The executive branch enacts, applies and enforces all federal laws created by the legislative branch. It is composed of the Queen (represented by the Governor General), the Cabinet (a group of high-ranking members of government that includes the Prime Minister) and the administration.

The administration includes all government departments, the armed forces, Crown corporations and other bodies.

• Prime Minister Stephen Harper

• Cabinet - The Canadian Ministry

◦ About Cabinet

About Cabinet

Canada's Cabinet sets the federal government's policies and priorities for the country. Together, its advisors act in the name of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.

The Governor General appoints the members of Cabinet on the advice of the Prime Minister. Most members are from the House of Commons. From time to time, a senator may serve on Cabinet to ensure all parts of the country are represented.

The Governor General almost always acts on Cabinet's advice.

How Cabinet works

Cabinet is the Prime Minister's forum for creating consensus among the Government's ministers. It is an informal political mechanism even though its decisions carry a great deal of weight.

In Cabinet, the Prime Minister may lead members to agreement on matters that each will be expected to defend publicly.

Ministerial responsibility

Government calls the personal responsibility of each member of Cabinet "individual ministerial responsibility".

A minister is normally responsible for a government department. Ministers receive confidential advice from the public service and are accountable to Parliament and the country for their decisions.

Cabinet's role

In Canada, the Cabinet:

• Secures agreement among ministers on government priorities

• Secures agreement on parliamentary actions by the Government

• Provides a forum for ministerial debate on issues of general interest

• Provides ministers with information on decisions for which they will be held responsible

• Provides the Prime Minister with information he/she needs to carry out his/her responsibilities and leadership role

Taken from http://www.canada.ca/en/gov/system/executive.html

Process of Passing a Bill

Making laws is tough work. Every day, something that you do or that you touch has been considered by a lawmaker. But how does an idea get to be a law that affects everyone?

The following steps describe the process of passing a bill through either the House of Commons or the Senate. (If the bill were to pass through the Senate, it would go through the same stages.)

The government typically introduces bills. Opposition and individual parliamentarians also introduce new bills (called Private Member’s Bills).

1 FIRST READING

Any idea for a new law or a change to current law is written down. The idea is now called a bill. The bill is printed and read in the House it is starting from.

2 SECOND READING

The bill is given a Second Reading in the House it is starting from, where parliamentarians debate the idea behind the bill. They consider questions such as, “Is the idea behind the bill good?” “Does it meet people’s needs?” “Who will be affected by this bill?” If the House votes for the bill and it passes this stage, it goes to a committee of the House, which usually meets in a smaller committee room outside the Chamber.

3 COMMITTEE STAGE

At the Committee Stage, the bill is studied carefully. Committee members hold hearings or special meetings where different people inside and outside government can make comments about the bill. The committee can ask for government officials and experts, or witnesses, to come and answer questions. The committee can suggest changes or amendments to the bill when it gives its report to the House.

4 REPORT STAGE

At the Report Stage, the committee reports the bill back to the House. All parliamentarians can then debate it. During this stage, those who were not part of the committee that studied the bill can suggest changes to the bill.

5 THIRD READING

The bill is then called for a Third Reading. The parliamentarians debate it again. Sometimes they can change their minds about a bill. They might vote for it at Second Reading but not at Third Reading if they do not like the changes made to the bill. If it passes Third Reading, the bill then goes to the other House where it goes through the same stages.

6 ROYAL ASSENT

Once both the Senate and the House of Commons have passed the bill in exactly the same wording, it is given to the Governor General (or his or her appointed representative) for Royal Assent (final approval), and it can become law.

Taken from http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/education/ourcountryourparliament/html_booklet/process-passing-bill-e.html