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Country name:
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conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Canada |
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Government type:
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a constitutional monarchy
that is also a parliamentary democracy and a federation |
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Capital:
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Ottawa |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 provinces and 3 territories*;
Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador,
Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory* |
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Independence:
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1 July 1867 (union of British
North American colonies); 11 December 1931 (independence recognized) |
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National holiday:
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Canada Day, 1 July (1867) |
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Constitution:
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made up of unwritten and written
acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of
the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which
created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17
April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from
Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
as well as procedures for constitutional amendments |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law,
except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen
ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Michaelle
Jean (since 27 October 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from
among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year
term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party
or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically
designated prime minister by the governor general |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament or Parlement
consists of the Senate or Senat (members appointed by the governor general
with the advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years
of age; its normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre
des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve
for up to five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to
be held by NA 2009)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party
- Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party 15.7%,
Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other 0.9%; seats
by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99, Bloc Quebecois 54,
New Democratic Party 19, independent 2 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court of Canada (judges
are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general); Federal
Court of Canada; Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are
named variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court,
Supreme Court, and Court of Justice) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE];
Conservative Party of Canada (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the
Progressive Conservative Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS];
Liberal Party [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON] |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB,
ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer),
EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest),
NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador
Francis Joseph MCKENNA
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San
Diego, and Seattle
consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Raleigh,
San Francisco, and San Jose |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
Vancouver, Winnipeg |
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Flag description:
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two vertical bands of red
(hoist and fly side, half width), with white square between them; an 11-pointed
red maple leaf is centered in the white square; the official colors of
Canada are red and white |
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Military branches:
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Canadian Armed Forces: Land
Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Canada Command (homeland
security) to be operational in early 2006 (2005) |
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Military manpower - military age and obligation:
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16 years of age for voluntary
military service; women comprise some 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 16-49: 8,216,510
(2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 16-49: 6,740,490
(2005 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 223,821 (2005
est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$9,801.7 million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.1% (2003) |
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CANADA
