Parliament of Canada

Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada

Basic data
Seat:	Center Block, Parliament Hill , Ottawa
First session:	1867
MPs:	443 (338 MPs and 105 Senators )
Current legislative period
Chair:	Monarch Elizabeth II Governor General Julie Payette Speaker of the Senate George Furey ( Independent ) Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota ( Liberal )
Website
Canadian Parliament website

The parliament building

The Parliament of Canada ( English Parliament of Canada , French Parlement du Canada ) has its seat on Parliament Hill in Ottawa . The parliament consists of three parts:

• the sovereign, currently Queen Elizabeth II , represented by the Governor General of Canada ,
• the Senate of Canada ,
• the House of Commons .

The Governor General appoints the 105 members of the Senate on the proposal of the Prime Minister , while the 308 members of the Lower House are elected by the people. Each member of the lower house represents one constituency (unlike in Germany, where only half of the members of the Bundestag represent one constituency).

The House of Commons is the more important legislative body, the House of Lords (the Senate) only rarely opposes it, and its duties are primarily to be seen in representation. However, the Senate would have the right to refuse to sign a law or to ask a vote of confidence.

composition

The Senate

→ Main article : Senate of Canada

The House of Commons

→ Main article : House of Commons (Canada)

The lower house is elected by the people through simple majority voting. MPs must be Canadian citizens over the age of 18. The number of MPs is based on the 10-year census : the lower house must consist of at least 282 seats, three of which are reserved for the territories . The remaining 279 seats are divided among the provinces according to the number of inhabitants . The “senatorial clause” also states that each province is entitled to at least as many seats as senators. In addition, the “grandfather clause” guarantees the seats from 1976 and 1985 respectively.

Nobody is allowed to work in both Houses of Parliament (Senate and Lower House) at the same time.

building

→ Main article : Parliament Hill (Ottawa)

Web links

Commons : Parliament of Canada  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Parliament's website
• The History of the Maces of the British and Canadian Parliaments

Individual evidence

• Department of Justice. (2004). Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982.
• House of Commons Table Research Branch. (2005). Precis of Procedure .
• Official website of the Parliament (English / French)