What are the Queen's responsibilities regarding Canada?

Answer 1

Firstly, the Queen is not Queen of England - she is Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain consists of Scotland, Wales and England. In addition to this, the Queen is also queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries within the british Commonwealth.

The Queen does not make decisions about the country on a day-to-day basis as this is left to the prime Minister and Parliament. But it is not true that she does not have any power over the UK (NOT England as stated above). Although the Prime Minister and his government run the country on a day-to-day basis, all laws must go to a second chamber called the House of Lords which consists of aristocracy, bishops, and people such as former prime ministers of all parties (e.g. Margaret Thatcher - who is now Baronet Thatcher), which acts as a buffer amending laws that they feel are not appropriate. And amend they do. As they are not bound by a party agenda, they often throw out laws that they feel overstep a mark or go against the wishes of the people.

So laws in the UK are formulated in the House of Commons by elected members of parliament within the government, but are then be passed on to the upper chamber of parliament called the House of Lords. If the House of Lords passes a law formulated by the house of Commons, it then has to go to the Queen for reading and signing. No law can become a law of the land until the Queen has allowed it by royal charter and signing it.

So, in theory, she could veto a law if she needed to. In practice, though, she usually agrees with the government as the government was elected by the people, her subjects, and therefore she is more likely to defer to the wishes of her people. Nevertheless, Her Majesty frequently questions laws, is a very astute lady and always has her finger firmly on the pulse of what makes the UK tick.

Finally every law in the UK has to be passed by Her Majesty the Queen who takes the affairs of state very seriously indeed. Having once met Her Majesty can confirm that she is a remarkable woman who, although now in her eighties, has her finger very much on the pulse of British politics, and who works incessitantly reading and signing government documents and laws. Although republicans in the UK regard her as a 'figurehead' and nothing more, she is very much involved and nothing can take place in the UK law without her permission. That even goes for the appointment of Prime Minister. After a democratic election, the leader of the elected party has to make an appointment to visit the Queen at Buckingham Palace, to ask her permission to form a government. Although her disagreeing with the British people's choice has never happened since she came to the throne ( and, knowing Her majesty's commitment to her subjects probably never would) , the UK monarch still holds the right to veto that choice of government and any law passed by the government if she felt it went against all that the UK stood for. In theory, if she was unhappy with an election and choice of prime minister ( for example, if the UK elections were rigged as happened in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's rule) she could dissolve parliament instantly, and appoint her own prime minister. She is the person who opens parliament each year and who closes it.

Throughout Her Majesty's life, the successors to the throne are educated in the way of the royal family (affectionately called 'The Firm' even by the Queen herself!) and the successors are appointed by a complex but fair syem of succession. At her death the Crown instantly passes on to the heir to the throne, who is currently her eldest son Prince Charles, so that the monarcy continues uninterrupted. If he dies before the queen, then the next in line is his son (the Queen's grandson) Prince William. Should the unthinkable happen, such as a terrorist attack and the whole immediate royal family killed, there will always be an heir to the throne ahe family tree of the whole royal family has been mapped for centuries.

At her coronation Her Majesty, as well as being given the crown, orb and sceptre as marks of her royalty and governance, was also presented with a copy of the Holy Bible with the words:

"Our gracious Queen:

to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God

as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes,

we present you with this Book,

the most valuable thing that this world affords.

Thus, the Queen, and any monarch gf the UK, is subject to God alone.

For the complete transcript of the Coronation service I suggest you have a look at

http://www.oremus.org/liturgy/coronation/cor1953b.HTML

Answer 2

Her Majesty the Queen serves as head of State for Canada.

While most of the responsibilities of the Queen are delegated to the Governor General (as the Queen's federal representative), some constitutional powers continue to be vested exclusively in the Queen.

Appointment of the Governor General

The Queen appoints the Governor General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, to exercise most of the Queen's functions in Canada. It used to be the case that the Governor General was appointed on the advice of the Queen's British advisors; this practice stopped with the Statute of Westminster, 1931.

Disallowance of Federal Legislation

The Queen continues to have the authority to disallow Canadian federal legislation, provided that the disallowance takes place within two (2) years of its enactment by the Governor General.

Appointment of Additional Senators

On the recommendation of the Governor General, the Queen continues to have the authority to appoint up to an additional four (4) or eight (8) senators (one, or two, for each of the four Senate regions) to the Senate of Canada.

Answer 3

Her Majesty the Queen of Canada is the head of State.

The Queen appoints the Governor General of Canada (the Queen's representative) on the advice of the prime minister (the head of Government). Most of the Queen's functions are exercised only on the advice of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. By convention, only privy counsellors who are also ministers (and are therefore responsible to the House of Commons) may advise the Sovereign (or Her Majesty's Governor General).

Answer 4

The Queen officially appoints the Governor General of Canada.