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Government
Canada is a
federation, with a parliamentary system of government. Being a
federation means that powers and responsibilities are divided
between the federal government and the 10 provincial
governments. Canada also has three territorial jurisdictions.
Canada has three levels of government: federal, provincial and
municipal (cities and towns). These governments are elected by
the citizens of Canada.
Federal government
(Government of Canada)
The federal
government is responsible for:
- defence;
- foreign
policy and foreign relations;
- banking;
- the postal
service;
- criminal law;
- immigration;
and
- citizenship.
Provincial governments
Provincial
governments are responsible for:
- education;
and
- municipal
institutions.
They also share
responsibility with the federal government for:
- health
services;
- farming;
- social
assistance;
- transportation; and
- the
environment.
Territorial governments
The Northwest
Territories, Yukon and Nunavut are not sovereign units. They
get their powers from the federal parliament, but they have
elected assemblies that follow many of the same practices as
the provincial governments.
Municipal governments
Municipal
governments have functions delegated to them by other levels
of government. They are responsible for local matters and
services. These include:
- police and
fire protection;
- water and
sewer services;
- recreation;
and
- local public
transportation.
If you are interested, the Web site canada.gc.ca/howgoc/glance_e.html has more information about how Canadians govern
themselves.
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