What is the structure of the Canadian government?

Answer 1

The provincial governments of Canada are structured as per Part V of the Constitution Act, 1867.

Lieutenant Governor and Executive Counsellors

The Governor General of Canada appoints the Lieutenant Governor of each province, on the advice of the prime minister. The Lieutenant Governor represents Her Majesty the Queen of Canada in right of the province, and exercises Her Majesty's functions on the advice of the Executive Council. The Executive Council is comprised of the provincial head of Government (the premier) and ministers, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor based on the returns of each general election.

The Lieutenant Governor, exercising the Queen's functions on the advice of executive counsellors, is referred to as the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council, and forms the executive branch of the provincial government. As the advisors to the Crown, however, the premier and ministers hold the vast majority of decision-making authority.

Premier and Ministers

Once each general election concludes, the person who can command the support of a majority of members of the Legislative Assembly is asked by the Lieutenant Governor to become premier and to form the Government of the province. The premier then recommends the appointments of several ministers, most of whom are responsible for the management of a department or agency of the provincial government.

Legislative Assembly and Responsible Government

Each province has a Legislature, comprised of the Lieutenant Governor and one legislative house. For most provinces, the house is styled the Legislative Assembly (however, Québec's assembly is styled the National Assembly, and both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador use the style House of Assembly). Members of the Legislative Assembly are elected for each of the provinces by single-member plurality.

The Legislative Assembly has a Speaker who presides over the proceedings of the Assembly. Members debate and vote on bills proposed by both Government ministers and back-bench members; however, most bills that pass are proposed by the Government (as most Governments enjoy a majority of seats). Once a bill has passed all stages of the legislative process, it must be granted royal assent by the Lieutenant Governor.

The Government of each province is responsible to its Legislative Assembly; whenever a Government is defeated on a money vote, or on a key agenda item, it is expected to either (a) resign, or (b) seek the dissolution of the Legislature for a new general election.