<strong>How</strong> <strong>Canadians</strong> <strong>Govern</strong> <strong>Themselves</strong>Intro<strong>du</strong>ction<strong>Govern</strong>ments in democracies are electedby the passengers to steer the ship ofthe nation. They are expected to hold iton course, to arrange for a prosperousvoyage, and to be prepared to be thrownoverboard if they fail in either <strong>du</strong>ty.This, in fact, reflects the original senseof the word “government,” as its rootsin both Greek and Latin mean “to steer.”<strong>Canada</strong> is a democracy, a constitutionalmonarchy. Our head of state is theQueen of <strong>Canada</strong>, who is also Queen ofBritain, Australia and New Zealand,and a host of other countries scatteredaround the world from the Bahamasand Grenada to Papua New Guineaand Tuvalu. Every act of government isdone in the name of the Queen, but theauthority for every act flows from theCanadian people.When the men who framed the basis ofour present written constitution, theFathers of Confederation, were draftingit in 1867, they freely, deliberately an<strong>du</strong>nanimously chose to vest the formalexecutive authority in the Queen, “to beadministered according to the wellunderstood principles of the Britishconstitution by the Sovereign personallyor by the Representative of the Queen.”That meant responsible government,with a Cabinet responsible to the Houseof Commons, and the House ofCommons answerable to the people.All of the powers of the Queen are nowexercised by her representative, the<strong>Govern</strong>or General, except when theQueen is in <strong>Canada</strong>.The <strong>Govern</strong>or General, who is nowalways a Canadian, is appointed by theQueen on the advice of the CanadianPrime Minister and, except in veryextraordinary circumstances, exercisesall powers of the office on the advice ofthe Cabinet (a council of Ministers),which has the support of a majority ofthe members of the popularly electedHouse of Commons.<strong>Canada</strong> is not only an independentsovereign democracy, but is also afederal state, with 10 largely selfgoverningprovinces and three territoriesadministered by the central government.What does it all mean?<strong>How</strong> does it work?The answer is important to every citizen.We cannot work or eat or drink; wecannot buy or sell or own anything; wecannot go to a ball game or a hockeygame or watch TV without feeling theeffects of government. We cannot marryor e<strong>du</strong>cate our children, cannot be sick,born or buried without the hand ofgovernment somewhere intervening.<strong>Govern</strong>ment gives us railways, roadsand airlines; sets the conditions thataffect farms and in<strong>du</strong>stries; manages ormismanages the life and growth of thecities. <strong>Govern</strong>ment is held responsiblefor social problems, and for pollutionand sick environments.Intro<strong>du</strong>ction1
<strong>How</strong> <strong>Canadians</strong> <strong>Govern</strong> <strong>Themselves</strong><strong>Govern</strong>ment is our creature. We makeit, we are ultimately responsible for it,and, taking the broad view, in <strong>Canada</strong>we have considerable reason to be proudof it. Pride, however, like patriotism,can never be a static thing; thereare always new problems posingnew challenges. The closer we are togovernment, and the more we knowabout it, the more we can do to helpmeet these challenges.This publication takes a look at oursystem of government and how itoperates.2Intro<strong>du</strong>ction
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