Cheat sheet

How Canadians Govern Themselves

Federal, provincial and municipal government, Parliament, elections, and the role of the Crown.

The facts to remember, in one place. Drill them with mock exams and spaced repetition in Canadian Citizenship Test 2026.

How the Canadian government works

◆ Canada has three levels of government: federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal.
◆ Parliament has two chambers: the elected House of Commons and the appointed Senate.
◆ The Prime Minister is the head of government and leads the party with the most seats in the House of Commons.
◆ The Sovereign (King or Queen) is Canada's head of state, represented by the Governor General federally.
◆ Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected by citizens in federal ridings.

◆ The Sovereign (King or Queen) is Canada's head of state and a symbol of Canadian sovereignty.
◆ The Governor General represents the Sovereign at the federal level and is appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister.
◆ A Lieutenant Governor represents the Sovereign in each of the ten provinces.
◆ The Prime Minister is the head of government, not the head of state.
◆ Royal Assent, given on the Sovereign's behalf, is the final step for a bill to become law.

◆ Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign (Crown), the Senate, and the House of Commons.
◆ Members of the House of Commons (MPs) are elected by Canadians.
◆ Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.
◆ A bill must be approved by both the House of Commons and the Senate, then receive Royal Assent.
◆ The House of Commons meets in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.

◆ Canadian citizens aged 18 or older can vote in federal, provincial and territorial elections.
◆ Voting is by secret ballot -- no one can watch you vote or ask how you voted.
◆ Canada is divided into electoral districts called ridings or constituencies.
◆ In each riding, the candidate with the most votes becomes the Member of Parliament.
◆ Elections Canada is the independent, non-partisan agency that runs federal elections.

◆ The federal government handles national defence, foreign policy, citizenship, and criminal law.
◆ Provincial and territorial governments handle education, health care, and highways.
◆ Municipal governments handle local services such as water, recycling, and policing.
◆ Each level is led by elected representatives.
◆ The federal Parliament sits in Ottawa, the capital of Canada.

◆ The Governor General represents the Sovereign at the federal level.
◆ They are appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, usually for five years.
◆ The Governor General gives Royal Assent so that bills can become law.
◆ A Lieutenant Governor performs a similar role in each province.
◆ The Governor General is the Commander-in-Chief of Canada.