); originally, the
machinery of the government was set up in the British North America
Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec,
where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Romeo Le BLANC (since 8 February
1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November
1993)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated
by the governor general to become prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of
the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve
until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected
on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104
senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301
seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: House of Commons--last held 2 June 1997 (next to be held
by NA June 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party--Liberal Party 38%, Reform
Party 19%, Tories 19%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 11%,
other 2%; seats by party--Liberal Party 155, Reform Party 60, Bloc
Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 21, Progressive Conservative
Party 20, independents 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime
minister through the governor general

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN];

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, APEC, AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer), CP,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G-10,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS,
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,