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Politics of Canada

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Politics of Canada

The politics of Canada functions within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy where the monarch is the ceremonial head of state. In practice, executive authority is entrusted to the Cabinet, a committee of ministers of the Crown chaired by the prime minister of Canada that act as the executive committee of the King's Privy Council for Canada and are responsible to the democratically elected House of Commons. Canada is described as a "full democracy", with a tradition of secular liberalism, and an egalitarian, moderate political ideology. Extremism has never been prominent in Canadian politics. The traditional "brokerage" model of Canadian politics leaves little room for ideology. Peace, order, and good government, alongside an Implied Bill of Rights, are founding principles of the Canadian government. An emphasis on multiculturalism and social justice has been a distinguishing element of Canada's political culture. Canada has placed emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion for all its people. The country has a multi-party system in which many of its legislative practices derive from the unwritten conventions of and precedents set by the Westminster parliament of the United Kingdom. The two dominant political parties in Canada have historically been the Liberal Party of Canada and the current Conservative Party of Canada (as well as its numerous predecessors). Parties like the New Democratic Party, the Quebec nationalist Bloc Québécois and the Green Party of Canada have grown in prominence, exerting their own influence to the political process. Canada has evolved variations: party discipline in Canada is stronger than in the United States and United Kingdom, and more parliamentary votes are considered motions of confidence, which tends to diminish the role of non-Cabinet members of parliament (MPs). Such members, in the government caucus, and junior or lower-profile members of opposition caucuses, are known as backbenchers. Backbenchers can, however, exert their influence by sitting in parliamentary committees, like the Public Accounts Committee or the National Defence Committee.

Infobox

Polity type
Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Constitution
Constitution of Canada
Name
Court system of Canada
Type
Bicameral
Meeting place
Parliament Buildings
Presiding officer
Francis Scarpaleggia, Speaker
Appointer
Governor General
Currently
Prime MinisterMark Carney
Current cabinet
30th Canadian Ministry
Leader
Prime Minister
Deputy leader
Deputy Prime Minister
Ministries
30
Chief judge
Richard Wagner

Tables

Summary of the 2025 Canadian federal election · Elections
2021
2021
Party
2021
Party
Dissol.
Party leader
2025
Candidates
Change from 2021
Seats
% seats
Seats
Votes
Seats
Votechange
Seats
%
Seats
pp change
Popular vote
% whererunning
Total valid votes
Total valid votes
Party
Total valid votes
Party
19,641,663
Party leader
2,727,388
Candidates
100.00%
Seats
Seats
Total rejected ballots
Total rejected ballots
Party
Total rejected ballots
Party
169,857
Party leader
5,711
Candidates
0.86%
Seats
0.16pp
Seats
Total
Total
Party
Total
Party
1,959
Party leader
338
Candidates
338
Seats
343
Seats
5
Seats
100.00%
Popular vote
100.00%
Popular vote
Popular vote
100.00%
Electorate (eligible voters)/turnout
Electorate (eligible voters)/turnout
Party
Electorate (eligible voters)/turnout
Seats
Note: Official results with two judicial recounts to be completed.
Note: Official results with two judicial recounts to be completed.
Party
Note: Official results with two judicial recounts to be completed.
Source(s): Elections Canada (D) indicates a party deregistered before the next election
Source(s): Elections Canada (D) indicates a party deregistered before the next election
Party
Source(s): Elections Canada (D) indicates a party deregistered before the next election
Party
Party leader
Candidates
Seats
Popular vote
2021
Dissol.
2025
Change from 2021
% seats
Votes
Votechange
%
pp change
% whererunning
Liberal
Mark Carney
342
160
152
169
9
49.27%
8,595,488
3,038,859
43.76%
11.14pp
43.91%
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre
342
119
120
144
25
41.98%
8,113,484
2,366,074
41.31%
7.57pp
41.43%
Bloc Québécois
Yves-François Blanchet
78
32
33
22
10
6.41%
1,236,349
65,276
6.29%
1.35pp
27.65%
New Democratic
Jagmeet Singh
342
25
24
7
18
2.04%
1,234,673
1,801,675
6.29%
11.53pp
6.30%
Green
Elizabeth May &Jonathan Pedneault
232
2
2
1
1
0.29%
238,892
158,096
1.22%
1.11pp
1.75%
People's
Maxime Bernier
247
136,977
704,016
0.70%
4.24pp
0.94%
Independent and No Affiliation
177
3
39,498
7,017
0.20%
0.01pp
0.31%
Christian Heritage
Rodney L. Taylor
32
10,065
1,080
0.05%
0.46%
Rhinoceros
Chinook B. Blais-Leduc
29
7,063
978
0.04%
0.41%
United
Grant S. Abraham
16
New
New
6,061
New
0.03%
New
0.57%
Libertarian
Jacques Y. Boudreau
16
5,561
796
0.03%
0.57%
Marxist–Leninist
Anna Di Carlo
35
4,996
464
0.03%
0.25%
Communist
Elizabeth Rowley
24
4,685
15
0.02%
0.01pp
0.36%
Centrist
A. Q. Rana
19
3,314
2,666
0.02%
0.02pp
0.31%
Canadian Future
Dominic Cardy
19
New
New
3,123
New
0.02%
New
0.27%
Animal Protection
Liz White
7
1,301
1,245
0.01%
0.32%
Marijuana (D)
Blair T. Longley
2
133
1,898
0.00%
0.01pp
0.09%
Vacant
4
Total valid votes
19,641,663
2,727,388
100.00%
Total rejected ballots
169,857
5,711
0.86%
0.16pp
Total
1,959
338
338
343
5
100.00%
100.00%
100.00%
Electorate (eligible voters)/turnout
Note: Official results with two judicial recounts to be completed.
Source(s): Elections Canada (D) indicates a party deregistered before the next election

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