Reading Time: 3 minutesDisponible en français. One of Parliament’s fundamental roles is to review and approve the government’s taxation and spending plans. To fulfill this role, parliamentarians follow the parliamentary financial cycle, which consists of a continuous loop of activities that take place… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. Officers of Parliament support both houses in their accountability and scrutiny functions by carrying out independent oversight responsibilities assigned to them by statute. These officers are responsible directly to Parliament rather than to the government or a federal… Read More ›
Reading Time: 8 minutesDisponible en français. A general election is followed by the opening of a new session of the Parliament of Canada, marking the beginning of a new parliamentary cycle. The opening involves a series of parliamentary ceremonies and procedures that precede… Read More ›
Reading Time: 2 minutesDisponible en français. Canada’s founding document, the Constitution Act, 1867, established the country as a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. Executive authority resides with the Sovereign or that person’s representative (i.e., the Governor General of Canada). The Constitution assigns the Governor… Read More ›
Reading Time: 8 minutesDisponible en français. There are numerous ways to define and measure poverty. For example, Indigenous Peoples’ conceptions of poverty go beyond financial considerations, and the concept may be discussed in a way that places an emphasis on well-being. Views of… Read More ›
Reading Time: 6 minutesDisponible en français. Beyond the strategic, media and political considerations at play in federal party leadership campaigns, there are constitutional conventions and rules, often less well known, governing the departure of leaders and their replacement in the Senate or the… Read More ›
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. Domestically, discussions about Canada’s defence spending are generally focused on the Department of National Defence (DND), including the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). However, in reporting their defence spending to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, or the… Read More ›
Reading Time: 7 minutesDisponible en français. Mandatory minimum sentences are set by Parliament to limit judicial discretion when it comes to imposing punishment. There were six offences with mandatory minimum sentences when the first Criminal Code (the Code) was enacted in 1892, for… Read More ›
Reading Time: 5 minutesDisponible en français. February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the history of Black communities in Canada, and to honour the contributions of Black Canadians. The first Black person to arrive in what is now Canada is… Read More ›
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDisponible en français. Equalization is a federal transfer payment program designed to reduce the differences in revenue-generating capacity among Canada’s 10 provinces. The program helps ensure that all Canadians have access to broadly comparable levels of public services. The Equalization program is… Read More ›