View source for Parliament of Canada

{{Short description|Federal legislature of Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox legislature
| background_color   = Maroon
| name               = Parliament of Canada
| native_name        = {{nobold|{{lang|fr|Parlement du Canada}}}}
| transcription_name = 
| foundation         = {{start date|df=yes|1867|07|1}}
| preceded_by        = Initially assumed some [[jurisdiction]] from:
* [[Parliament of the Province of Canada]]
* [[General Assembly of Nova Scotia]]
* [[New Brunswick Legislature]]
Later added some jurisdiction from:
* [[Hudson's Bay Company]]
* [[Legislative Council of British Columbia]]
* [[General Assembly of Prince Edward Island]]
* [[General Assembly of Newfoundland]] ([[Commission of Government|then suspended]])
* [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]
| legislature        = [[45th Canadian Parliament|45th Parliament]]
 | coa_pic            = Parliament of Canada Badge.png
 | coa_res            = 150px
 | house_type         = Bicameral
 | houses             = {{ubl | [[Senate of Canada|Senate]] | [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]}}
 | leader1_type       = [[Monarchy of Canada|Monarch]]
 | leader1            = {{Current Canadian monarch |Charles III}}
 | election1          = {{Current Canadian monarch |ascension}}
 | leader2_type       = [[Governor General of Canada|Governor General]]
 | leader2            = [[Mary Simon]]
 | election2          = 26 July 2021
 | leader3_type       = [[Speaker of the Senate of Canada|Speaker of the Senate]]
 | leader3            = [[Raymonde Gagné]]
 | election3          = 12 May 2023
 | party3             = [[Independent (politician)|Non-affiliated]]
 | leader4_type       = [[Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada)|Speaker of the House of Commons]]
 | leader4            = [[Francis Scarpaleggia]]
 | party4             = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
 | election4          = 26 May 2025
 | leader5_type       = [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]
 | leader5            = [[Mark Carney]]
 | party5             = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]]
 | election5          = 14 March 2025
 | leader6            = [[Pierre Poilievre]]
 | party6             = [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]]
 | leader6_type       = [[Leader of the Official Opposition (Canada)|Leader of the Official Opposition]]
 | election6          = 18 August 2025
 | members            = {{ubl | '''448''' | 105 senators | 343 [[members of Parliament]]}}
 | house1             = [[Senate of Canada|Senate]]
 | structure1         = File:Senate of Canada - Seating Plan (45th Parliament).svg
 | structure1_res     = 200px
 | structure1_alt     = Current Structure of the Canadian Senate
 | political_groups1  = {{unbulleted list
|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|ISG}}|[[Independent Senators Group]] (43)}}
|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Canadian Senators Group}}|[[Canadian Senators Group]] (19)}}
|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Progressive Senate Group}}|[[Progressive Senate Group]] (16)}}
|{{nowrap|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}|[[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]] (13)}}}}
|{{nowrap|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Senate GRO}}|Government Representative’s Office (5)}}}}
|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Non-affiliated}}|Non-affiliated (3)}}
|{{legend|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Vacant}}|Vacant (6)}}
}}
 | voting_system1     = Appointment by the [[Governor General of Canada|governor general]] on [[advice (constitutional)|advice]] of the [[Prime Minister of Canada|prime minister]]
 | last_election1     =
 | house2             = [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]
 | structure2         = File:45th Canadian Parliament.svg
 | structure2_res     = 300px
 | structure2_alt     = Current Structure of the Canadian House of Commons
 | political_groups2  =
'''[[30th Canadian Ministry|His Majesty's Government]]'''
*{{color box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Liberal}}|border=silver}}  [[Liberal Party of Canada| Liberal]] (170)
{{nowrap|'''[[Official Opposition (Canada)|His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition]]'''}}
*{{Color box| {{Canadian party colour|CA|Conservative}}|border=silver}} [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] (143)
'''[[Official party status|Parties with official status]]'''
*{{Color box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|BQ}}|border=silver}} [[Bloc Québécois]] (22)
'''Parties without official status'''
*{{Color box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|NDP}}|border=silver}} [[New Democratic Party|New Democratic]] (7)
*{{Color box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Green}}|border=silver}} [[Green Party of Canada|Green]] (1)
|{{Color box|{{Canadian party colour|CA|Vacant}}|Vacant (1)}}
 | voting_system2     = [[First-past-the-post voting|First-past-the-post]]
 | last_election2     = [[2025 Canadian federal election|28 April 2025]]
 | session_room       = Centre Block - Parliament Hill.jpg
 | session_res        = 200px
 | session_alt        = House of Commons of Canada sits in the West Block in Ottawa until 2029
 | meeting_place      = {{plainlist|
* [[Centre Block]] – [[Parliament Hill]], Ottawa, Ontario (both houses, permanent)
* [[Senate of Canada Building]], 2 Rideau Street, Ottawa, Ontario ([[Senate of Canada|Senate]] only – temporary during renovations)
* [[West Block]] – [[Parliament Hill]], Ottawa, Ontario ([[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]] only – temporary during renovations)
}}
 | website            = {{URL|https://parl.ca/}}
}}

The '''Parliament of Canada''' ({{langx|fr|Parlement du Canada}}) is the [[Canadian federalism|federal]] legislature of [[Canada]]. The [[Monarchy of Canada|Crown]], along with two chambers: the [[Senate of Canada|Senate]] and the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]], form the [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] legislature.

The 343 members of the [[lower house]], the House of Commons, are styled as [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|''Members of Parliament'']] (MPs), and each elected to represent an [[Electoral district (Canada)|electoral district]] (also known as a riding). The 105 members of the [[upper house]], the Senate, are styled ''senators'' and appointed by the [[Governor General of Canada|governor general]] on the advice of the [[Prime Minister of Canada|prime minister]]. Collectively, MPs and senators are known as ''parliamentarians''.

Bills may originate in either the House of Commons or the Senate, however, bills involving raising or spending funds must originate in the House of Commons. By [[Constitutional convention (political custom)|constitutional convention]], and following the [[Westminster system]] of government, the House of Commons is dominant, with the Senate rarely opposing its will. The Crown provides [[royal assent]] to make bills into law. The federal fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31.<ref name="gm2">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-throne-speech-king-charles-federal-budget/ |title=Opinion: A Throne Speech fit for a king. But where's the budget? |work=The Globe and Mail }}</ref>

The governor general, on the advice of the prime minister, summons and calls together the House of Commons, and may [[Prorogation in Canada|prorogue]] or [[Dissolution of parliament#Canada|dissolve Parliament]], in order to either end a [[parliamentary session]] or [[Dropping the writ|call a general election]]. The governor general also delivers the [[Speech from the throne|throne speech]] at the opening of each new Parliament (the monarch occasionally has done so instead of the governor general).

The election for the [[45th Canadian Parliament]] was held on 28 April 2025, resulting in a Liberal minority government.

==Composition==
The body consists of the [[King of Canada]], represented by a [[viceroy]], the [[Governor General of Canada|governor general]]; an [[upper house]], the [[Senate of Canada|Senate]]; and a [[lower house]], the [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]. Each element has its own officers and organization. Each has a distinct role, but work in conjunction within the [[Parliamentary procedure|legislative process]]. This format was inherited from the [[United Kingdom]] and is a near-identical copy of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament at Westminster]], the greatest differences stemming from situations unique to Canada, such as the impermanent nature of the monarch's residency in the country and the lack of a [[peerage]] to form the upper chamber.

Only those who sit in the House of Commons are usually called [[Members of Parliament#Canada|members of Parliament]] (MPs); the term is not usually applied to senators (except in legislation, such as the ''[[Parliament of Canada Act]]''), even though the Senate is a part of Parliament. Though legislatively less powerful, senators take higher positions in the [[Canadian order of precedence|national order of precedence]]. No individual may serve in more than one chamber at the same time.

===Monarch===
{{Main|Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament)}}
[[File:Canada's King addresses Parliament.jpg|thumb|left|upright|{{Current Canadian monarch |Charles III}}, [[King of Canada]] ]]
The sovereign's place in the legislature, formally known as the [[King-in-Parliament]],<ref>{{cite book |last=MacLeod |first=Kevin |author-link=Kevin S. MacLeod |title=A Crown of Maples |publisher=Department of Canadian Heritage |isbn=978-1-100-20079-8|page=16 |year=2015 |url = http://canada.pch.gc.ca/DAMAssetPub/DAM-PCH2-Identity-Monarchy/STAGING/texte-text/crnMpls_1445001297279_eng.pdf?WT.contentAuthority=4.4.10 |access-date=16 June 2017}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> is defined by the ''[[Constitution Act, 1867]]'', and various [[Convention (norm)#Government|conventions]].<ref name="CA1867-17">[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-17.html ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 17.]</ref> Neither he nor his viceroy, however, participates in the legislative process save for signifying the King's approval to a bill passed by both houses of Parliament, known as [[royal assent]], which is necessary for a bill to be enacted as law. All federal bills thus begin with the phrase "Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows&nbsp;..."<ref>{{Citation |author=Public Works and Government Services Canada |author-link=Public Works and Government Services Canada |publication-date=13 December 2006 |title=Bill C-43 |series=Preamble |publication-place=Ottawa |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=2604319&file=4 |access-date=19 May 2009 |archive-date=15 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615043308/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Docid=2604319&file=4 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and, as such, [[the Crown]] is immune from acts of Parliament unless expressed otherwise in the act itself.<ref>{{Citation |author= Queen Elizabeth II |author-link=Elizabeth II |publication-date=1985 |title=Interpretation Act |series=§17 |publication-place=Ottawa |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |url = http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/rsc-1985-c-i-21/latest/rsc-1985-c-i-21.html |access-date=1 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090705082900/http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/laws/stat/rsc-1985-c-i-21/latest/rsc-1985-c-i-21.html |archive-date=5 July 2009 }}</ref> The governor general normally grants royal assent, though the monarch may also do so, at the request of either the [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]] or the viceroy, who may defer assent to the sovereign as per the constitution.<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-55.html#docCont ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 55.]</ref>

As both the monarch and his or her representatives are traditionally barred from the House of Commons (because [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] tried to personally arrest [[Five Members|five members]] in the English Commons chamber in 1642), any parliamentary ceremonies in which they are involved take place in the Senate chamber. The upper and lower houses do, however, each contain a [[Ceremonial mace#Canada|mace]], which indicates the authority of the King-in-Parliament and the privilege granted to that body by him,<ref>{{cite web| url=https://lop.parl.ca/About/Parliament/Education/SearchingForSymbols/SymbolsGallery-e.asp| publisher=[[Library of Parliament]]| title=Symbols Gallery| access-date=15 June 2017| archive-date=6 August 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806050902/https://lop.parl.ca/About/Parliament/Education/SearchingForSymbols/SymbolsGallery-e.asp| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| last=McDonough| first=John| title=The Maces of the Canadian Provincial and Territorial Legislatures (I)| journal=Canadian Regional Review |volume=2| issue=4|page= 36| publisher=Commonwealth Parliamentary Association |location= Ottawa |year= 1979 |url= http://www.revparl.ca/2/4/02n4_79e.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.revparl.ca/2/4/02n4_79e.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |issn= 0707-0837 |access-date=19 October 2009}}</ref> both bearing a crown at their apex. The original mace for the Senate was that used in the [[Legislative Council of the Province of Canada]] after 1849, while that of the House of Commons was inherited from the [[Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada]], first used in 1845. Following the [[Centre Block#Great fire|burning of the Centre Block]] on 3 February 1916, the [[City of London]], England, donated a replacement, which is still used today. The temporary mace, made of wood, and used until the new one arrived from the United Kingdom in 1917, is still carried into the Senate each 3 February.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/Education/CanSymbols/galleries/parliament/hoc_mace-e.asp |last=Library of Parliament |author-link=Library of Parliament |title=About Parliament > Education > Classroom Resources > Canadian Symbols at Parliament > Parliament Hill Symbols > Mace (House of Commons) |publisher=Queen's Printer for Parliament |access-date=19 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120919124424/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/Education/CanSymbols/galleries/parliament/hoc_mace-e.asp |archive-date=19 September 2012 }}</ref> The Senate's 1.6-metre-long mace comprises brass and gold. The Senate may not sit if its mace is not in the chamber; it typically sits on the table with the crown facing the throne,<ref name=SenatePP>{{Citation
 | author = Senate of Canada
 | author-link = Senate of Canada
 | title = Senate Procedure in Practice
 | publication-place = Ottawa
 | publisher = Queen's Printer for Canada
 | date = June 2015
 | url = https://sencanada.ca/media/93509/spip-psep-full-complet-e.pdf
 | access-date = 2020-03-10
 | postscript = .
 }}</ref>{{rp|55}} though it may, during certain ceremonies, be held by the mace bearer, standing adjacent to the governor general or monarch in the Senate.{{r|SenatePP|p=51}}

Members of the two houses of Parliament must also express their loyalty to the sovereign and defer to his authority, as the [[Oath of Allegiance (Canada)|Oath of Allegiance]] must be sworn by all new parliamentarians before they may take their seats. Further, the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|official opposition]] is formally called [[Loyal opposition|His Majesty's Loyal Opposition]], to signify that, though they may be opposed to the incumbent Cabinet's policies, they remain dedicated to the apolitical Crown.<ref>{{cite book| last=Marleau| first=Robert| author2=Montpetit, Camille| title=House of Commons Procedure and Practice| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| year=2000| location=Ottawa| id=1. Parliamentary Institutions > Institutional Framework > The Opposition| url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/MarleauMontpetit/DocumentViewer.aspx?DocId=1001&Sec=Ch01&Seq=3&Lang=E| isbn=2-89461-378-4| access-date=19 October 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008170948/http://www.parl.gc.ca/MarleauMontpetit/DocumentViewer.aspx?DocId=1001&Lang=E&Sec=Ch01&Seq=3| archive-date=8 October 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|first=Gerald |last=Schmitz |title=The Opposition in a Parliamentary System |date=December 1988 |place=Ottawa |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp47-e.htm |access-date=21 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425171259/http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp47-e.htm |archive-date=25 April 2009 }}</ref>

=== Senate ===
{{Main|Senate of Canada}}
[[File:Cansenate.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Senate of Canada|Senate]]]]
The [[upper house]] of the Parliament of Canada, the Senate ({{langx|fr|Sénat|italic=unset}}), is a group of 105 individuals appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister;<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-24.html#h-5 ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 24.]</ref> all those appointed must, per the constitution, be a minimum of 30 years old, be a subject of the monarch, and own property with a net worth of at least $4,000, in addition to owning land worth no less than $4,000 within the province the candidate seeks to represent.<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-23.html#h-5 ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 23.]</ref> Senators served for life until 1965, when a constitutional amendment imposed a mandatory retirement age of 75. Senators may, however, resign their seats prior to that mark, and can lose their position should they fail to attend two consecutive sessions of Parliament.

The principle underlying the Senate's composition is equality amongst Canada's geographic regions (called Divisions in the Constitution): 24 for [[Ontario]], 24 for [[Quebec]], 24 for the [[Maritimes]] (10 for [[Nova Scotia]], 10 for [[New Brunswick]], and four for [[Prince Edward Island]]), and 24 for the [[Western Canada|Western provinces]] (six each for [[Manitoba]], [[British Columbia]], [[Saskatchewan]], and [[Alberta]]).<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-22.html#h-5 ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 22.]</ref> Additionally, senators are appointed from two geographic areas not part of any senatorial division. [[Newfoundland and Labrador]] (since 1949 the "newest" province, although [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador#The oldest European settlement in North America controversy|"oldest" English settlement]]), is represented by six senators. Since 1975 each of Canada's territories is represented by 1 senator—the [[Northwest Territories]], [[Yukon]], and (since its formation in 1999) [[Nunavut]]. An additional 4 or 8 senators may be appointed by the governor general, provided the approval of the King is secured and the four divisions are equally represented. This power has been employed once since 1867: to ensure the passage of the bill establishing the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|Goods and Services Tax]], Prime Minister [[Brian Mulroney]] advised Queen Elizabeth II to appoint extra senators in 1990. This results in a temporary maximum number of senators of 113, which must through attrition return to its normal number of 105.

===House of Commons===
{{Main|House of Commons of Canada}}
[[File:Ottawa - Parliament Hill - Commons.jpg|thumb|left|The [[House of Commons of Canada|House of Commons]]]]
The elected component of the Canadian Parliament is the House of Commons ({{langx|fr|Chambre des communes|italic=unset}}), with each member chosen by a plurality of voters in each of the country's federal [[Electoral district (Canada)|electoral districts]], or ridings. To run for one of the 343<ref name="seats">[https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/18bf3ea7-1940-46ec-af52-9ba3f77ed708 Canada, Open Government, "Federal Electoral Districts – Canada 2023", 2024.]</ref> seats in the House of Commons, an individual must be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years old. Each member holds office until Parliament is dissolved, after which they may seek re-election. The ridings are regularly reorganized according to the results of each decennial national [[census]];<ref name=ElizabethIII.2>{{Citation |author = Queen Elizabeth II |author-link=Elizabeth II |publication-date=4 March 1986| title=Constitution Act, 1985 (Representation) |at=I.2 |publication-place=Ottawa |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |url=http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/ca_1985.html |access-date=19 October 2009 }}</ref> however, the "senatorial clause" of the ''Constitution Act, 1867'' guarantees each province at least as many MPs as it has senators,<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/section-51A.html#docCont ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 51A.]</ref> and the "grandfather clause" permits each province as many MPs as it had in either 1976 or 1985.<ref name=ElizabethIII.2/> The existence of this legislation has pushed the size of the House of Commons above the required minimum of 282 seats.

==Jurisdiction==
The powers of the Parliament of Canada are limited by the constitution, which divides legislative abilities between the federal and [[Provincial Legislatures of Canada|provincial legislatures]]; in general, provincial [[Legislative Assembly|legislatures]] may only pass laws relating to topics explicitly reserved for them by the constitution (such as education, provincial officers, municipal government, charitable institutions, and "matters of a merely local or private nature")<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-92.html#h-21 ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 92.]</ref> while any matter not under the exclusive authority of the provincial legislatures is within the scope of the federal Parliament's power. Thus, Parliament alone can pass laws relating to, among other things, the postal service, census, [[Canadian Forces|military]], navigation and shipping, fishing, currency, banking, weights and measures, bankruptcy, copyrights, patents, [[Aboriginal people in Canada|First Nations]], and [[naturalization]].<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-91.html#h-21 ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 91.]</ref> In some cases, however, the jurisdictions of the federal and provincial parliaments may be more vague. For instance, the federal parliament regulates marriage and divorce in general, but the solemnization of marriage is regulated only by the provincial legislatures. Other examples include the powers of both the federal and provincial parliaments to impose taxes, borrow money, punish crimes, and regulate agriculture.

The powers of Parliament are also limited by the ''[[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]'', though most of its provisions can be overridden by use of the [[Section Thirty-three of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|notwithstanding clause]].<ref>{{Citation |author = Queen Elizabeth II |author-link=Elizabeth II |publication-date=29 March 1982 |title = Constitution Act, 1982 |at=33 |publication-place=Ottawa |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |url = http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Canada/English/ca_1982.html |access-date=20 October 2009 }}</ref> Such clause, however, has never been used by the federal parliament, though it has been employed by some provincial legislatures. Laws violating any part of the constitution are invalid and may be ruled unconstitutional by [[Canadian court system|the courts]].

==Officers==
Each of Parliament's two chambers is presided over by a [[Speaker (politics)|speaker]]; that for the Senate is a member appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister, while the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada)|equivalent for the House of Commons]] is a member of Parliament, who is elected by the other members of that body. In general, the powers of the latter are greater than those of the former. Following the British model, the upper chamber is essentially self-regulating, but the lower chamber is controlled by the chair, in a majoritarian model that gives great power and authority to the chair. In 1991, however, the powers of the [[Speaker of the Senate of Canada|speaker of the Senate]] were expanded, which reorganized the balance of power to be closer to the framework of the Commons.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}
[[File:Kevin MacLeod in Canadian Senate Chamber 2009.jpg|thumb|[[Usher of the Black Rod (Canada)|Usher of the black rod]], [[Kevin S. MacLeod]], before the thrones in the Senate chamber, 2009]]
The [[Usher of the Black Rod (Canada)|usher <!--UNCAPITALIZED because it is preceded by modifier "The", per [[MOS:JOBTITLES]] bullet 3 and table column 2 example 1. Any proposal for modification to the guideline should be posted at its talk page.-->of the black rod <!--the full job title is "Usher of the Black Rod.  If "usher" isn't capitalised, then neither is "black rod"--> of the Senate of Canada]] is the most senior protocol position in Parliament, being the personal messenger to the legislature of the sovereign and governor general. The usher is also a floor officer of the Senate responsible for security in that chamber, as well as for protocol, administrative, and logistical details of important events taking place on Parliament Hill,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/senate/leaders_officers/BlackRod-e.htm |last=Library of Parliament |author-link=Library of Parliament |title=usher of the black rod in the Senate |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |access-date=19 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090816194103/http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/senate/leaders_officers/BlackRod-e.htm |archive-date=16 August 2009 }}</ref> such as the [[Speech from the Throne]], Royal Assent ceremonies, [[state funeral]]s, or the investiture of a new governor general.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Queen Elizabeth II |author-link=Elizabeth II |title=Notice of Vacancy, usher of the black rod |journal=Canada Gazette |volume=142 |issue=2 |page=74 |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |location=Ottawa |date=12 January 2008 |url=http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2008/2008-01-12/pdf/g1-14202.pdf |access-date=26 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522212808/http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2008/2008-01-12/pdf/g1-14202.pdf |archive-date=22 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Other officers of Parliament include the [[Auditor General of Canada|auditor general]], [[Chief Electoral Officer (Canada)|chief electoral officer]], [[Official Languages Commissioner|official languages commissioner]], [[Privacy Commissioner of Canada|privacy commissioner]], [[Information Commissioner of Canada|information commissioner]], [[Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner|conflict of interest and ethics commissioner]], [[Public Sector Integrity Commissioner|public sector integrity commissioner]], and [[Commissioner of Lobbying|commissioner of lobbying]]. These individuals are appointed by either one or both houses, to which they report through the speaker of that house. They are sometimes referred to as ''Agents of Parliament''.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/officersandofficials/OfficersOfParliament.aspx| title=Officers and Officials of Parliament| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| access-date=27 May 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430153007/http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/compilations/officersandofficials/OfficersOfParliament.aspx| archive-date=30 April 2011| url-status=dead}}</ref> Another key official is the [[Parliamentary Librarian of Canada|parliamentary librarian]], a position established in 1871 under the ''Library of Parliament Act'', charged with directing the [[Library of Parliament]].

==Term==
The ''Constitution Act, 1867'', outlines that the governor general alone is responsible for summoning Parliament, though it remains the monarch's [[:Royal prerogative|prerogative]] to [[Prorogation in Canada|prorogue]] and [[dissolution of Parliament|dissolve]] the legislature, after which the [[Writ of election|writs]] for a [[Elections in Canada#National elections|general federal election]] are usually [[Dropping the writ#Canada|dropped by the governor general]] at [[Rideau Hall]]. Upon completion of the election, the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister, then issues a royal [[proclamation]] summoning Parliament to assemble. On the date given, new MPs are sworn in and then are, along with returning MPs, called to the Senate, where they are instructed to elect their speaker and return to the House of Commons to do so before adjourning.{{r|SenatePP|p=42}}[[File:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip sit on thrones before a full Parliament.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the opening of Parliament, 14 October 1957]]
The new parliamentary session is marked by the [[Opening of the Canadian parliament|opening of Parliament]], a ceremony where a range of topics can be addressed in a [[Speech from the throne|Speech From the Throne]] given by the monarch, the governor general, or a royal delegate.{{NoteTag|On 1 September 1919, Edward, Prince of Wales (later King [[Edward VIII]]) read the Speech From the Throne at the opening of the third session of the [[13th Canadian Parliament]].|name=Open}} The usher of the black rod invites MPs to these events,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.speech.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=1367 |author=Government of Canada |author-link=Government of Canada |title=Speech From the Throne > Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |access-date=4 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100309072021/http://www.speech.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=1367 |archive-date=9 March 2010 }}</ref> knocking on the doors of the lower house that have been slammed shut<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/compilations/OfficersAndOfficials/ProceduralOfficersAndSeniorOfficials_Senate.aspx |last=Library of Parliament |author-link=Library of Parliament |title=Parliament > Officers and Officials of Parliament > Procedural Officers and Senior Officials > Senate |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |access-date=19 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081201130735/http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/compilations/OfficersAndOfficials/ProceduralOfficersAndSeniorOfficials_Senate.aspx |archive-date=1 December 2008 }}</ref>—a symbolic arrangement designed to illustrate the Commons' right to deny entry to anyone, including even the monarch (but with an exception for royal messengers).<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/StateOpeningofParliament/State%20Opening%20of%20Parliament.aspx |author=Royal Household | title=Royal events and ceremonies > State Opening of Parliament | publisher=Queen's Printer | access-date=13 October 2012 }}</ref> Once the MPs are gathered behind the Bar of the Senate—save for the prime minister, the only MP permitted into the Senate proper to sit near the throne dais—the House of Commons speaker presents to the monarch or governor general, and formally claims the rights and privileges of the House of Commons; and then the speaker of the Senate, on behalf of the Crown, replies in acknowledgement after the sovereign or viceroy takes their seat on the throne.{{r|SenatePP|p=42}} The speech is then read aloud. It can outline the program of the [[Cabinet of Canada|Cabinet]] for the upcoming legislative session, as well as other matters chosen by the speaker.

A [[Legislative session|parliamentary session]] lasts until a prorogation, after which, without ceremony, both chambers of the legislature cease all legislative business until the governor general issues another proclamation calling for a new session to begin; except for the election of a speaker for the House of Commons and his or her claiming of that house's privileges, the same procedures for the opening of Parliament are again followed. After a number of such sessions—having ranged from one to seven{{r|SenatePP|p=45}}—a Parliament comes to an end via [[Dissolution of parliament|dissolution]], and a general election typically follows. Subject to the governor general's discretion, general elections are held four years after the previous on the third Monday in October or, on the recommendation of the [[Chief Electoral Officer (Canada)|chief electoral officer]], the following Tuesday or Monday. The governor general may dissolve Parliament and call a general election outside of these fixed dates, conventionally on the advice of the prime minister, which may be preceded by a successful [[motion of no confidence]]. The timing of such dissolutions may be politically motivated.<ref>{{cite web |title=Canada Elections Act |url = http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-2.01/page-9.html#h-27 |website=Justice Laws Website |access-date=17 July 2017 |at = Part 5 }}</ref><ref>{{citation |author= Queen Elizabeth II |author-link=Elizabeth II |title=Canada Elections Act |url = http://lois-laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/E-2.01/page-23.html#h-24 |at=56.1.(2) |date=12 July 2008 |publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada |access-date=3 May 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dissolution of Parliament – Compendium of Procedure – House of Commons |url = https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Compendium/ParliamentaryCycle/c_d_dissolutionparliament-e.htm |access-date=18 July 2017 }}</ref>

==Procedure==
Both houses determine [[Motion (parliamentary procedure)|motions]] by [[voice vote]]; the presiding officer puts the question and, after listening to shouts of "yea" and "nay" from the members, announces which side is victorious. This decision by the Speaker is final, unless a recorded vote is demanded by members—requiring at least two in the Senate and five in the House of Commons. Members of both houses vote by rising in their places to be counted; the speaker of the Senate is permitted to vote on a motion or bill—though does so irregularly, in the interest of impartiality—and, if there is no majority, the motion is defeated. In the Commons, however, the speaker cannot vote, unless to break a tie. The speaker customarily votes in favour of the [[status quo]]. The constitution establishes the [[quorum]]s to be 15 senators in the upper house and 20 members in the lower house, the speaker of each body being counted within the tally.

Voting can thus take three possible forms: whenever possible, leaving the matter open for future consideration and allowing for further discussion by the house; when no further discussion is possible, taking into account that the matter could somehow be brought back in future and be decided by a majority in the house; or, leaving a bill in its existing form rather than having it amended. For example, during the vote on the [[2005 Canadian federal budget|2005 budget]], which was considered a [[Motion of no confidence|vote of confidence]], the speaker of the House of Commons cast the tie-breaking vote during the [[Reading (legislature)#Second reading|second reading]], moving in favour of the budget and allowing its passage. If the vote on the [[Reading (legislature)#Third reading|third reading]] had again been tied, the speaker would have been expected to vote against the bill, bringing down the government.

Simultaneous [[Language interpretation|interpretation]] for both official languages, [[English language|English]] and [[French language|French]], is provided at all times during sessions of both houses.

==Legislative functions==
Laws, known in their draft form as [[Bill (proposed law)|bill]]s, may be introduced by any member of either house. However, most bills originate in the House of Commons, of which most are put forward by [[Minister of the Crown|ministers of the Crown]], making them government bills, as opposed to [[private members' bills]] or private senators' bills, which are launched by MPs and senators, respectively, who are not in cabinet. Draft legislation may also be categorized as public bills, if they apply to the general public, or [[private bills]], if they concern a particular person or limited group of people. Each bill then goes through a series of stages in each chamber, beginning with the [[first reading]]. It is not, however, until the bill's [[second reading]] that the general principles of the proposed law are debated; though rejection is a possibility, such is not common for government bills.

Next, the bill is sent by the house where it is being debated to one of several committees. The Standing Orders outline the general mandate for all committees, allowing them to review: bills as they pertain to relevant departments; the program and policy plans, as well as the projected expenditures, and the effectiveness of the implementation thereof, for the same departments; and the analysis of the performance of those departments.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/procedure-book-livre/Document.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&sbdid=DC42FA65-ADAA-426C-8763-C9B4F52A1277&sbpid=085013AB-4B16-4B34-8E4C-A5B5C98818C9#C1254467-CDA6-4DB2-8382-DDFFECD6B281 | author=Parliament of Canada | title=House of Commons Procedure and Practice > 20. Committees > Types of Committees and Mandates | publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada | access-date=6 February 2011 | archive-date=9 May 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509120250/http://www.parl.gc.ca/procedure-book-livre/Document.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&sbdid=DC42FA65-ADAA-426C-8763-C9B4F52A1277&sbpid=085013AB-4B16-4B34-8E4C-A5B5C98818C9#C1254467-CDA6-4DB2-8382-DDFFECD6B281 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Most often, bills end up before a [[Committee#Standing committees|standing committee]], which is a body of members or senators who specialize in a particular subject (such as [[foreign affairs]]), and who may hear testimony from ministers and experts, debate the bill, and recommend amendments. The bill may also be committed to the [[Committee of the Whole]], a body consisting of, as the name suggests, all the members of the chamber in question. Finally, the bill could be referred to an ''ad hoc'' committee established solely to review the piece of legislation in question. Each chamber has their own procedure for dealing with this, with the Senate establishing special committees that function like most other committees, and the House of Commons establishing legislative committees, the chair of the latter being appointed by the speaker of the House of Commons, and is normally one of his deputies. Whichever committee is used, any amendments proposed by the committee are considered by the whole house in the report stage. Furthermore, additional amendments not proposed by the committee may also be made.

After the report stage (or, if the committee made no amendments to the bill, immediately after the committee stage), the final phase of the bill—the [[third reading]]—occurs, at which time further amendments are not permitted in the House of Commons, but are allowed in the Senate. If it passes the third reading, the bill is sent to the other house of Parliament, where it passes through the same stages;{{NoteTag|Although rare, at times the incorrect version of a bill is transmitted between houses (i.e. not what passed third reading)—causing procedural problems, especially if not caught quickly, allowing the other house to advance the incorrect bill through multiple stages. For the last two occurrences (2014 and 2001), see {{cite news |author=Jordan Press |title=House of Commons to Correct Errors in Crime Bill it Sent to Senate |date=2014-08-28 |url = https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/house-of-commons-to-correct-errors-in-crime-bill-it-sent-to-senate |newspaper=[[Ottawa Citizen]] |at=National News |access-date=2019-06-07 }}.}} amendments made by the second chamber require the assent of the original house in order to stand part of the final bill. If one house passes amendments that the other will not agree to, and the two houses cannot resolve their disagreements, the bill fails.
[[File:RoyalVisitSenate.jpg|thumb|right|upright|King [[George VI]], with [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth]], grants [[Royal Assent]] to bills in the Senate chamber, 1939]]
Once the bill is passed in identical form by both houses, it is presented for [[Royal Assent]]; in theory, the governor general has three options:  grant Royal Assent, thereby making the bill into law; withhold Royal Assent, thereby vetoing the bill; or reserve the bill for the signification of the King's [[At His Majesty's pleasure|pleasure]], which allows the sovereign to personally grant or withhold assent. If the governor general does grant Royal Assent, the monarch may, within two years, disallow the bill, thus annulling the law in question. In the federal sphere, no bill has ever been denied royal approval.

In conformity with the British model, only the House of Commons may originate bills for the imposition of taxes or for the appropriation of Crown funds. The constitutional amendment procedure does make provision for the Commons overcoming an otherwise-required Senate resolution in most cases. Otherwise, the theoretical power of both houses over bills is equal, with the assent of each being required for passage. In practice, however, the House of Commons is dominant, with the Senate rarely exercising its powers in a way that opposes the will of the democratically elected house.

==Relationship with the executive==
The [[Government of Canada|federal government]] consists of the [[King-in-Council|monarch (represented by the governor general)-in-council]], which is a collection of ministers of the Crown appointed by the governor general to direct the use of [[Executive (government)|executive powers]]. Per the tenets of [[responsible government]], these individuals are almost always drawn from Parliament, and are predominantly from the House of Commons, the only body to which ministers are held accountable, typically during [[Question Period]], wherein ministers are obliged to answer questions posed by members of the opposition. Hence, the person who can command the confidence of the lower chamber—usually the leader of the party with the most seats therein—is typically appointed as prime minister. Should that person not hold a seat in the House of Commons, the prime minister will, by convention, seek election to one at the earliest possible opportunity; frequently, in such situations, a junior member of Parliament who holds a [[safe seat]] will resign to allow the prime minister to run for that riding in a [[by-election]]. If no party holds a majority, it is customary for the governor general to summon a [[minority governments in Canada|minority government]] or [[coalition government]], depending on which the commons will support.

The lower house may attempt to bring down the government by either rejecting a motion of [[Confidence and supply|confidence]]—generally initiated by a minister to reinforce the Cabinet's support in the commons—or by passing a motion of no confidence—introduced by the opposition to display its distrust of the Cabinet. Important bills that form part of the government's agenda will usually be considered matters of confidence; the budget is always a matter of confidence. Where a government has lost the confidence of the House of Commons, the prime minister is obliged to either resign (allowing the governor general to appoint the [[Leader of the Opposition (Canada)|leader of the Opposition]] to the office) or seek the dissolution of Parliament and the call of a general election. A precedent, however, was set in 1968, when the government of [[Lester B. Pearson]] unexpectedly lost a confidence vote but was allowed to remain in power with the mutual consent of the leaders of the other parties.

In practice, the House of Commons' scrutiny of the government is quite weak in comparison to the equivalent chamber in other countries using the [[Westminster system]]. With the [[plurality voting system]] used in parliamentary elections tending to provide the governing party with a large majority, and a party system that gives leaders strict control over their caucus (to the point that MPs may be expelled from their parties for voting against the instructions of party leaders), there is often limited need to compromise with other parties. Additionally, Canada has fewer MPs, a higher turnover rate of MPs after each election, and an Americanized system for selecting political party leaders, leaving them accountable to the party membership rather than caucus, as is the case in the United Kingdom;<ref>{{Citation | last=Foot |first=Richard | title = Only in Canada: Harper's prorogation is a Canadian thing |newspaper=National Post | date=15 January 2010 | url = https://nationalpost.com/story.html?id=2446705 | access-date=16 January 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://archive.today/20100118165801/http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=2446705 | archive-date=18 January 2010 }}</ref> John Robson of the ''National Post'' opined that Canada's parliament had become a body akin to the [[Electoral College (United States)|American Electoral College]], "its sole and ceremonial role to confirm the executive in power."<ref>{{cite news | url = https://nationalpost.com/opinion/john-robson-trudeaus-promise-of-electoral-reform-is-menacing| last=Robson| first=John| title=Trudeau's menacing promise of electoral reform| date=2 November 2015| newspaper=National Post| access-date=5 November 2015}}</ref>

At the end of the 20th century and into the 21st, analysts—such as [[Jeffrey Simpson]], [[Donald Savoie]], and [[John Gomery]]—argued that both Parliament and the Cabinet had become eclipsed by prime ministerial power.<ref>{{cite book| last=Brooks| first=Stephen| title=Canadian Democracy: An Introduction| publisher=Oxford University Press| year=2007| location=Don Mills| page=[https://archive.org/details/canadiandemocrac0006broo/page/258 258]| edition=5th| isbn=978-0-19-543103-2| url=https://archive.org/details/canadiandemocrac0006broo/page/258}}</ref> Thus, defeats of majority governments on issues of confidence are very rare. In contrast, a minority government is more volatile, and is more likely to fall due to loss of confidence. The last prime ministers to lose confidence votes were [[Stephen Harper]] in 2011, [[Paul Martin]] in 2005 and [[Joe Clark]] in 1979, all involving minority governments. The passage of the ''[[Reform Act (Canada)|Reform Act]]'' and resulting changes to the ''[[Parliament of Canada Act]]'', in 2015, were a response to this trend and an attempt to increase the power and independence of MPs.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Mas|first=Susana|date=2015-10-27|title=Michael Chong urges MPs to 'reclaim their influence' as Reform Act takes effect|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/michael-chong-reform-act-1.3289892|website=CBC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Wherry|first=Aaron|date=2013-12-02|title=Explainer: Who is Michael Chong? And what does he want to do with our Parliament?|url=https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/who-is-michael-chong-and-what-does-he-want-to-do-with-our-parliament/|access-date=2022-02-03|website=Macleans.ca|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Editorial Board |title=The way Conservative MPs – not just their leader – ousted Derek Sloan shows the value of the Reform Act |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-the-way-conservative-mps-not-just-their-leader-ousted-derek-sloan/ |date=January 21, 2021 |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Malley |first=Kady |title=Process Nerd: So, how's the Reform Act working so far? |url=https://ipolitics.ca/2022/02/02/process-nerd-so-hows-the-reform-act-working-so-far/ |date=February 2, 2022 |work=[[iPolitics]] |access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref>

==Privileges==
Parliament possesses a number of privileges, collectively and accordingly known as [[parliamentary privilege]], each house being the guardian and administrator of its own set of rights. Parliament itself determines the extent of parliamentary privilege, each house overseeing its own affairs, but the constitution bars it from conferring any "exceeding those at the passing of such an Act held, enjoyed, and exercised by the [British House of] Commons... and by the Members thereof."<ref>[https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/Const//section-18.html#h-21 ''Constitution Act, 1867'', s. 18.]</ref>

The foremost dispensation held by both houses of Parliament is that of [[freedom of speech]] in debate; nothing said within the chambers may be questioned by any court or other institution outside of Parliament. In particular, a member of either house cannot be sued for [[slander and libel|slander]] based on words uttered in the course of parliamentary proceedings, the only restraint on debate being set by the standing orders of each house. Further, MPs and senators are immune to arrest in civil (but not criminal) cases, from jury service and attendance in courts as witnesses. They may, however, be disciplined by their colleagues for breach of the rules, including [[contempt of parliament|contempt of Parliament]]—disobedience of its authority; for example, giving false testimony before a parliamentary committee—and breaches of its own privileges.

The [[Canadian Heraldic Authority]], on 15 April 2008, confirmed the right of the Parliament of Canada to use a [[heraldic badge]] composed of symbols of the three elements of Parliament: the [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon]] of the [[Arms of Canada|Royal Arms of Canada]] with the maces of the House of Commons and Senate crossed behind.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://archive.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project-pic.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=1284&ProjectElementID=4487| last=Canadian Heraldic Authority| author-link=Canadian Heraldic Authority| title=Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada > Parliament of Canada| publisher=Queen's Printer for Canada| access-date=8 August 2010}}</ref>

The budget for the Parliament of Canada for the 2010 [[fiscal year]] was [[Canadian dollar|$]]583,567,000.<ref>{{Cite news| last=Vongdougngchanh| first=Bea| title=Parliament's budget boosted to $583,567,000 this year| newspaper=The Hill Times| location=Ottawa| date=8 March 2010| url=http://hilltimes.com/page/view/legislation-03-08-2010| access-date=6 January 2011| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105032617/http://www.hilltimes.com/page/view/legislation-03-08-2010| archive-date=5 January 2011}}</ref>

==History==
Following the cession of [[New France]] to the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|1763 Treaty of Paris]], Canada was governed according to the [[Royal Proclamation of 1763|Royal Proclamation]] issued by [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]] in that same year. To this was added the [[Quebec Act]], by which the power to make ordinances was granted to a [[Queen-in-Council|governor-in-council]], both the governor and council being appointed by the British monarch in Westminster, on the advice of his or her ministers there. In 1791, the Province of Quebec was divided into [[Upper Canada|Upper]] and [[Lower Canada]], each with an elected [[legislative assembly]], an appointed [[legislative council]], and a governor, mirroring the parliamentary structure in Britain.

During the [[War of 1812]], [[United States Army|American troops]] [[Battle of York#Burning of York|set fire]] to the [[Ontario Legislative Building#History|buildings]] of the [[Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada]] in [[York, Upper Canada|York]] (now [[Toronto]]). In 1841, the British government united the two Canadas into the [[Province of Canada]], with a single [[Parliament of the Province of Canada|legislature]] composed of, again, an assembly, council, and governor general; the 84 members of the lower chamber were equally divided among the two former provinces, though Lower Canada had a higher population. The governor still held significant personal influence over Canadian affairs until 1848, when [[responsible government]] was implemented in Canada.
[[File:Incendie Parlement Montreal.jpg|thumb|right|The burning of the Parliament in [[Montreal]], 1849]]
The actual site of Parliament shifted on a regular basis: From 1841 to 1844, it sat in [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]], where the present [[Kingston General Hospital]] now stands; from 1844 until the [[Burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal|1849 fire that destroyed the building]], the legislature was in [[Montreal]]; and, after a few years of alternating between Toronto and [[Quebec City]], the legislature was finally moved to [[Ottawa]] in 1856, [[Queen Victoria]] having chosen that city as Canada's capital in 1857.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rayburn |first1=Alan |last2=Harris |first2=Carolyn |title=Queen Victoria |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/victoria |website=The Canadian Encyclopedia |access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref>

The modern-day Parliament of Canada came into existence in 1867, in which year the Parliament of the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]] passed the [[Constitution Act, 1867|''British North America Act, 1867'']], uniting the provinces of [[New Brunswick]], [[Nova Scotia]], and Canada—with the Province of Canada split into [[Quebec]] and [[Ontario]]—into a single federation called the [[British Dominions|Dominion of Canada]]. Though the form of the new federal legislature was again nearly identical to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the decision to retain this model was made with heavy influence from the just-concluded [[American Civil War]], which indicated to many [[Canadians]] the faults of the [[United States|American]] federal system, with its relatively powerful states and a less powerful federal government. The ''British North America Act'' limited the powers of the provinces, providing that all subjects not explicitly delegated to them by that document remain within the authority of the Canadian Parliament, while simultaneously giving the provinces unique powers in certain agreed-upon areas of jurisdiction.

[[File:Opening session of the House of Commons at the Victoria Memorial Museum after the Parliament Buildings fire of 1916.jpg|thumb|left|The first session of the House of Commons in its temporary location at the [[Canadian Museum of Nature|Victoria Memorial Museum]], 18 March 1918]]

Full legislative autonomy was granted by the [[Statute of Westminster 1931|Statute of Westminster, 1931]], passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Though the statute allowed the Parliament of Canada to repeal or amend previously British laws as they applied to Canada, it did not permit amendment to Canada's constitution, including the British North America Acts. Hence, whenever a constitutional amendment was sought by the Canadian Parliament, the enactment of a British law was necessary, though Canada's consent was required. The Parliament of Canada was granted limited power to amend the constitution by a British Act of Parliament in 1949, but it was not permitted to affect the powers of provincial governments, the official positions of the English and French languages, rights of any class of persons with respect to schools, or the maximum five-year term of the legislature.

While her father, King [[George VI]], had been the first Canadian monarch to grant royal assent in the legislature—doing so in 1939—Queen [[Elizabeth II]] was the first sovereign to deliver the [[speech from the throne]]. This event, in 1957, was the first time television cameras were allowed into the chambers of parliament, as the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] broadcast the speech nation-wide.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://diefenbaker.usask.ca/exhibits/online-exhibits-content/the-crown-in-canada-en.php| title=The Crown in Canada (1957)| publisher=Diefenbaker Canada Centre| accessdate=21 August 2022}}</ref>

The Canadian House of Commons and Senate last requested the Parliament of the United Kingdom to enact a constitutional amendment in 1982, in the form of the ''[[Canada Act 1982]]'' which included the ''[[Constitution Act, 1982]]''.<ref>[http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3635&context=lcp Text of the Resolution respecting the Constitution of Canada adopted by the House of Commons on 2 December 1981.]</ref> This legislation terminated the power of the British Parliament's ability to legislate for Canada and the authority to amend the constitution was transferred to the Canadian House of Commons, the Senate, and the provincial legislative assemblies, acting jointly. Most amendments require the consent of the Senate, the House of Commons, and the [[Legislative Assembly|legislative assemblies]] of two-thirds of the provinces representing a majority of the population; the unanimous consent of provincial legislative assemblies is required for certain amendments, including those affecting the sovereign, the governor general, the [[Lieutenant Governor (Canada)|provincial lieutenant governors]], the official status of the English and French languages, the [[Supreme Court of Canada]], and the amending formulas themselves.
{{clear}}

== See also ==
{{portal|border=no|Canada|Politics}}
*[[Canadian Parliament Buildings]]
*[[Hansard]]
*[[Joint address (Canada)]]
*[[List of Canadian federal parliaments]]
*[[List of legislatures by country]]
*[[Politics of Canada]]
*[[Procedural officers and senior officials of the Parliament of Canada]]
*[[Records of members of the Parliament of Canada]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{Refbegin}}
* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/precis/titpg-e.htm House of Commons Table Research Branch. (2005). ''Précis of Procedure''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308104218/http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/precis/titpg-e.htm |date=8 March 2005 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091031124439/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761553359/Canadian_Parliament.html Thomas, Paul G. (2004). "Parliament, Canadian."]
* {{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2025 |title=ParlAmericas Parliamentary Members |script-title= |title-link= |url=https://www.parlamericas.org/members/ |url-access= |trans-title=  |website=www.parlamericas.org |script-website= |trans-website= |type= |agency=ParlAmericas |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |archive-format= |access-date=19 January 2025 |via= |quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote=ParlAmericas membership is composed of the national legislatures of the 35 independent states of the Americas. To observe a balance in regional representation [ . . . ] |script-quote= |trans-quote= }}
* {{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2024 |location= |title=Qui Sommes Nous? Sections Parlementaires - Canada |script-title= |title-link= |url=https://www.apf-francophonie.org/qui-sommes-nous/sections-parlementaires/canada |url-access= |trans-title=Who Are We? Sections Of Parliament - Canada |department= |website=www.apf-francophonie.org |script-website= |language=fr |publication-place= |publisher=[[Organisation internationale de la Francophonie]] (OIF) |publication-date=2024 |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |archive-format= |access-date=19 January 2025 |quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote= |script-quote= |trans-quote= }}
* {{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2025 |title=LIVE: CPAC Channel |script-title= |title-link= |url=https://www.cpac.ca/ |url-access= |trans-title= |format= |script-website= |trans-website= |type= |agency=The [[Cable Public Affairs Channel]] |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |archive-format= |access-date=19 January 2025 |quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote=Canada's Parliament and in-depth coverage of key political events and public policy debates. |script-quote= |trans-quote= }}
* {{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |year=2024 |location= |title=Parliament of Canada |script-title= |title-link= |url=https://www.cpahq.org/directory/canada-federal/ |url-access= |trans-title= |format= |department=Secretariat HQ |website=www.cpahq.org |script-website= |trans-website= |type= |language= |agency=[[Commonwealth Parliamentary Association]] |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |archive-format= |access-date=19 January 2025|quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote= |script-quote= |trans-quote= }}
* {{cite web |last1=Parry |first1=Matthew |author-link1= |date=February 2022 |title=Canada's Parliament and other political institutions |script-title= |title-link= |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2022/698942/EPRS_BRI(2022)698942_EN.pdf |url-access= |trans-title= |format= |department=European Parliamentary Research Service |website=ecprd.secure.europarl.europa.eu/ecprd/public/page/about |script-website= |trans-website= |type= |publication-place= |agency=[[European Union Parliament]] |pages=12 |arxiv= |asin= |asin-tld= |bibcode= |bibcode-access= |biorxiv= |citeseerx= |doi= |doi-access= |eissn= |hdl= |hdl-access= |isbn= |ismn= |issn= |jfm= |jstor= |jstor-access= |lccn= |medrxiv= |mr= |oclc= |ol= |ol-access= |osti= |osti-access= |pmc= |pmid= |rfc= |sbn= |ssrn= |s2cid= |s2cid-access= |zbl= |id= |archive-format= |access-date= |via= |quote-page= |quote-pages= |quote= |script-quote= |trans-quote= |mode= }}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
*[http://etatscanadiens-canadiangovernments.enap.ca/fr/index.aspx Canadian Governments Compared]
*[https://openparliament.ca/ Open Parliament: MP vote and speech tracker – keep tabs on Parliament]

{{Canadian Legislative Bodies}}
{{Canada parliaments}}
{{Lists of Canadian parliaments}}
{{Canada topics}}
{{National bicameral legislatures}}
{{Legislatures of the Americas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|45.42521|N|75.70011|W|source:placeopedia|display=title}}

[[Category:Parliament of Canada| ]]
[[Category:1867 establishments in Canada]]
[[Category:Westminster system parliaments|Canada]]
[[Category:Government of Canada]]
[[Category:National legislatures|Canada]]
[[Category:Parliaments by country|Canada]]
[[Category:Bicameral legislatures|Canada]]