USA / Canada’s Government style

Limited Government

Although they are both limited governments, they are very different in style and make up.

Comparison of the USA and Canada

USA• THE COUNTRY IS A FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL

REPUBLIC THEREFORE THE CONSTITUTION IS THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE US DEMOCRACY AND THAT OF OTHER COUNTRIES SINCE EVERY STATE OF THE UNION HOLDS ENOUGH POWER TO MAKE THEIR OWN REFORMS AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT CONTRADICT THE CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS AND THE COUNTRY IS MAINLY RULED BY TWO POLITICAL PARTIES. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES EXPLAINS THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED

Canada• Canada is a parliamentary democracy: its

system of government holds that the law is the supreme authority. The Constitution Act, 1867, which forms the basis of Canada’s written constitution, provides that there shall be one Parliament for Canada, consisting of three distinct elements: the Crown, the Senate and the House of Commons. However, as a federal state, responsibility for lawmaking in Canada is shared among one federal, ten provincial and three territorial governments.

Comparison of the USA and Canada

USA

• THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS DIVIDED IN THREE BRANCHES; THE LEGISLATIVE, THE EXECUTIVE AND THE JUDICIAL BRANCH. IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT (THE US PRESIDENT) SHARES HIS POWERS WITH CONGRESS AND THE JUDICIARY SYSTEM WHICH ARE INDEPENDENT ON EACH OTHER BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, DEPEND ON EACH OTHER'S DECISIONS TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY .

Canada• The power to enact laws is vested in a legislature

composed of individuals selected to represent the Canadian people. Hence, it is a “representative” system of government. The federal legislature is bicameral: it has two deliberative “houses” or “chambers” — an upper house, the Senate, and a lower house, the House of Commons. The Senate is composed of individuals appointed by the Governor General to represent Canada’s provinces and territories. Members of the House of Commons are elected by Canadians who are eligible to vote. The successful candidates are those who receive the highest number of votes cast among the candidates in their electoral district in this single-member, simple-plurality system.

USAThe Government is broken down into 3 main branches. Each are balanced with power and have the ability to check (stop) a bad decision of another branch.

CanadaThe power to enact laws is vested in a legislature composed of individuals selected to represent the Canadian people. Hence, it is a “representative” system of government. The federal legislature is bicameral: it has two deliberative “houses” or “chambers” — an upper house, the Senate, and a lower house, the House of Commons. The Senate is composed of individuals appointed by the Governor General to represent Canada’s provinces and territories. Members of the House of Commons are elected by Canadians who are eligible to vote. The successful candidates are those who receive the highest number of votes cast among the candidates in their electoral district in this single-member, simple-plurality system.

CanadaMost Members of Parliament belong to and support a particular political party;

The leader of the party having the support of the majority of the Members of the House of Commons is asked by the Governor General to form a government and becomes the Prime Minister;

The party, or parties, opposed to the government is called the opposition (the largest of these parties is referred to as the “official” opposition);

The executive powers of government (the powers to execute or implement government policies and programs) are formally vested in the Crown, but effectively exercised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet, whose membership is drawn principally from Members of the House belonging to the governing party;

The Prime Minister and Cabinet are responsible to, or must answer to, the House of Commons as a body for their actions; and

The Prime Minister and Cabinet must enjoy the confidence of the House of Commons to remain in office. Confidence, in effect, means the support of a majority of the House.

USAWho Can Run? The President and Vice-President are elected every four years. They must be at least 35 years of age, they must be native-born citizens of the United States, and they must have been residents of the U.S. for at least 14 years. (Also, a person cannot be elected to a third term as President.)

Candidates for President and Vice-President Run Together. In the general election, each candidate for President runs together with a candidate for Vice-President on a "ticket." Voters select one ticket to vote for; they can't choose a presidential candidate from one ticket and a vice-presidential candidate from another ticket.

The Electoral College Votes for the President.

If There's No Electoral College Winner, the House of Representatives Chooses the President.