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Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy with a parliamentary form of government.
The "government" can refer to two concepts.

The Canadian government as a general concept refers to the entire structure of government in Canada, and includes three branches: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.

Executive Branch

The executive branch of Canadian government means the Queen (represented by the Governor General) exercising the powers and authority of the State on the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. In practical terms, this means that executive power is only exercised on the advice of ministers who are responsible to the elected House of Commons. These ministers are frequently referred to as the "Cabinet."

Legislative Branch

The legislative branch of Canadian government refers to the work of the Parliament of Canada, which consists of the Queen (represented by the Governor General), the Senate (an appointed chamber), and the House of Commons (an elected chamber). The House of Commons is by far the dominant chamber in the development of legislation, and the Crown and Senate rarely oppose its initiatives.

Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of Canadian government consists of various levels of courts, the highest of which is the Supreme Court of Canada. Many courts have the authority to balance the legislative and executive branches through judicial review, and the striking-down of legislation. Justice in Canada is administered in the name of the Queen.

The Government of Canada (note the capitalisation), on the other hand, refers to the executive branch alone. For example, when a member of the House of Commons asks questions "of the Government," they are asking a question of members of Cabinet as advisers in the exercise of executive powers.

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10y ago

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