Government

🧾 Part 1: How a Bill Becomes a Law (7 Steps)

Know the order and purpose of each stage:

First Reading – The bill is introduced to the House of Commons. No debate yet.
Second Reading – Members debate the main idea or principle of the bill.
Committee Stage – A committee studies the bill in detail, makes changes, and can call experts or witnesses.
Report Stage – The committee reports the bill back to the House, and Members may suggest further changes.
Third Reading – Final debate and vote in the House of Commons. If passed, it moves to the Senate.
The Senate – The bill goes through a similar three-reading process in the Senate.
Royal Assent – The Governor General gives formal approval on behalf of the King, and the bill becomes law.

⚖ Part 2: Diagram – The Structure of Canada’s Government

Top Level:

The Constitution – Canada’s highest law that outlines how the government works.
The Monarch (King Charles III) – Canada’s Head of State.
The Governor General – Represents the Monarch in Canada.

Branches of Government:

Branch	Main Role	Key Parts / People
Legislative Branch	Makes laws	House of Commons, Senate, Members of Parliament (MPs)
Executive Branch	Enforces laws and runs the government	Prime Minister, Cabinet, Public Servants, Governor General
Judicial Branch	Interprets laws and ensures they follow the Constitution	Supreme Court of Canada, other courts

🧠 Tip: Think of the Constitution as the “umbrella” above all three branches.

Diagram to be familiar with:

**Governor General would fall under Monarch

📘 Part 3: Vocabulary Terms

Term	Definition
Backbencher	An MP who is not part of Cabinet or the Opposition’s Shadow Cabinet.
Cabinet	A group of government ministers chosen by the Prime Minister to head departments (e.g. Finance, Health).
Caucus	A private meeting of all MPs from the same political party.
Deputy Minister	The top public servant who helps a Cabinet Minister run a department.
Executive Branch	The branch of government that carries out laws and runs daily operations.
Governor General	The King’s representative in Canada; gives Royal Assent to laws.
House of Commons	The main law-making body of Parliament, where elected MPs debate and vote on bills.
Judicial Branch	The system of courts that interprets and applies the law.
Leader of the Opposition	The head of the political party with the second-largest number of seats in the House of Commons.
Party Whip	An MP who ensures party members attend votes and follow party policy.
Member of Parliament (MP)	An elected representative in the House of Commons.
Official Opposition	The political party with the second-largest number of seats.
Parliament	Canada’s federal law-making body: includes the Monarch, Senate, and House of Commons.
Legislative Branch	The branch that makes and debates laws.
Prime Minister	The head of government and leader of the political party in power.
Public Servant	A government employee who works in a department or agency.
Senate	The “upper house” of Parliament that reviews and revises bills from the House of Commons.
Shadow Cabinet	Opposition MPs who “shadow” government ministers and critique their work.
Supreme Court	The highest court in Canada; interprets the Constitution and makes final legal decisions.

💡 Study Tips

Practice drawing the government structure diagram from memory.
Create flashcards for the vocabulary terms.
Review the bill-to-law steps in order — mix them up and test yourself.
Watch a short video on Canada’s Parliament in action (Parliament of Canada YouTube channel).