1. Canadian Government

2. How is Canada governed? Canada is a federation. The federal system of government means that powers and responsibilities are divided between the federal government and the 10 Canadian provincial governments. Canada also has territorial jurisdictions in the far north of the country.

3. Levels of Government Government in Canada is organized into 3 levels: Federal Government Provincial / Territorial Governments Municipal Governments Each level is charged with various responsibilities by either the Constitution or a level of government above it.

5. Federal Government The Federal Government is seated in Ottawa and is headed by the Governor General of Canada on the advice of the Prime Minister. Responsibilities: defense, criminal law, banking, communication, immigration, employment insurance, postal service, monetary policy, citizenship, health, census, transportation, copyrights, foreign relations, trade regulation, aboriginal affairs

6. Prime Minister Paul Martin (Liberal) Federal Government Member of Parliament (MP) Mike Savage (Liberal) Dartmouth – Cole Harbour

7. Queen Elizabeth II

8. What role does the Queen play? Queen Elizabeth II is Canada’s official head of state. She is represented in this country by the Governor General at the federal level and the Lieutenant Governors at the provincial level. All federal legislation must receive the assent of the Governor General. Adrienne Clarkson Governor General of Canada

9. Dominion of Canada

10. Prime Ministers of Canada

12. Provincial / Territorial Government The Provincial governments control education, health, social services, property and civil rights, administration of justice, natural resources and the environment, and municipal government. The Premier is the leader of the provincial government. He / she heads up the provincial parliaments called Legislatures. The governments of the three territories have elected legislative assemblies which have fewer powers than the provinces.

14. Provincial

15. Municipal Government Local governments are elected regularly to manage municipalities, cities, towns and regions. Local governments do not have constitutional powers, but rather have functions delegated to them by other levels of government. Mayors, councilors and school board officials, for example, are elected to their positions directly. Usually, they do not formally represent political parties.

17. Municipal Government Municipal governments control local schools, water, sewage, garbage collection, transit, fire protection services, land use planning, libraries, emergency services, animal control, economic development and for larger cities, their own police forces. Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality Peter Kelly