House of Commons of Canada facts for kids

The House of Commons of Canada (in French: Chambre des communes) is a very important part of the Parliament of Canada. It works alongside the King or Queen (represented by the Governor General) and the Senate.

The House of Commons is made up of 338 members. These members are chosen by people voting in an election. They are called Members of Parliament (MPs). Each MP is elected to represent a specific area of the country, which is usually called a riding. MPs can serve for up to four years at a time.

The House of Commons started in 1867. This was when a special law, the British North America Act, created the country of Canada. The way the House of Commons works is based on the British House of Commons.

The House of Commons is sometimes called the "lower house." Even though it's called "lower," it actually has more power than the "upper house," which is the Senate. For new laws to be passed, both the House of Commons and the Senate must agree. However, the Senate almost never completely stops a law that the House of Commons has passed. Sometimes, the Senate might suggest small changes to a law.

The Government of Canada is only responsible to the House of Commons. This means the Prime Minister and their government stay in power only as long as they have the support of the Members of Parliament in the House of Commons.

The Canadian House of Commons is located in the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings. These buildings are on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario.

What the House of Commons Does

The Parliament of Canada has certain limits on its power. This is different from the Parliament in the United Kingdom. In Canada, provincial governments have the power to make laws about some things, like education or healthcare. This means the federal Parliament can't make laws about everything.

For a long time, until 1982, only the Parliament in the United Kingdom could change Canada's main law, the British North America Act. This was to make sure the rights and powers of the provinces were protected. In 1982, this changed with a new law called the Canada Act. Now, in Canada, the British North America Act is called the Constitution Act. This means Canada can now change its own constitution.

A lot of the important work of the House of Commons happens in smaller groups called committees. These committees can spend more time looking closely at a specific topic or proposed law than the entire House of Commons could. They study issues, hear from experts, and suggest changes to laws.

Images for kids

• 

  The Canadian House of Commons, 1916

• 

  The main doorway into the chamber of the House of Commons

• 

  The chamber of the House of Commons; the speaker's chair is at the rear and centre in the room.

• 

  The Centre Block in Ottawa, where the House of Commons met until 13 December 2018.

• 

  The governing party sits to the Speaker's right in the House of Commons.

• 

  House of Commons Chamber after desks were removed for renovations, December 2018.

See also

In Spanish: Cámara de los Comunes de Canadá para niños