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Passing bills: The main role of the House of Commons is to introduce, debate and pass bills. This process involves many steps, both in the chamber and in committee. Government accountability: Members of Parliament (MPs) who belong to political parties other than the governing party form the opposition. Their role is to provide alternative ...
- Key Roles in the House of Commons - Parliament of Canada
The House of Commons has green features, such as the carpet...
- Key Roles in the House of Commons - Parliament of Canada
- Role of The House of Commons
- Question Period and Accountability
- Opposition Parties
- Parliamentary Privilege
- Role of The Speaker
- The Commons Chamber
- A Growing Chamber
- Summons and Prorogation
- Centre Block Renovation
The House of Commons is the elected lower house of Parliament. It consists of a Speaker (traditionally chosen from the party in power but now elected from the House by secret ballot), the prime minister and his or her Cabinet, members of the governing party, members of the opposition parties and the Official Opposition's shadow government, and back...
Questions may be written down and placed on the Order Paper to receive a printed reply but during oral Question Period (45 minutes daily) ministers may be questioned directly (see Parliamentary Procedures). Usually, Opposition MPs ask the questions. The House can bring down a government. Elections were held after the House defeated minority governm...
In order for a party to be recognized in the House, it must have 12 or more Members of Parliament. Such recognition entitles the party to committee assignments, research support and being called upon by the Speaker more frequently to ask questions of the government. Since 1974, election ballots have shown the candidates' party allegiances, if any, ...
At the beginning of each Parliament, the privileges of the House of Commons are confirmed by the governor general. This stems from the tradition at Westminster, where it was found that if the House was to participate effectively it had to have certain privileges and certain exemptions from ordinary law. For a long time, one of the foremost privileg...
All speeches in the House are addressed to the Speaker, although direct exchanges often break out in the heat of debate. Private members are referred to by the name of their constituencies (i.e., "the Honourable Member for Peace River") and ministers by office (i.e., "the Honourable the Minister of Finance"). The House does not permit members to us...
The House of Commons meets in the Commons chamber at the west end of the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings. The main doors of the chamber are at the south end — this is where the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod raps when he comes to summon the Commons to the Senate chamber. There is a telescoping brass rail known as the Bar at the foot of t...
In 2011, the House of Commons passed a bill to expand the chamber by 30 seats in time for the 2015 election. It was supported by the majority Conservative government — which introduced the bill to better represent the country’s fastest growing provinces — but opposed by the Liberals and New Democratic Party. The NDP was against giving Quebec more s...
Sessions of Parliament begin with a summons and end with prorogation (suspension), both of which are issued by the governor general at the government’s request. Minority parliaments recently have lasted only one or two sessions. Between 1867 and 1938, the annual sessions lasted only a few months; now they normally run a full year, with three long a...
In 2019, Parliament Hill’s Centre Block closed its doors for a major renovation that is expected to last at least a decade. The project to restore, upgrade and modernize the Centre Block includes the House of Commons and Senate chambers, as well as the Peace Tower, the Library of Parliament, and offices for MPs and party leaders. While the building...
The House of Commons consists of 338 elected Members of Parliament, better known as simply “MPs” each of whom represents a different electoral district, also known as a riding or constituency, which is a specific geographic region of the country. The different provinces of Canada are divided into ridings according to the principle of ...
Standing Orders of the House of Commons (English, French) The House of Commons of Canada (French: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body whose members ...
The House of Commons has green features, such as the carpet and the chairs, because of its British parliamentary roots. The United Kingdom’s House of Commons has been decorated in green for over 350 years. The Bar of the House is the brass railing inside the entrance to the House of Commons. The Bar guards the chamber from unwanted ...
The Legislative Branch (Parliament) Parliament is Canada’s legislature, the federal institution with the power to make laws, to raise taxes, and to authorize government spending. The Parliament of Canada is “bicameral”, meaning it has two chambers: the Senate and the House of Commons. Proposed government legislation is introduced in one ...
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Adjournment of the House. An idea to make a new law or change an existing law starts out as a bill. Compilation of recorded votes, where the names of those voting for and against a motion are registered. Petitions are an easy way to participate in Canada's democracy. Committees are small groups of parliamentarians created to perform key tasks ...
