Citizendia

Prime Minister of Canada
Ministry
Federal

FIP corporate signature with the Royal Arms of Canada
Incumbent:
Stephen Harper
Style:The Right Honourable
Appointed by:Michaëlle Jean
as Governor General of Canada
First :Sir John A. Macdonald
Formation:July 1, 1867
Canada

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The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government of Canada. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Federal Identity Program (FIP is the Canadian Government 's Corporate identity program. The Coat of Arms of Canada (also known as the Royal Arms of Canada or more properly the Arms of His/Her Majesty in Right of Canada) is since 1921 the official WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Sir John Alexander Macdonald GCB, KCMG, PC ( January 11, 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The politics of Canada function within a framework of Constitutional monarchy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Throughout the Commonwealth realms The Crown is an abstract metonymic concept which represents the legal authority for the existence of any government TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, The Queen's Privy Council for Canada (QPC (Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada (CPR sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or the Privy Council WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. The Twenty-Eighth Canadian Ministry is the combined Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Secretaries of State that have governed The following list outlines the Structure of the Canadian federal government. In the Canadian cabinet the President of The Queen's Privy Council for Canada (President du Conseil privé de la Reine pour le Canada is nominally in charge of the Privy In Canada the Privy Council Office (Bureau du Conseil privé is the Secretariat of the federal cabinet and the department of the Prime Minister The Clerk of the Privy Council (Greffier du Conseil privé is the senior Civil servant in the government and the Secretary to the Canadian Cabinet. The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3 2006 until September 7 2008 The Senate of Canada (Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the sovereign (represented by the governor general The Speaker of the Senate of Canada ( French: Président du Sénat du Canada) is the presiding officer of the Senate of Canada. The Leader of the Government in the Senate (Leader du gouvernement au Sénat is a Canadian cabinet minister who leads the government side in the Canadian Senate In Canada, the Leader of the Official Opposition in the Senate ( French: Leader de l'opposition au Sénat) is the leader of the largest party in the Representation in the Canadian Senate is divided into seats on a provincial basis The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and In Canada the Speaker of the House of Commons ( French: Président de la Chambre des communes) is the presiding officer of the The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Leader du gouvernement à la Chambre des communes more commonly known as the Government House Leader, is the In Canada Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition ( French: L'Opposition Loyale de Sa Majesté) commonly known as the Official Opposition, is usually In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a Front bench Member of Parliament (MP and an expert The Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet of the 39th Canadian parliament is listed below See also Canadian electoral system, Timeline of Canadian elections The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada has two chambers. The Canadian electoral system is based on a Parliamentary system of Government, modelled on that of the United Kingdom. The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian The Supreme Court of Canada consists of the Chief Justice of Canada ( Juge en chef du Canada) and eight Puisne Justices all appointed by Beverley McLachlin PC (born September 7, 1943) is the Chief Justice of Canada, the first woman to hold that position List of final courts of appeal in Canada. For details on the court system see Canadian court system. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions The British North America Acts 1867&ndash1975 are the original names of a series of Acts at the core of the Constitution of Canada. In many Commonwealth jurisdictions the phrase "peace order and good government" is an expression used in law to express the legitimate objects of Legislative The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (also known as The Charter of Rights and Freedoms or simply the Charter) is a Bill of rights entrenched in the The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second largest country in total area. Canadian federalism is one of the three pillars of the constitutional order along with Responsible government and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Federal and provincial aspects Across the country the Canadian Crown is unitary the headship of state is not a part of either the federal or provincial jurisdictions In Canada, the Lieutenant-Governor (lɛfˈtɛnənt often without a Hyphen) ( French: lieutenant-gouverneur, or: lieutenant-gouverneure Executive Councils in the Provinces and territories of Canada are constitutional organs headed by the Lieutenant-Governor. National regions Provinces and territories are normally grouped into the following Regions (generally from west to east Northern Canada Canadian political culture is in some ways part of a greater North American and European political culture, which emphasizes Constitutional law The foreign relations of Canada are Canada 's relations with other governments and peoples This is a list of leaders and office-holders of Canada. See also Canadian incumbents by year. Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The office is not outlined in any of the documents that constitute the written portion of the constitution of Canada; executive authority is formally vested in the Canadian sovereign and exercised on his or her behalf by the Governor General. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative The prime ministership is part of Canada's constitutional convention tradition. Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political meeting A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is The office was initially modelled after the job as it existed in Britain at time of Confederation in 1867. The British prime ministership, although fully developed by 1867, was not formally integrated into the British constitution until 1905 — hence, its absence from Constitution Act, 1867. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The constitution of the United Kingdom is the set of laws and principles under which the United Kingdom is governed The Constitution Act 1867 (formerly called the British North America Act 1867, and still known informally as the BNA Act) constitutes a major part of

The Prime Minister is almost invariably the leader of the political party that holds the largest number of seats in the House of Commons. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral The House of Commons (Chambre des communes is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General) and According to protocol, all prime ministers are styled Right Honourable (in French: Très Honorable) for life. A style of office, or honorific, is a term which by Tradition or Law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post or Title, or to the The Right Honourable (abbreviated as The Rt Hon) is an Honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain

Stephen Harper is the current Prime Minister, appointed by Governor General Michaëlle Jean as the 22nd Prime Minister of Canada, on February 6, 2006. WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Stephen Joseph Harper PC The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative Michaëlle Jean, CC CMM COM CD ʒɑ̃ (born September 6, 1957, in Port-au-Prince, Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. He is the leader of the Conservative Party, which won 124 of 308 seats in the last federal election. The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative The 2006 Canadian federal election (more formally the 39th General Election) was held on January 23 2006 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the Of the total 308 seats, 124 is a plurality (a majority would be 155 seats) so Prime Minister Harper leads a minority government; that is, the total number of seats held by all the other political parties is greater than the number of seats held by the Conservatives. A minority government or a minority cabinet is a Cabinet of a Parliamentary system formed when the governing Political party or

Contents

Qualifications and selection

Further information: Canadian politics

The Prime Minister, along with the other ministers of the Cabinet, are formally appointed by the Governor General on behalf of the Queen. The politics of Canada function within a framework of Constitutional monarchy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic However, by constitutional convention designed to maintain stability in government, the Governor General will almost always call on the leader of the party which holds the most seats in the House of Commons to form a government. [1]

The Prime Minister may be any Canadian Citizen of voting age (18 years). Canadian citizenship is typically obtained by birth in Canada or birth abroad when at least one parent is a Canadian citizen or by adoption abroad by at least one Canadian citizen A voting age is a minimum age established by Law that a person must attain in order to be eligible to Vote in a Public Election. It is customary for the Prime Minister also to be a sitting member of the House of Commons, although two Prime Ministers have governed from the Senate: Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott and Sir Mackenzie Bowell. The Senate of Canada (Le Sénat du Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the sovereign (represented by the governor general Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott, PC, KCMG, QC ( March 12, 1821 – October 30, 1893) was the third Prime Minister WikipediaManual of Style (biographies#Honorific prefixes --> Sir Mackenzie Bowell, PC, KCMG (Both men, in their roles as Government Leader in the Senate, succeeded Prime Ministers who died in office in the 1890s; Canadian convention has since evolved toward the appointment of an interim leader in such a scenario. An interim leader, in Canadian politics is a party leader appointed by the party's legislative caucus or the party's executive to temporarily act as leader to fill a gap between ) One Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, having lost his own seat in a general election while his party retained a plurality in the House of Commons, briefly governed from the hallway, until he won a by-election a few weeks later. William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian

If the prime minister should fail to win his or her seat, a junior Member of Parliament in a safe seat would typically resign to permit a by-election to elect that leader to a seat. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. However, if the leader of the governing party is changed shortly before an election is due and the new leader is not a Member of Parliament, he or she will normally await the general election before running for a seat. For example, John Turner was briefly prime minister in 1984 without being a member of the House of Commons; he would ironically win his seat in the general election that swept his party from power. John Napier Wyndham Turner PC CC QC (born June 7, 1929) is a retired Canadian Lawyer and Politician The official residence of the prime minister is 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, Ontario. 24 Sussex Drive (also called Gorffwysfa) is the Official residence of the Prime Minister of Canada. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec All prime ministers (with the exception of Kim Campbell) have lived there since Louis St. Laurent in 1951. Avril Phaedra Douglas "Kim" Campbell, PC, CC, QC, (born March 10, 1947) was the nineteenth Prime Minister of Canada Louis Stephen St-Laurent PC CC QC ( Saint-Laurent or St-Laurent in French, baptized Louis-Étienne The prime minister also has a secondary residence at Harrington Lake in Gatineau Park near Ottawa. The Harrington Lake estate is both the name of the official country retreat of the Prime Minister of Canada and of the land which surrounds it Gatineau Park (Parc de la Gatineau is a park near Gatineau, Québec, Canada, just north of Ottawa, Ontario. Ottawa (ˈɒtəwə or sometimes /ˈɒtəwɑː/ is the Capital of Canada and the country's fourth largest municipality.

In earlier years, it was tradition that the Sovereign bestow a knighthood on each new Canadian prime minister. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. As such, several carry the prefix "Sir" before their name (of the first eight prime ministers, only Alexander Mackenzie refused knighthood). Sir Alexander Mackenzie (Alasdair MacCoinnich 1764 - March 12, 1820) was a Scottish-Canadian explorer. After the Nickle Resolution debate of 1919, it was against policy for the Sovereign to grant titles to Canadians; the last prime minister knighted was Sir Robert Laird Borden, who was in power when the Nickle Resolution was debated. The Canadian titles debate has been ongoing since the adoption of the Nickle Resolution in 1919 Not to be confused with his cousin Frederick Borden, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence from 1896 to 1911 (Being only a Commons resolution, it has never been binding. ) In addition one prime minister, Richard Bennett, was created a viscount after his retirement and the widow of Sir John A. Richard Bedford Bennett 1st Viscount Bennett PC KC ( July 3, 1870 &ndash June 26, 1947) was a Canadian A viscount ( VAI-count is a member of the European Nobility whose comital title ranks usually as in the British peerage, above a Susan Agnes Macdonald née Bernard ( August 24, 1836 &ndash September 5, 1920) was the second wife of Sir John A Macdonald was created a baroness. Baron is a specific Title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber

Mandate

Sir John A. Macdonald, first Prime Minister of Canada (1867–1873, 1878–1891).
Sir John A. Macdonald, first Prime Minister of Canada (1867–1873, 1878–1891). Sir John Alexander Macdonald GCB, KCMG, PC ( January 11, 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first Prime Minister

A prime minister does not have a fixed term of office. The Constitution of Canada limits the lifespan of each Parliament to five years after which a general election for every seat in the House of Commons must be called; the time limit may be exceeded only in case of war or insurrection. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions See also Canadian electoral system, Timeline of Canadian elections The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada has two chambers. An insurgency is a violent internal uprising against a sovereign government that lacks the organization of a revolution The Prime Minister has typically asked the Governor General to issue a writ of election during the government's fourth year in office. A writ of election is a Writ issued by the Government ordering the holding of a special Election for a governmental Office.

Amendments to the Canada Elections Act passed in 2007 during the first session of the 39th Parliament have brought about legal changes which are designed to constrain when the Prime Minister can request a dissolution of Parliament. Canada Elections Act (2000 c 9 is an Act of the Parliament of Canada respecting the Election of members of parliament to the Canadian The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3 2006 until September 7 2008 In Parliamentary systems a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a Legislature at the call of an Election. Under the revised act, a general election must occur on the third Monday in October every four years starting in 2009. Other than cases of war or insurrection, the only exceptions provided for under the Act are when the government is defeated by a vote of no confidence (discussed below) or otherwise "prevented from governing. A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion " The Canada Elections Act is not a part of the constitution and can be further amended or repealed by Parliament.

Otherwise, by constitutional convention, the Governor General cannot refuse a request to issue the writs of election, issue writs in the absence of a request or dismiss the Prime Minister and his government without having been offered their resignations unless acting contrary to the Prime Minister's wishes is necessary to avoid contravention of either the Constitution or (possibly) an Act of Parliament (including as the aforementioned Canada Elections Act). An Act of Parliament is a Law enacted as Primary legislation by a national or sub-national Parliament. The only time since Confederation time it was deemed necessary to refuse the prime minister's request to call an election was 1926 (see the King-Byng Affair). The King-Byng Affair was a Canadian Constitutional crisis that occurred in 1926 when the Governor General of Canada, Lord Byng of Vimy, refused A Canadian vice-regal's presumed right and obligation to refuse to grant a dissolution where the dissolution would only violate an Act of Parliament has not yet been tested either at the federal level or in those provinces that have enacted similar "fixed election date" legislation.

In general, a majority government is in power three to five years before a new general election is called. In the Westminster System, there is a majority government when the governing party enjoys an Absolute majority of seats in the Legislature or A minority government typically calls a new general election at the first opportunity when it appears able to win a majority of seats. A minority government or a minority cabinet is a Cabinet of a Parliamentary system formed when the governing Political party or Otherwise, it is unusual for minority governments to last more than two years owing to their vulnerability to votes of non-confidence. For example, in 1979–1980, Joe Clark was prime minister in a minority Progressive Conservative government only six months before his government lost a motion of non-confidence and had to call another election. Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark PC CC AOE (born June 5 1939 is a Canadian Journalist, Politician, Statesman The new Liberal majority government took office in 1980 just nine months after the Clark government had taken office in 1979.

A prime minister is required to resign only when an opposition party wins a majority of seats in the House. In the Westminster System, there is a majority government when the governing party enjoys an Absolute majority of seats in the Legislature or If the prime minister's party wins a plurality, he or she normally stays in office. (A prime minister may resign in this circumstance, but there is no requirement to do so. ) If the prime minister's party wins a minority while an opposition party wins a plurality (i. e. , more seats than any other party but less than a majority), the prime minister can attempt to remain in office by forming a coalition with other minority parties. This, however, is almost never done in Canada.

If a governing party loses a motion of non-confidence, the prime minister — and, thus, the government — may resign, thereby allowing another party to form the government. A motion of no confidence (also vote of no confidence, censure motion, no-confidence motion, or confidence motion) is a Parliamentary motion But as this is practical only if no party in the House has a majority, the convention in Canada is to immediately ask the governor general to call a general election.

If a general election gives an opposition party a plurality of seats, the incumbent prime minister can continue to try to form the government, but this has not been done at the federal level since 1925, although it remains an option under the constitution. The normal practice in this situation is for the prime minister to resign and for the governor general to appoint as prime minister the leader of the new largest party in the House of Commons.

Role and authority

Canadian prime ministers, 1867–1963.
Canadian prime ministers, 1867–1963.

Since the prime minister is, in practice, the most powerful member of the Canadian government, he or she is sometimes erroneously referred to as Canada's head of state. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The Canadian head of state is Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, who is represented by the Governor General of Canada. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative The prime minister is the head of government. This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The office of Prime Minister of Canada is not mentioned in the Canadian Constitution. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions In modern-day Canada, however, his/her prerogatives are largely the duties to which the constitution refers to as the job of the Governor General (who acts mostly as a figurehead). In politics a figurehead, by Metaphor with the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship is a person who holds an important title or office yet executes little The function, duties, responsibilities, and powers of the Prime Minister of Canada were established at Confederation, modeled upon the existing office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Over time, the role of the Prime Minister of Canada has evolved, mainly gaining power over the years.

The prime minister plays a prominent role in most legislation passed by the Canadian Parliament. The majority of Canadian legislation originates in the Cabinet of Canada, which is a body selected by the prime minister, and appointed by the Governor General, largely from the ranks of his party's MPs. The Cabinet must have "unanimous" consent on all decisions they make, but in practice whether or not unanimity has been achieved is decided by the prime minister.

As the monarch or Governor General almost always follows the advice of his or her ministers, the Prime Minister (and the PMO) essentially controls the appointments of the following positions:

William Lyon Mackenzie King, 10th Prime Minister (1921–1926; 1926–1930; 1935–1948).
William Lyon Mackenzie King, 10th Prime Minister (1921–1926; 1926–1930; 1935–1948). William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian
Brian Mulroney, 18th Prime Minister (1984–1993).
Brian Mulroney, 18th Prime Minister (1984–1993). Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ (predominantly known as Brian Mulroney) (born March 20, 1939) was the eighteenth

As to the Prime Minister's broad de facto authority over the Canadian military, see Canadian Forces. The Canadian Forces (CF ( French: Forces canadiennes) are the unified Armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence

Former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is credited with consolidating power in the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO), although the evolution can be seen throughout Canadian history. In Canada, the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO located in the Langevin Block, on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, is one of the most powerful The PMO consists of the Prime Minister's political and administrative staff hired solely at the PM's discretion. By coordinating communication with the other agents in policy arenas, as well as with the central party apparatus, the PMO can wield considerable influence. This may have the positive effect of a productive parliament, which in turn provides a valid criticism of centralized power in majority governments and the PMO.

There are checks on the prime minister's power. Cabinet or caucus revolts will bring down a sitting prime minister quickly, and even the threat of caucus revolts can persuade and/or compel a prime minister to resign the office as happened to Jean Chrétien in 2003. The Cabinet of Canada (Cabinet du Canada plays an important role in the Government of Canada, in accordance with the Westminster System. The prime minister is also restricted by the effectively anemic Senate. The Senate can delay and impede legislation, which occurred when Brian Mulroney introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ (predominantly known as Brian Mulroney) (born March 20, 1939) was the eighteenth The Canadian Goods and Services Tax ( GST) ( French:) is a multi-level Value-added tax introduced in Canada on January 1, 1991 In many cases, the conflicts arose primarily because the Senate was dominated by members appointed by previous governments. The aforementioned Prime Ministers proceeded to shift the Senate in their favour with a flurry of senate appointments to ensure the smooth passage of legislation. Furthermore, as Canada is a federal system, the action of the federal government (and thus the Prime Minister) is limited to areas of federal jurisdiction. In practice, however, provincial and federal actions are intertwined in most areas, and so the Prime Minister's power can also be thwarted by concerted opposition from provincial governments.

As well, as executive power is formally vested in the Canadian Monarch and "exercised" by the Governor General as the vice-regal, either body has the power to oppose a Prime Minister's will. TalkCommonewalth realm.-->The monarchy of The Governor General of Canada ( French: Gouverneure générale du Canada, or: Gouverneur général du Canada) is the vice-regal representative A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the Monarch. Senator and constitutional expert Eugene Forsey stated that a "Governor General must take all steps necessary to thwart the will of a ruthless prime minister. Eugene Alfred Forsey PC, CC, FRSC ( May 29, 1904 &ndash February 20, 1991) served in the Canadian Senate " This power of the Governor General was last used by Lord Byng against Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in what is known as the King-Byng Affair of 1926. Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy GCB GCMG MVO ( 11 September 1862 &ndash William Lyon Mackenzie King PC OM CMG ( December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian The King-Byng Affair was a Canadian Constitutional crisis that occurred in 1926 when the Governor General of Canada, Lord Byng of Vimy, refused Some, such as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Larry Zolf, also speculated whether (former) Governor General Adrienne Clarkson would refuse a recommendation from Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to dissolve Parliament in 2002. Larry Zolf (born July 19, 1934) is a Canadian journalist and commentator Adrienne Louise Clarkson PC CC CMM COM CD (born February 10 1939 is an accomplished Canadian journalist and stateswoman Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, (generally known as Jean Chrétien) (born January 11, 1934) is a Canadian politician who was the twentieth Prime [2] Near the end of her time as Governor General, Clarkson stated: "My constitutional role has lain in what are called 'reserve powers:' making sure that there is a prime minister and a government in place, and exercising the right 'to encourage, to advise, and to warn' [. . . ] Without really revealing any secrets, I can tell you that I have done all three. "[3]

Salary

According to the CBC, in 2004, the Prime Minister of Canada had an aggregate annual salary in excess of $280,000 (CAD). [4] Although this sum is several times the national average, it is only a fraction of the pay of some of Canada's top corporate executives. About half of the Prime Minister's salary is because he/she is a Member of Parliament, and the other half is because he/she is Prime Minister. After exchange rates are considered, the Canadian Prime Minister's salary is roughly three quarters the equivalent salaries of the British Prime Minister and U.S. President. In Finance, the exchange rates (also known as the foreign-exchange rate, forex rate or FX rate) between two currencies specifies how The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by

All Prime Ministers to date have become at least reasonably prosperous prior to entering politics and have not been very dependent on their salaries.

Criticisms of the Prime Minister's Office

In recent times, a few Canadians and some members of Parliament have begun to question the powers the Canadian Constitution confers on the prime minister. The Parliament of Canada (Parlement du Canada is Canada 's legislative branch, seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario. In particular, their goal is to find ways to change the decayed role of elected members of the House of Commons, to create a Parliamentary committee to review appointments to the Supreme Court, and the need to abolish or radically restructure the appointed Senate. The Supreme Court of Canada ( French: Cour suprême du Canada) is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeal in the Canadian A 2001 book, The Friendly Dictatorship, by national affairs columnist Jeffrey Simpson, pointed out the potential dangers by detailing what he argues to be near absolute power vested in the prime minister. Jeffrey Carl Simpson (born 1949 in New York City New York) is an influential Canadian journalist

The main case given in favour of Prime Ministerial power has to do with the federal structure of the nation. Canada is one of the most decentralized of the world's federations, and provincial premiers have a great deal of power. Constitutional changes must be approved by the provincial premiers, and they must be consulted for any new initiatives in their areas of responsibility, which include many important sectors such as health care and education. In light of regional forces such as the Quebec sovereignty movement, some have argued there is a need for a national counterbalance to these pressures. The Quebec sovereignty movement ( Mouvement souverainiste du Québec) is a political movement aimed at either attaining independent statehood ( Sovereignty) or some

List of Canadian Prime Ministers

Main article: List of Prime Ministers of Canada

Living former Prime Ministers

There are six living former Prime Ministers of Canada. This is a list of Prime Ministers of Canada since Confederation. In order from most recent they are:

Prime Ministers in popular culture

Real

Fictional

Fictional Prime Ministers of Canada have been portrayed in television series, including Rideau Hall, South Park and The West Wing, televisions films such as H2O, and the motion pictures Canadian Bacon and Buried on Sunday. Riel is a 1979 Canadian biographical Television movie about Métis leader Louis Riel. Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer, CC (born December 13 1929 is a Canadian Theater, Film and Television actor. Sir John Joseph Caldwell Abbott, PC, KCMG, QC ( March 12, 1821 – October 30, 1893) was the third Prime Minister The Kidnapping of the President is a 1980 political Thriller film made by Presidential Films and Sefel Films and distributed by Crown International Aubert Pallascio (born August 19, 1937) is a Canadian Actor. He is best known for having portrayed Pierre Trudeau in the 1980 film CBC Television is a Canadian English language Television network. Colm Feore (born August 22, 1958) is an American-Canadian Stage, Film and Television Actor. Guy Richer (born August 10, 1954) is a Canadian Actor. Aside from a few other roles he is notable for his portrayal of Canadian Prime Minister William Parsons may refer to William Parsons (surveyor (1701&ndash1757 Surveyor General founder of Easton Pennsylvania Sir William Parsons Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Karl Pruner is a Canadian Actor whose most notable work is in portraying Canadian Prime Minister CBC Television is a Canadian English language Television network. Stéphane Demers (born 1966 in Montreal Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian Actor best known for having portrayed Canadian Prime Minister CBC Television is a Canadian English language Television network. Paul Michael Gross (born April 30, 1959) is a Canadian Actor, producer, director, Singer and Andrew Jordan Jones (born January 15, 1948) is a Canadian comedian writer actor and director The Arrow is a four- Hour Miniseries produced for CBC Television in 1996, starring Dan Aykroyd as Crawford Gordon Rideau Hall was a Canadian television series broadcast begun in 2002 on CBC Television. South Park is an animated American television comedy series created and written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Comedy Central H2O was a Canadian Political drama two-part Miniseries that first aired on the CBC Television October Buried on Sunday is a Canadian comedy film released in 1992. It was directed by Paul Donovan, and written by Donovan and Bill Fleming

Literature

Fictional

As themselves

As of 2008 two sitting prime ministers have appeared as themselves on the CTV sitcom Corner Gas:

Several sitting prime ministers have also appeared as themselves on the CBC sketch comedy series Royal Canadian Air Farce, while Harper appeared in an instalment of the CBC satirical series The Rick Mercer Report. CTV is a Canadian English language Television network. It is Canada's largest privately owned network the main television asset of CTVglobemedia Corner Gas is a Canadian Television sitcom created by Brent Butt and airing on CTV and in the United States on WGN The Royal Canadian Air Farce is a comedy troupe best known for their radio and television shows broadcast in Canada by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Rick Mercer Report (or The Mercer Report; formerly known as Rick Mercer's Monday Report or Monday Report) is

Prime Minister impersonators

Radio and TV parodies

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Parliamentary Government
  2. ^ Zolf, Larry; CBC News Viewpoint: Boxing in a Prime Minister; June 28, 2002
  3. ^ CTV News: GG reflects on mandate during farewell address; September 14, 2005
  4. ^ CBC News In depth: "Canadian Government"; September 28, 2004
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Brian Busby. The Royal Canadian Air Farce is a comedy troupe best known for their radio and television shows broadcast in Canada by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation This page is on the Canadian actor For the former Canadian soccer goalkeeper see Don Ferguson (soccer. Luba Goy (born November 8 1945[http //wwwfsatorontocom/media/presspdfs/LubaGoy Roger Abbott (born July 10, 1946 in Birkenhead, England) is one of the stars of Royal Canadian Air Farce. Craig Lauzon (born February 3, 1971 in Ottawa, Ontario) is a Canadian Comedian, and member of the Royal Canadian Double Exposure was a Canadian Radio and Television comedy series which mocked contemporary Canadian politics Robert Eugene Robertson (born October 2, 1946 in Frostburg Maryland) is a former First baseman in Major League Baseball. Linda Cullen (born 1958 in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada is a Canadian Actress, Television producer and Writer. Max Ferguson (born 1924 is a Canadian radio personality and satirist best known for his long-running programs Rawhide and The Max Ferguson Show on the Canadian The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. The Canadian Forces have a number of specialised aircraft to transport the Royal Family, Governor General, senior members of the Government of Canada This is a list of Prime Ministers of Canada since Confederation. Character Parts: Who's Really Who in CanLit. Toronto: Knopf Canada, 2003.


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