3 Branches of Canada's Federal Government

Summary

This script offers an insightful look into Canada's federal government, highlighting its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch, comprising the House of Commons, Senate, and Governor General, is responsible for creating laws. The executive branch, led by the Prime Minister and cabinet, enforces these laws. Lastly, the judicial branch, with the Supreme Court at its apex, interprets laws and ensures constitutional compliance. The script emphasizes the balance of power and the interconnected yet distinct roles of each branch in serving and protecting Canadian citizens.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The federal government in Canada is responsible for national laws and matters that affect the entire country, as opposed to provincial and municipal governments which handle regional and local issues, respectively.
• 🤔 The federal government convenes in Ottawa and is composed of individuals from all regions of Canada, aiming to address national concerns such as defense, trade, immigration, and criminal laws.
• ⚖️ To prevent any single entity from gaining too much power, the federal government is divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, each with its own responsibilities and checks on the others.
• 🏢 The legislative branch, also known as Parliament, is made up of the House of Commons, the Senate, and the Queen or King, who together create and approve laws.
• 🗳️ The House of Commons is the most important part of the legislative branch, consisting of elected members of parliament (MPs) who represent the people and form the basis of Canada's representative democracy.
• 👥 The Senate is the less powerful, unelected upper house of Parliament, with senators serving until age 75, intended to provide a check on the House of Commons by potentially vetoing bills.
• 👑 The Queen or King, as the head of state, has a symbolic role in the legislative process, with the Governor General representing them and giving royal assent to bills.
• 👨‍💼 The executive branch, responsible for enforcing laws, is led by the Prime Minister, the cabinet, and the Governor General, who ensures the government's actions align with the law.
• 🔑 The Prime Minister, chosen from the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons, holds significant power, including selecting cabinet ministers and senators, though they are subject to elections every four years.
• 📚 The judicial branch interprets laws and determines their constitutionality, with the Supreme Court at its apex, composed of nine justices appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• 🏛️ The interconnectedness of the legislative and executive branches, with MPs also serving in the cabinet, highlights the complex relationship between law-making and law-enforcing in Canada's government structure.

Q & A

What is the role of the federal government in Canada?

The federal government in Canada deals with national laws and matters that affect the entire country, such as defense, trade with other countries, money, immigration, fishing and oceans, and criminal laws.

How does the federal government differ from provincial and municipal governments?

The federal government handles national issues, while provincial governments manage laws within their provinces, and municipal governments deal with city-specific laws.

Why is the federal government divided into three branches?

The federal government is divided into three branches to provide checks and balances, ensuring that no single branch becomes too powerful.

What are the three branches of the federal government in Canada?

The three branches of the federal government in Canada are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

What is the legislative branch of the Canadian government, and what are its components?

The legislative branch, also known as Parliament, consists of the House of Commons, the Senate, and the Queen or King, represented by the Governor General.

What is the function of the House of Commons in the legislative process?

The House of Commons is responsible for forming bills that can become law, and its members, known as Members of Parliament (MPs), are elected by the public.

How are Senators in the Senate chosen, and what is their role?

Senators are not elected by the public; they are appointed and serve until they are 75 years old. They can veto bills and provide a check on the House of Commons.

What is the role of the Governor General in the legislative branch?

The Governor General represents the Queen or King and has the main job of approving laws or giving royal consent, following the advice of the Prime Minister.

What are the main components of the executive branch of the Canadian government?

The executive branch consists of the Prime Minister, his cabinet, and the Governor General, who ensures that laws are obeyed and enforced.

How is the Prime Minister chosen, and what is his role in the government?

The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons. He is the most powerful person in Canada and leads the government.

What is the judicial branch responsible for, and what is the highest court in Canada?

The judicial branch interprets the meanings of laws and decides if they follow the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Canada, made up of nine justices.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Overview of Canada's Federal Government

This paragraph introduces the concept of the federal government in Canada, distinguishing it from provincial and municipal governments. The federal government is responsible for national laws and issues that affect the entire country, such as defense, trade, immigration, and criminal laws. It is composed of three branches to ensure checks and balances: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch, also known as Parliament, consists of the House of Commons, the Senate, and the Queen or King. The House of Commons is the most important part, as it is made up of elected members representing the people. The Senate is less powerful and consists of appointed members who serve until age 75. The Queen or King's role is largely ceremonial, with the Governor General representing them and giving royal consent to laws.

05:03

👩‍⚖️ The Executive and Judicial Branches of Canada's Government

The executive branch is responsible for ensuring that laws are obeyed and is composed of the Prime Minister, the cabinet, and the Governor General. The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons and has significant influence over the selection of cabinet ministers and Senators. The Prime Minister and cabinet members are also part of the legislative branch, highlighting the interconnectedness of these branches. The judicial branch interprets laws and determines their constitutionality. The Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice, is the highest court and consists of nine justices appointed by the Governor General, though the Prime Minister has the real say in these appointments. Justices serve until age 75. Lower courts, such as provincial and military courts, also form part of the judicial branch.

Keywords

💡Federal Government

The federal government is the level of government that deals with national laws and issues that affect the entire country. In the video, it is distinguished from provincial and municipal governments, which handle laws specific to provinces and cities, respectively. The federal government is responsible for creating laws on matters such as defense, trade, immigration, and criminal laws, and it operates from Ottawa, bringing together representatives from all over Canada.

💡Provincial Government

The provincial government is mentioned in contrast to the federal government, highlighting its role in managing laws and regulations specific to a province. It deals with matters that are more localized compared to the broader scope of the federal government, such as education, health care, and natural resources within a province.

💡Municipal Government

Municipal government is the level of government that focuses on the laws and regulations of a city or town. It is the most local form of government discussed in the video and is responsible for issues such as city planning, local infrastructure, and public services within a specific urban area.

💡Check and Balances

Check and balances refer to the system of separating powers among different branches of government to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power. The video explains that the federal government is divided into three branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to ensure this balance. This system is crucial for maintaining a fair and democratic governance structure.

💡Legislative Branch

The legislative branch is one of the three branches of the federal government, responsible for creating laws. In Canada, this branch is embodied by the Parliament, which includes the House of Commons, the Senate, and the Queen or King. The video explains that the legislative branch is responsible for drafting and passing bills that become laws, ensuring that the laws are in line with the country's constitution.

💡Executive Branch

The executive branch is responsible for enforcing and administering the laws created by the legislative branch. In the video, it is described as being composed of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the Governor General. The Prime Minister, chosen from the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons, leads the executive branch and is responsible for implementing laws and managing the country's affairs.

💡Judicial Branch

The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws and determines their constitutionality. The video highlights that the Supreme Court, consisting of nine justices, is the highest judicial authority in Canada. The justices are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until the age of 75, ensuring an independent judiciary that upholds the rule of law.

💡House of Commons

The House of Commons is a key component of the legislative branch, referred to in the video as the lower house. It is composed of Members of Parliament (MPs) who are elected by the public and represent their constituencies. The House of Commons is where laws are initially formed and debated, and it plays a central role in the democratic process by reflecting the will of the people.

💡Senate

The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament and is mentioned in the video as a branch that can veto bills from the House of Commons. Senators are not elected but are appointed and serve until the age of 75. The Senate's role is to provide a check on the House of Commons, ensuring that laws are thoroughly reviewed and considered from a broader perspective.

💡Governor General

The Governor General represents the Queen or King in Canada and is part of both the legislative and executive branches. As explained in the video, the Governor General's role is largely ceremonial, with duties such as giving royal assent to bills passed by Parliament. The appointment of the Governor General is advised by the Prime Minister, reflecting the interconnectedness of the branches of government.

💡Constitutional Monarchy

A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as the head of state within the parameters of a written or unwritten constitution. The video notes that Canada is a constitutional monarchy, meaning the Queen has a largely symbolic role and must abide by the country's laws, ensuring that the government operates within a democratic framework.

Highlights

The federal government deals with national laws and issues that affect the entire country.

Federal government is distinct from provincial and municipal governments in its scope and responsibilities.

Federal government meets in Ottawa and is composed of people from all over Canada.

The federal government handles matters such as defense, trade, money, immigration, fishing, oceans, and criminal laws.

The three branches of the federal government are legislative, executive, and judicial to ensure checks and balances.

The legislative branch creates laws and is also known as Parliament, consisting of the House of Commons, Senate, and the Queen or King.

The House of Commons is the most important part of the legislative branch and is composed of members elected by the public.

Members of the House of Commons are called Members of Parliament (MPs) and they elect a Speaker to lead the house.

The Senate can veto bills that originate in the House of Commons.

Senators are not elected and serve until the age of 75, providing a check on the elected House of Commons.

The Queen or King is the third branch of the legislative, represented by the Governor General who gives royal assent to bills.

The Governor General's role is largely ceremonial and they act on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The executive branch enforces laws and is composed of the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the Governor General.

The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons and is the most powerful figure in Canada.

The Prime Minister chooses the Cabinet Ministers, who are in charge of various departments of the government.

The judicial branch interprets laws and decides their constitutionality, with the Supreme Court as the highest authority.

Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75.

The federal government's structure aims to serve and protect the citizens through a system of checks and balances.

Transcripts

let's learn about Canada's three

branches of federal government first of

all what is the federal government it's

the level of government that deals with

national laws things that deal with the

entire country that's different than the

provincial government which deals with

the laws of the province and the

municipal government which deals with

the laws of your city the federal

government might deal with the laws of

the whole country but they meet together

in Ottawa federal perhaps you feel fed

up with federal because they are so far

away from you but actually the federal

government is made up of people from all

over the country coming together to make

important laws about offense trade with

other countries money immigration

fishing and oceans and criminal laws the

federal government is divided into three

branches to have check and balances so

that no one gets too powerful

legislative executive and judicial the

legislative create laws decides what's

legal legal legislative the executive

enforces the laws execute the law

execute executive and the judicial which

judges what the meaning of the laws are

judges law judge judicial let's take a

closer look at the legislative branch

it's also called the Parliament it has

three branches itself the House of

Commons the Senate and the queen or king

the House of Commons forms the bills

that become law the Senate can veto the

bills and the queen or king approves the

bills let's focus on each of the

legislative or Parliament branches the

House of Commons is the most important

branch but it's called the lower house

because it's made of common people from

communities common people in

the House of Commons these are the guys

that you vote for from your home they

represent you which makes us a

representative democracy you are writing

on what they decide so where they come

from is called a writing people in the

House of Commons are called members of

parliament members of parliament or MPs

and they elect a leader called the

Speaker of the House and don't forget

the House of Commons is where laws are

formed

but then laws can be vetoed or shut down

by the next branch of legislature or

Parliament that branch is the Senate run

by Senators these senators are not

chosen by you and I but they do come

from all over the country and once they

get to be a senator they don't have to

leave until they're 75 years old one

idea behind having a branch that is not

elected is that it should be harder to

manipulate them you can't say to them if

you do this you'll never get reelected

they can be confident of their place and

act on their conscience and they can

still get kicked out for accepting

bribes or doing illegal stuff but since

they don't actually represent the people

they don't have much power yet they are

still called the upper house often they

are of the upper class

that leaves one more branch of the

parliament the king or queen having

royalty who has to obey our

constitutional laws makes us a

constitutional monarchy but let's be

honest the queen is in charge of 16

different countries she lives really far

away and well let's face it she's old so

she has someone represent her all the

governor-general the Governor General's

main job is to approve loss or give her

royal consent this isn't too much power

because she knows what has happened in

other countries where royalty refused to

obey laws they have lost their power of

having a stay in law and so the

legislative or Parliament branch is made

up of the House of Commons Senate and

Governor General which together make

laws let's move on to the executive

branch the part of the federal

government that makes sure laws are

obeyed there are three main branches the

Prime Minister his cabinet and you

guessed it the king or queen of course

yet again the king or queen is

represented by the governor-general the

Prime Minister is the most powerful

person in all of Canada he is the chosen

leader of the political party that wins

the most seats in the House of Commons

his cabinet ministers are MPs members of

parliament that lead departments it's

kind of like an actual kitchen cabinet

there you have cops in charge of drinks

bowls in charge of liquid food and

plates in charge of solid food in the

Prime Minister's cabinet you have a

minister in charge of international

trade a minister in charge of

immigration and a minister in charge of

money and ministers in charge of every

main thing the federal government is

entrusted with the Prime Minister

chooses who's in his cabinet the prime

minister also chooses the Senators well

actually it's the governor-general who

follows the Prime Minister's advice but

we all know the governor doesn't have

too much say in fact it's a prime

minister the pretty much tells the Queen

who the governor-general should be I

know it sounds like the Prime Minister

might have too much power but his party

can be voted out every four years during

the federal elections even though the

Prime Minister and his ministers make up

the executive branch they started out in

the legislative branch as members of

parliament and are still a part of that

too in fact the House of Commons is

considered to have two parts the Prime

Minister and his cabinet and the rest of

the MPs as you can see the legislative

and executive branches are

interconnected but that's not all that

true about the last branch of the

federal government the judicial branch

the judicial branch interprets the

meanings of the laws and decides if the

laws follow the Constitution the Supreme

Court is the highest court and is made

up of nine justices

the lead justice is called the chief

justice they come from across the

country and are chosen by the

governor-general but yet again it's

actually the Prime Minister who really

decides who gets in and the justices

have their job until they are 75 years

old

there are also lower courts that are

part of the judicial branch they include

the provincial courts and the military

courts and there you have it the three

branches of the federal government the

legislative executive and judicial

branches each with their own set of

branches working together to hopefully

create a government that will serve and

protect you and me