Canadian Facts
Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy
As a constitutional monarch, His Majesty King Charles III doesn't rule the country. However, as Canada's Head of State, he remains a fundamental part of Canada's system of government and our sense of identity.
The Monarch and Governor General of Canada
Canada is a constitutional monarchy. The Monarch (the King or Queen) is the Head of State, whose powers are defined by the Constitution and constitutional conventions. These responsibilities are carried out by the Governor General (the Monarch’s representative in Canada).
The Monarchy in Canada
The positions of Head of State and Head of Government are held by separate people. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government, and the Monarch –
currently His Majesty King Charles III – is the Head of State.
The Monarch’s powers and responsibilities are established and limited by the Canadian Constitution and several other laws.
Canada shares its Monarch with several other Commonwealth realms such as Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The Monarch’s role within each country is unique and independent from the
others.
Head of State vs. Head of Government
In some countries, such as the United States and Mexico, the Head of State and the Head of Government are the same person.
In Canada, the Head of State has important constitutional responsibilities but no political role. They are strictly non-partisan (not affiliated with any political party or
platform).
The Head of Government is a political figure who leads Cabinet.
The Role of the Governor General
The Governor General is the Monarch’s representative in
Canada. They are appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Although the Constitution does not assign a fixed term to the position, a new Governor General is usually appointed
every five years.
The Governor General has four main areas of responsibility: constitutional duties, presentation of honours, military duties and ceremonies.
Constitutional Duties
The Governor General performs the position’s constitutional responsibilities in a non-partisan way, guided by the Constitution, by convention and by
the advice of the Prime Minister.
These responsibilities include:
- proroguing Parliament (ending a session)
- dissolving Parliament and calling an election
- summoning a new Parliament after an election
- swearing the Prime Minister and Cabinet into office
- reading the Speech from the Throne, which sets out the government’s agenda at the beginning of each session of Parliament
- granting Royal Assent, which is the final step in the legislative process, when a bill becomes law
Presentation of Honours
The Governor General travels widely to encourage and acknowledge individuals and groups who have made substantial contributions to Canada. They also present honours and awards to people who have demonstrated excellence.
Military Duties
As Commander-in-Chief of Canada, the Governor General plays an important role in recognizing the contribution of the Canadian Armed Forces and their families. The Governor General visits Canadian military members posted overseas, attends ceremonies for fallen members and honours veterans on Remembrance Day.
Ceremonies
The Governor General welcomes visiting heads of state and other important visitors to Canada. They also accept the credentials (official documents)
of new ambassadors and high commissioners who represent their respective countries in Canada. During state visits abroad, they lead delegations and meet with other prominent officials to promote
Canada on the international stage.
The Governor General is also the head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, which grants coats of arms and other heraldic emblems to Canadian individuals and organizations.
Reserved Powers of the Monarch
The Governor General exercises all the powers and responsibilities of the Monarch, except for some that can only be performed directly by the Monarch, including the following:
- Naming the Governor General: This can be done only by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Governors General cannot choose their own successor.
- Appointing additional senators: In the case of potential political deadlock, the Prime Minister can request the appointment of four or eight additional senators (equally divided by Canada’s regions). If the Monarch approves, the Governor General will appoint the new senators.
We're Big
A vast rugged land, Canada is the second largest country in the world (Russia being the largest) but only 0.5% of the world's population lives there. Might have something to do with that ruggedness and the cold.
Canada is comprised of ten provinces and three territories.
Other Stuff
1. Canada became a country on July 1, 1867, when the British Parliament passed the British North America Act.
2. Yet, Canada only got its own flag 100 years after it became a country - on February 15, 1965.
3. Canada has two official languages = English and French.
4. John Cabot was the first explorer to reach Canada in 1497. He sailed in a ship called The Matthew. A replica of the ship can be found in Bonavista, Newfoundland.
5. The east coast of Canada was settled by Vikings in approximately 1000 AD. It's definitely worth a visit to L'Anse aux Meadows, which is part of the Newfoundland's Viking Trail.
6. Tools that date back 20,000 are the first evidence of history in Canada. They were found in caves on the Bluefish River in northern Yukon.
7. It wasn't until 1610 that Henry Hudson sailed through Hudson Strait into Hudson Bay.
8. In 1576 Martin Frobisher discovered the strait that bears his name.
9. Navigation of the north-west passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific was first achieved by the Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen in 1906.
10. In 1792-94 Captain George Vancouver painstakingly surveyed the west coast of Canada.
11. Canada has been invaded twice by Americans - both in 1775 and 1812. Canada (actually, Britain since Canada wasn't a country yet), burned down the White House in 1812.
1. Canada is the second largest country in the world.
2. Canada is bigger than the entire European Union (33 times bigger than Italy and 15 times bigger than France), more than 30 percent larger than Australia, five times as big as Mexico, three times as big as India and about the same size as 81,975 Walt Disney Worlds put together.
3. The longest highway in the world is the Trans Canada Highway which is over 7,604 kilometres (4,725 miles) in length. It makes for an incredible Canada road trip.
4. In fact, it's so big that Canada has six time zones.
5. Canada has the longest coastline of any country in the world at 243,977 kilometres (151,600 miles).
6. The highest tides in the world occur in the Bay of Fundy, between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
7. Canada is home to 20% of the world's freshwater.
8. Canada has more lakes than any other country on Earth.
Information from www://mustdocanada.com
