Political System of Canada

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Canada is a North American country consisting often provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Oceanin the east to the Pacific Oceanin the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean. Spanning over 9.9 million square kilometers, Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, and its common border with the United States is the longest land border in the world.

The land that is now Canada has been inhabited for millennia by various groups of Aboriginal peoples. Beginning in the late 15th century, British and French expeditions explored, and later settled, along the region's Atlantic coast. France ceded nearly all ofits colonies in North America in 1763 after the Seven Years' War. In 1867, with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation, Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This widening autonomy was highlighted by the Balfour Declaration of 1926and reaffirmed by the Statute of Westminster of 1931, which declared self-governing dominions within the British Empire to be equal. The Canada Act of 1982 finally severed the vestiges of legal dependence on the British Parliament.

Canada is a federal state that is governed as a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabet has its head of state. It is abilingualnation with both English and French as official languages at the federal level. One of the world's most highly-developed countries, Canada has a diversified economy that is reliant upon its abundant natural resources and upon trade - particularly with the United States, with which Canada has had along and complex relationship. It is a member of the G7, G8, G20, NATO, OECD, WTO, Commonwealth of Nations, Francophone, OAS, APEC, and UN. With the sixth-highest Human Development Index globally, Canada has one of the highest standards of living in the world

Political System of Canada

The political system of Canada has federal system of Parliament with serious democratic values embedded into its functioning. The system has its roots in the Westminster Parliament of the United Kingdom, which has brought some alternations and revisions to it. If compared with the United Kingdom's system in terms of values and discipline, Canadian political system is far better, stronger and responsive. This is because the democratic values are well preserved and implemented with the help of confidence voting system. Thus the members of the parliament remain quite out of the democratic scenario.

The political system of Canada came into recognition with the initiative taken by the British government. The British government established a recognized governing system in 1867,especially for the countries that had self-governments gearing them up to play the desired role, in order to bring regulations and political stability to the country. Today, Canada is heading towards the attainment complete constitutional democracy. canada political system

Canadian political system comprises a group of political parties with Liberal Party of Canada, New Democratic Party and the Conservative Party of Canada taking the major lead. In the Canadian Judicial System, it's the Supreme Court of Canada with its strength of nine judges that reign over the entire judicial scenario. Moreover, the whole political system is empowered by significant government departments comprising the following-

· The National Defense Department

· The Finance Department

· The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

· The Revenue Department

· The Human Resource Department

The Department for Public safety and Emergency

Canada is an independent federal parliamentary state. The Queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth II, is the official head of the state, but the Governor General acts as her representative. Canada combines the American federal form of government with the British cabinet system.

As a federation, Canada is made up of ten provinces and two territories. Canadian central government in Ottawa represents all the peoples of Canada. Each province has its own government and parliament.

Parliament of Canada consists of two houses, the Upper House called the Senate, and the Lower House called the House of Commons. The Senate has 104 members. Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The Senate has less power than the House of Commons. Members of the House of Commons are elected for a term of five years. The cabinet system of Canada unites the legislative and the executive branches. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are usually members of the House of Commons, which is the highest authority in the government. The Cabinet consists of 20 or more ministers, chosen by the Prime Minister from leaders of the majority party in the House of Commons.

Today most of the Governor General's powers have disappeared and he follows the directions of the Cabinet.

The two leading political parties in Canada are the Progressive Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The New Democratic Party is also rather influential.

The Constitution of the country was only adopted in 1982

National Flag of Canada

Since the year 1925, several initiatives were taken to get an official national flag for Canada, but none of the attempts were successful. In 1964, the prime minister, Lester Pearson appointed an all-party committee to furnish a design for a new national flag of Canada. Eventually the single leaf design was recommended by the committee which was further approved by the Parliament in 1964. The new official National Flag of Canada was inaugurated on 15 February, 1965. The inauguration ceremony was held in Parliament Hill, Ottawa in the presence of the Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, Governor General Georges Vanier, the members of the Cabinet and thousands of Canadians.

Description & symbolic representation of the NationalflagThe National flag of Canada is red and white in color and it is twice as long as it's width. The center of the flag bears a red maple leaf with 11 points on a white square background.

The colors red and white used in the flag were proclaimed Canada's official colors by King George V on 21 November 1921. The maple leaf is the traditional emblem of Canada but the 11 point has no symbolic implication.

Flag protocol in Canada

The National flag of Canada is a symbol of honor and dignity for all Canadians and therefore it should be treated with utmost respect under all circumstances. The Canadian Heritage Department provides certain protocol for flying the National flag of Canada. Some of these protocols are:

* The National flag of Canada must always be hoisted on its own mast. According to flag protocol, it is considered inappropriate to fly two or more flags on the same mast.

* The national flag ought not to be used as a cover for any purposes such as table cloth or seat cover.

* The national flag should not be disfigured by any writing or images.

* On occasions when the national flag is hoisted or paraded, the people present should face the flag.

It must be noted that the flag rules applied by the federal government are not obligatory for any individuals or organization

National Anthem of Canada

Historical Background

Canada has two official languages--English and French. Therefore the National anthem of Canada is also in both the official languages. The music of the original National anthem of Canada was composed by Calixa Lavallee and the lyrics were written in French by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier. The first public rendition of “O Canada”, the National anthem of Canada was made in the year 1880, on the occasion of St. Jean-Baptiste Day celebrations. At that time the anthem failed to make a lasting impression. “O Canada” gained official status on 1 July 1980, when it was formally declared the National anthem of Canada.

Several English versions of the National anthem followed but the present official English version of the anthem is based on the lyrics written by Mr. Justice Robert Stanley Weir in 1908. The official English version of Canada's National anthem had been suitably altered on the recommendation of a Special Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Commons.

National Anthem Etiquette

As such there is no legal code of conduct governing the playing of the National anthem of Canada.

As one of the National symbols of Canada, it is appropriate to stand during the singing of the National anthem as a matter of reverence and custom.

If anybody is wearing a hat during the playing of the National anthem, it is appropriate to take off one's hat as a matter of respect.

Here are the official versions of the National anthem of Canada both in English and French-

Official English version

O Canada! Our home and native land!

True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide, O Canada,

We stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Official French version

O Canada! Terre de nos aieux,

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!

Car ton bras sait porter l'epee,

Il sait porter la croix!

Ton histoire est une epopee

Des plus brillants exploits.

Et ta valeur, de foi trempee,

Protegera nos foyers et nos droits.

Protegera nos foyers et nos droits.

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