count, a certain number of members must be present. This is called a quorum. It is 15 senators in the Senate and 20 members in the House of Commons. The Speaker is counted in this number.
All sessions in both houses have interpreters. They provide live translation between English and French.
How Laws Are Made
New laws start as bills. Any member of either house can introduce a bill. Most bills start in the House of Commons. Many are introduced by government ministers. These are called government bills. Bills can also be introduced by individual MPs or senators.
Bills can be public, meaning they apply to everyone. Or they can be private, affecting only a specific person or group. Each bill goes through several steps in each house.
First, there is a first reading. Then, during the bill's second reading, its main ideas are debated. After this, the bill goes to a committee.
Committees are groups of members or senators who specialize in a topic. They listen to experts and debate the bill. They can suggest changes. After the committee, the whole house considers the bill again. They can make more changes.
Finally, the bill has a third reading. In the House of Commons, no more changes can be made at this stage. In the Senate, changes are still allowed. If the bill passes the third reading, it goes to the other house. It goes through the same steps there.
If both houses pass the bill in the same form, it goes for Royal Assent. This is when the Governor General approves it. Once approved, the bill becomes a law. The Governor General can also choose not to approve a bill. However, this has never happened at the federal level.
Only the House of Commons can introduce bills about taxes or government spending. The House of Commons is usually more powerful than the Senate. The Senate rarely blocks bills passed by the elected House of Commons.
Parliament and the Government
The federal government is made up of the King (represented by the Governor General) and a group of ministers. These ministers are chosen by the Governor General. They lead the government. Most ministers are chosen from Parliament. They are usually from the House of Commons. This is because ministers are responsible to the House of Commons.
The leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons usually becomes the Prime Minister. If the Prime Minister is not an MP, they usually try to get elected to a seat quickly.
The House of Commons can show it no longer trusts the government. This can happen by rejecting a "confidence motion" or passing a "no confidence motion." Important government bills, like the budget, are usually confidence matters. If the government loses a confidence vote, the Prime Minister must resign. Or they can ask the Governor General to call a new election.
In Canada, it is rare for a government with a majority of seats to lose a confidence vote. This is because party leaders have strong control over their members. However, minority governments are more likely to fall. This means they do not have a majority of seats. The last prime ministers to lose confidence votes led minority governments.
Special Rights of Parliament
Parliament has special rights called parliamentary privilege. Each house protects its own rights. Parliament decides how far these rights go. But the constitution says they cannot be more than the rights of the British House of Commons in 1867.
One main right is freedom of speech during debates. Nothing said in Parliament can be questioned by a court. For example, an MP cannot be sued for slander for words spoken in Parliament. The only limits on debate are set by the rules of each house.
MPs and senators are also protected from arrest in civil cases. They do not have to serve on juries or be witnesses in court. However, they can be punished by their colleagues for breaking rules. This includes showing contempt of Parliament.
The Parliament of Canada has its own coat of arms. It shows symbols of the King, the House of Commons, and the Senate.
History of Canada's Parliament
After France gave up New France to Britain in 1763, Canada was ruled by the King. In 1791, Quebec was split into Upper and Lower Canada. Each had an elected assembly and an appointed council. This was like the British Parliament.
During the War of 1812, American troops burned the buildings of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada in York (now Toronto). In 1841, Britain joined Upper and Lower Canada. They formed the Province of Canada. It had one legislature. The Governor General had a lot of power until 1848. That is when Canada gained responsible government. This meant the government had to answer to the elected assembly.
The Parliament building moved often. It was in Kingston from 1841 to 1844. Then it moved to Montreal. In 1849, the building there burned down. After moving between Toronto and Quebec City, Parliament finally moved to Ottawa in 1856. Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as Canada's capital in 1857.
The modern Parliament of Canada started in 1867. This was when the British North America Act, 1867 was passed. It united New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (split into Quebec and Ontario) into one country. This new country was called the Dominion of Canada.
The new Parliament was very similar to Britain's. This decision was influenced by the American Civil War. Canadians saw problems with the American system. The British North America Act gave more power to the Canadian Parliament. It limited the powers of the provinces.
Canada gained full law-making power in 1931 with the Statute of Westminster. This allowed Canada to change British laws that applied to it. But Canada still needed Britain to change its constitution.
In 1939, King George VI was the first Canadian monarch to give royal assent in Parliament. In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II was the first King or Queen to give the speech from the throne. This was also the first time Parliament was shown on television.
In 1982, Canada gained the power to change its own constitution. This happened with the Canada Act 1982. This law ended Britain's power to make laws for Canada. Now, Canada's House of Commons, Senate, and provincial assemblies can change the constitution together. Most changes need approval from two-thirds of the provinces. Some changes need all provinces to agree.
Images for kids
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The official badge of the Parliament of Canada.
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A seating plan showing the current structure of the Canadian Senate.
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A diagram showing the current structure of the Canadian House of Commons.
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The Centre Block on Parliament Hill, home to the House of Commons.
See also
In Spanish: Parlamento de Canadá para niños
- Hansard
- Joint address
- List of Canadian federal parliaments
- Procedural officers and senior officials of the Parliament of Canada
- Records of members of Parliament of Canada
- House of Commons of Canada
- Senate of Canada
- Politics of Canada
- List of legislatures by country
- Parliament Hill
- Canadian Parliament Buildings
