Prime Ministers of Canada
This man became Canada’s first Prime Minister in 1867 and was known for his dream of a coast-to-coast railway.
Who is Sir John A. Macdonald?
This city is home to Canada’s Parliament Buildings and the famous Peace Tower.
What is Ottawa?
Canadians vote for Members of Parliament in these areas, also known as ridings.
What are electoral districts (or constituencies)?
This western province is home to both the oil sands and the Calgary Stampede.
What is Alberta?
This is the name of Canada’s highest court, located in Ottawa.
What is the Supreme Court of Canada?
This Prime Minister introduced Canada’s flag with the iconic red maple leaf in 1965.
Who is Lester B. Pearson?
This chamber of Parliament is where Members of Parliament, or MPs, debate and pass laws.
What is the House of Commons?
This term describes when no single party wins a majority of seats in the House of Commons.
What is a minority government?
This province was the last to join Confederation, signing on in 1949.
What is Newfoundland and Labrador?
This foundational document, signed in 1867, originally created the Dominion of Canada.
What is the British North America Act (now the Constitution Act, 1867)?
This long-serving Prime Minister from Quebec led Canada through most of the 1990s and was known for saying “A proof is a proof.”
Who is Jean Chrétien?
Appointed rather than elected, members of this chamber review bills passed by the House of Commons.
What is the Senate?
Canada uses this type of voting system, where the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.
What is first-past-the-post?
Known for its separatist movements, this province has held two referendums on leaving Canada.
What is Quebec?
This 1982 document guarantees Canadians certain rights and freedoms, like expression and equality.
What is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
He was Canada’s first and only Prime Minister to serve two non-consecutive terms, with his first beginning in 1873.
Who is Alexander Mackenzie?
This term describes the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons.
What is the governing (or ruling) party?
This agency oversees federal elections and ensures they are conducted fairly.
What is Elections Canada?
This Prairie Premier created the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), the forerunner to today’s NDP.
Who is Tommy Douglas?
This title is given to the monarch’s representative in Canada who signs bills into law.
Who is the Governor General?
This Prime Minister, in office from 1984 to 1993, negotiated both the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords.
Who is Brian Mulroney?
This tradition requires that Members of Parliament support their party’s position in votes, even if they personally disagree.
What is party discipline (or caucus solidarity)?
This 2015 Liberal campaign promise to reform the voting system was never fulfilled, disappointing many reform advocates.
What is electoral reform (or changing the voting system from first-past-the-post)?
This 1982 agreement brought Canada’s Constitution home from Britain — without the signature of one province.
What is the patriation of the Constitution (and the missing province was Quebec)?
This controversial legal clause allows governments to override certain Charter rights for up to five years.
What is the notwithstanding clause (Section 33)?