Parliament Basics
This chamber is made up of elected representatives and is the primary lawmaking body in Canada.
❝What is the House of Commons?❞
In this voting system, the candidate with the most votes wins, even if it’s not more than 50%.
❝What is First Past the Post (FPTP)?❞
This is how MPs get their jobs.
❝What is being elected in a federal riding?❞
The first time a bill is introduced in the House, it receives this.
❝What is First Reading?❞
This person is the head of the federal government.
❝Who is the Prime Minister?❞
These appointed officials review laws and provide “sober second thought.”
❝What is the Senate?❞
A Prime Minister “calls” one of these to trigger an early vote.
❝What is a snap election?❞
MPs often meet with their constituents in these informal meetings.
❝What are surgeries?❞
After a bill passes the House, it moves here for further review.
❝What is the Senate?❞
These people are chosen by the Prime Minister to help run government departments.
❝Who are Cabinet Ministers?❞
This term describes the geographic area represented by an MP.
❝What is a federal riding?❞
This type of government occurs when one party holds more than half the seats in the House of Commons.
❝What is a majority government?❞
The Prime Minister must also hold this role to sit in the House.
❝What is a Member of Parliament?❞
This is given by the Governor General to make a bill officially become law.
❝What is Royal Assent?❞
Senators are appointed by this person.
❝Who is the Prime Minister?❞
This event allows MPs to ask the government tough questions in public.
❝What is Question Period?❞
This vote shows whether the government still has support in the House; losing it can trigger an election.
❝What is a confidence vote?❞
These are three responsibilities of MPs.
❝What are passing laws, helping constituents, and debating issues?❞
These small groups examine bills more closely between readings.
❝What are committees?❞
The Prime Minister's power comes mainly from having the most seats in this chamber.
❝What is the House of Commons?❞
These people are appointed by the Prime Minister and are responsible for leading specific government departments.
❝What are Cabinet Ministers?❞
This is issued to start a federal election.
❝What is a writ of election?❞
This is one of the key jobs of an MP: representing the concerns of these people.
❝Who are constituents?❞
This is the term for the Senate’s careful review of bills.
What is “sober second thought”?
This institution gives the final approval before a bill becomes law.
This institution gives the final approval before a bill becomes law.