Contents
How Canadian Politics Differ from the USA
Although both the United States of America and Canada are democracies, there are some important ways in which our political systems differ. Here are a few key ways in which Canadian politics differ from American politics.
Checkout this video:
Introduction
The United States of America and Canada are two countries with many similarities. They are next to each other, they speak the same language, and they have similar systems of government. However, there are also some important differences between the two countries, especially when it comes to politics.
In the United States, politics is a very polarized affair. There are two major parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, who regularly battle for control of the government. These parties have very different ideologies, and this often leads to gridlock in Congress as each side tries to push through its own agenda.
In Canada, there are also two major political parties, but these parties are not nearly as ideologically opposed to each other as their counterparts in the United States. As a result, Canadian politics is much less polarized and there is usually more cooperation between the government and the opposition.
Another difference between Canadian and American politics is that Canada has a much stronger regionalism. Quebec is a predominantly French-speaking province in Canada, and it has a very different culture from the rest of the country. As a result, Quebec often feels like it is being oppressed by the English-speaking majority, and this has led to calls for secession from time to time. In contrast, the states in the United States all have very similar cultures, so there is no strong regionalism.
Finally, American politics is dominated by special interest groups that try to influence government policy on behalf of their members. These groups range from big business lobbies to environmental organizations. In Canada, these special interest groups exist as well, but they are not nearly as powerful as they are in the United States.
Political Parties
In the United States, there are two main political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. In Canada, there are three major political parties: the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, and the New Democratic Party.
Federal
There are two main political parties in Canada, the Conservative Party of Canada and the Liberal Party of Canada. The New Democratic Party (NDP) is a left-wing party that has been gaining popularity in recent years. The Bloc Québécois is a regional party that only runs candidates in the province of Quebec.
The Conservative Party is considered to be centre-right, while the Liberal Party is considered to be centre-left. The NDP is further to the left than the Liberal Party.
The federal government is responsible for issues such as national defense, trade, and immigration. The provincial governments are responsible for issues such as education and healthcare.
Provincial
In Canada, there are two main types of political parties: provincial and federal. Provincial parties are those that exist in only one province, while federal parties operate across the country. The provincial party system is similar to the American state party system, in that each province has its own unique party landscape.
The major difference between the Canadian and American systems is that Canadian provinces have much more power than American states. This means that provincial parties have a greater impact on Canadian politics than state parties do in the United States.
There are four main provincial parties in Canada: the Ontario Liberal Party, the Quebec Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party of Ontario, and the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario. These parties represent the majority of voters in their respective provinces and have a significant impact on provincial politics.
Head of State
The head of state in Canada is the monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. She is represented by the Governor General, which is currently Julie Payette. The head of state in the USA is the President, who is currently Donald Trump.
The Governor General
In Canada, the role of the Head of State is fulfilled by the Governor-General. The Governor-General is appointed by the Canadian Monarch (currently Queen Elizabeth II), on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serves a five-year term.
Unlike in the United States, where the President is both the head of state and the head of government, in Canada, the Governor-General is only the head of state. The Prime Minister is the head of government.
The Governor-General represents Canada at home and abroad, and performs many ceremonial duties, such as hosting foreign dignitaries and awarding honours and decorations.
Head of Government
In Canada, the head of government is the prime minister. The prime minister is the leader of the party that has the most seats in the House of Commons. In the United States, the head of government is the president. The president is the leader of the party that has the most electoral votes.
The Prime Minister
The head of government in Canada is the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is not elected by the people but by Parliament. Parliament is made up of the House of Commons and the Senate. The head of state in Canada is the Governor General. The Governor General represents the Queen.
In Canada, there are two main political parties. They are the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The leader of the party with the most seats in Parliament becomes the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister is responsible for choosing the Cabinet. The Cabinet is made up of government ministers. The ministers are chosen from both the Senate and House of Commons.
Parliament
The Canadian Parliament is made up of three parts: the Monarch, the Senate, and the House of Commons. The Monarch is the head of state, but their power is limited. The Senate is made up of appointed members, and the House of Commons is elected. Parliament is responsible for making laws.
The House of Commons
The House of Commons is the elected lower house of Parliament. Members ( MPs) represent local constituencies and are directly elected by Canadian voters. The party that elects the most MPs forms the government, and its leader becomes prime minister. The current prime minister is Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party. The main role of the House of Commons is to pass laws. All bills must be passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate before becoming law. MPs also hold the government responsible for its actions by debating government policies and questioning ministers in Parliament.
The Senate
The Senate is modelled after the British House of Lords and is sometimes called “the upper house”. It has 105 members appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Constitution Act, 1867, says that a senator must be at least 30 years old, a Canadian citizen and a resident of the province for which he or she is appointed. Senators used to be appointed for life, but in 1965, Parliament passed a law saying that senators could not serve more than 75 years.
The Senate’s main job is to review legislation passed by the House of Commons and make sure it is fair to all regions of Canada. Senators can suggest amendments to bills and they often do this when a bill deals with an issue that will have an impact on their region. The Senate also investigates national issues such as education or transportation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the main differences between Canadian and American politics are:
-The Governor General is appointed by the Monarch in Canada, while the President is elected by the people in the USA.
-The Prime Minister is the head of government in Canada, while the President is both the head of state and head of government in the USA.
-The Canadian Parliament has two houses, while the US Congress has only one.
-In Canada, provincial governments have more power than in the USA, where state governments have more power.
