1. Government and Law Making
Branches of Government in Canada

2. Source: www.wikipedia.org

3. Branches of Government
Executive
Comprised of the Cabinet and the bureaucracy of the government that carry out the government business and laws of Canada

4. Branches of Government
Legislative
The legislative bodies of Canada – the House of Commons and the Senate
They make and debate the laws

5. Branches of Government
Judicial
Comprised of the various federal and provincial courts of Canada.
They decide who broke the law and the punishment that corresponds

6. Executive Branch The Crown
As expressed in the constitution, “the Executive Government and Authority of and over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen,” and the government acts in her name
The term The Crown is usually used to represent the power of the monarchy
The Governor General represents the Queen as head of state in Canada
Government ministers are ministers of the Crown; Criminal prosecutions are made Crown prosecutors in the name of the monarch

7. Executive Branch The Governor General
The Monarch appoints the governor general on the advice of the Prime Minister
By convention the governor general usually serves for approximately five years, although no term has been established
Michaëlle Jean is Canada’s current Governor General

8. Executive Branch The Governor General
The Governor General is a symbolic and nominal chief executive, acting within the constraints of constitutional convention and precedent
Before a bill can become law, Royal Assent – the Monarch's approval – is required, which is preformed by the Governor General
The Governor General summons, prorogues, and dissolves Parliament
Serves the symbolic role as the Commander-in-Chief of Canadian Forces

9. Executive Branch The Governor General
Reads the Speech from the Throne in the Chamber of the Senate, outlining the Government's legislative agenda
Appoints the Prime Minister, federal ministers, Senators, judges, and other officials
Makes state visits abroad, hosts foreign heads of state, receives ambassadors and high commissioners, meets ceremonial groups, and awards medals, decorations, and prizes

10. Executive Branch The Prime Minister Head of the Government of Canada
The office does not formally exist in the Canadian Constitution, where executive authority is vested in the Canadian Sovereign
The current Prime Minister is Stephen Harper

11. Executive Branch The Prime Minister
Usually the leader of the political party with the most seats in the Canadian House of Commons
A prime minister does not have a fixed mandate
The prime minister is, in practice, the most powerful member of the Canadian government
In modern-day Canada, his duties are those to which the constitution refers to as the job of the Governor General (who acts as a figurehead)

12. Executive Branch The Prime Minister
The prime minister plays a prominent role in most legislation passed by the Canadian Parliament
The majority of Canadian legislation originates in the Cabinet, which is a body appointed by the prime minister largely from the ranks of his party's MPs
The Cabinet must have "unanimous" consent on all decisions they make, but in practice whether or not unanimity has been achieved is decided by the prime minister
An elected Member of Parliament is usually expected to follow strict party discipline and not vote against the party line

13. Executive Branch The Prime Minister
As the Monarch or Governor General almost always follows the advice of his or her ministers, the Prime Minister essentially controls the appointments of the following positions:
Members of Cabinet, vacant seats on the Supreme Court of Canada, and vacant seats in the Senate
The Governor General, Lieutenant-Governors, and Commissioners of the Canadian territories
Ambassadors to Foreign Countries
Heads of Canadian Crown Corporations
Executive positions such as the head of the Transportation Safety Board
Approximately 3,100 other government positions
Authority over the Canadian military
As the Monarch or Governor General almost always follows the advice of his or her ministers, the Prime Minister (and the PMO) essentially controls the appointments of the following positions:
all members of the Cabinet;
vacant seats on the Supreme Court of Canada;
vacant seats in the Senate;
all heads of Canadian Crown Corporations whom the prime minister may replace at any time;
all executive positions such as the head of the Transportation Safety Board, the president of the Business Development Bank;
all ambassadors to Foreign Countries;
the Governor General of Canada;
the 10 Lieutenant-Governors of the Canadian provinces, and the three Commissioners of the Canadian territories ;
plus approximately 3,100 other government positions, the bulk of which the Prime Minister usually designates a member of his staff to appoint with his concurrence.
As to the Prime Minister's broad de facto authority over the Canadian military.

14. Executive Branch The Cabinet
A council of ministers chaired by the Prime Minister
It is the executive committee of the Canadian government
The Cabinet currently comprises of 27 Ministers of the Crown

15. Executive Branch The Cabinet
Advise the Prime Minister and other ministers on any and all political matters
Responsible the general administration of at least one government portfolio
Expected to introduce and defend new legislation regarding their portfolio
Answer questions on their job performance from the Opposition

16. Executive Branch The Cabinet
Cabinet has almost total control over the legislative agenda of the House of Commons
It is within Cabinet that many of the most important debates on Canadian policy take place
Each opposition party appoints what is known as a Shadow Cabinet, with each of its members "shadowing" one or more cabinet portfolios
The cabinet has significant power in the Canadian system, and as the government usually has a majority of seats in the legislature almost all bills proposed by the Cabinet are enacted. Combined with a comparatively small proportion of bills originating with individual members of parliament (Private Members' Bills), this leads to Cabinet having almost total control over the legislative agenda of the House of Commons.
It is within Cabinet that many of the most important debates on Canadian policy take place. All cabinet meetings are held behind closed doors and the minutes are kept confidential for thirty years. Cabinet members are forbidden from discussing what occurs in cabinet meetings. Decisions made in cabinet must be unanimous, though this often occurs at the Prime Minister's direction. Once a decision is made all Cabinet members must publicly support it. If any of these rules are violated, the offending minister is usually removed by the Prime Minister. If the disagreement within the cabinet is strong a minister may resign.