Québécois (also known as Quebecers or Quebeckers in English) are people associated with Quebec . The term is most often used in reference to either descendants of the French settlers in Quebec or people of any ethnicity who live and trace their origins in the province of Quebec .
100-645: Les Automatistes were a group of Québécois artistic dissidents from Montreal , Quebec , Canada. The movement was founded in the early 1940s by painter Paul-Émile Borduas . Les Automatistes were so called because they were influenced by Surrealism and its theory of automatism . Members included Marcel Barbeau , Roger Fauteux , Claude Gauvreau , Jean-Paul Riopelle , Pierre Gauvreau , Fernand Leduc , Jean-Paul Mousseau , Guy Borremans , Marcelle Ferron and Françoise Sullivan . The movement may have begun with an exhibition Borduas gave in Montreal in 1942. Held at
200-405: A basic minimum of 295 electoral districts, but additional seats are allocated according to various clauses. Seats are distributed among the provinces in proportion to population, as determined by each decennial census , subject to the following exceptions made by the constitution. Firstly, the "senatorial clause" guarantees that each province will have at least as many MPs as senators . Secondly,
300-464: A citizen of Canada and at least eighteen years of age. Declining the ballot, which is possible in several provinces, is not an option under current federal regulations. Once elected, a member of Parliament normally continues to serve until the next dissolution of parliament. If a member dies, resigns, or ceases to be qualified, their seat falls vacant. It is also possible for the House of Commons to expel
400-621: A distinctively Canadian artistic identity. Heavily influenced by Surrealist manifestos and poetry, their work was largely stream-of-consciousness inspired, believing this to be a truer means of communicating subconscious emotions and sensory experiences; they wanted to be liberated from intention, reason, and any kind of structure, in order to communicate a universal human experience without bias. This resulted in increasingly crude or intuitive methods such as applying paint with palette knives and fingers and painting blindfolded, their efforts contradicting their claims of working without intention. In 1954,
500-457: A governor general refusing to grant a dissolution was in 1926. Except when compelled to request a dissolution by an adverse vote on a confidence issue, the prime minister is allowed to choose the timing of dissolutions, and consequently the timing of general elections. The time chosen reflects political considerations, and is generally most opportune for the prime minister's party. However, no parliamentary term can last for more than five years from
600-625: A growing menace of independence from the 13 original British colonies. As shown by the 2016 Statistics Canada census, 58.3% of residents of Quebec identify their ethnicity as Canadian , 23.5% as French and 0.4% as Acadian . Roughly 2.3% of residents, or 184,005 people, describe their ethnicity as Québécois . The term became more common in English as Québécois largely replacing French Canadian as an expression of cultural and national identity among French Canadians living in Quebec during
700-467: A legislative committee, may consist of no more than fifteen members. Other committees include joint committees, which include both members of the House of Commons and senators; such committees may hold hearings and oversee government, but do not revise legislation. Although legislation may be introduced in either chamber, most bills originate in the House of Commons. In conformity with the British model,
800-524: A list of sample choices ("Québécois" did not appear among the various sample choices). The ethnicity "Canadien" or Canadian, did appear as an example on the questionnaire, and was selected by 4.9 million people or 68.2% of the Quebec population. In the more detailed Ethnic Diversity Survey , Québécois was the most common ethnic identity in Quebec, reported by 37% of Quebec's population aged 15 years and older, either as their only identity or alongside other identities. The survey, based on interviews, asked
900-503: A long-standing convention. In any case, an act of Parliament now limits each term to four years . Seats in the House of Commons are distributed roughly in proportion to the population of each province and territory . However, some ridings are more populous than others, and the Canadian constitution contains provisions regarding provincial representation. As a result, there is some interprovincial and regional malapportionment relative to
1000-712: A member may informally abstain by remaining seated during the division. If there is an equality of votes, the speaker has a casting vote. The outcome of most votes is largely known beforehand since political parties normally instruct members on how to vote. A party normally entrusts some members of Parliament, known as whips , with the task of ensuring that all party members vote as desired. Members of Parliament do not tend to vote against such instructions since those who do so are unlikely to reach higher political ranks in their parties. Errant members may be deselected as official party candidates during future elections, and, in serious cases, may be expelled from their parties outright. Thus,
1100-438: A member, but this power is only exercised when the member has engaged in serious misconduct or criminal activity. Formerly, MPs appointed to the cabinet were expected to resign their seats, though this practice ceased in 1931. In each case, a vacancy may be filled by a by-election in the appropriate electoral district. The first-past-the-post system is used in by-elections, as in general elections. The term member of Parliament
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#17327976812771200-545: A nation, compared with 38 per cent of English-speaking Canadians. As well, 78 per cent of 1,000 Québécois polled thought that Québécois should be recognized as a nation. The Québécois self-identify as an ethnic group in both the English and French versions of the Canadian census and in demographic studies of ethnicity in Canada. In the 2016 census, 74,575 chose Québécois as one of multiple responses with 119,985 choosing it as
1300-523: A new Quebec nationalism in the 1960s led to Québécois increasingly referring to provincial institutions as being national. This was reflected in the change of the provincial Legislative Assembly to National Assembly in 1968. Nationalism reached an apex in the 1970s and 1990s, with contentious constitutional debates resulting in close to half of all of French-speaking Québécois seeking recognition of nation status through tight referendums on Quebec sovereignty in 1980 and 1995. Having lost both referendums,
1400-893: A result, their identification with their ethnicity is weaker tending to have a more broad based cultural identification: for example, only 50% of third generation "Canadians" strongly identify as such, bringing down the overall average. The survey report notes that 80% of Canadians whose families had been in Canada for three or more generations reported "Canadian and provincial or regional ethnic identities". These identities include "Québécois" (37% of Quebec population), "Acadian" (6% of Atlantic provinces) and "Newfoundlander" (38% of Newfoundland and Labrador). French expressions employing "Québécois" often appear in both French and English. House of Commons of Canada His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Parties with official status Parties without official status The House of Commons of Canada ( French : Chambre des communes du Canada )
1500-467: A single response (194,555 as a combined response). In the 2001 Census of Canada, 98,670 Canadians, or just over 1% of the population of Quebec identified "Québécois" as their ethnicity, ranking "Québécois" as the 37th most common response. These results were based on a question on residents in each household in Canada: "To which ethnic or cultural group(s) did this person's ancestors belong?" , along with
1600-447: A strong sense of belonging. The generational profile and strength of identity of French New World ancestries contrast with those of British or Canadian ancestries, which represent the largest ethnic identities in Canada. Although deeply rooted Canadians express a deep attachment to their ethnic identity, most English-speaking Canadians of British ancestry generally cannot trace their ancestry as far back in Canada as French-speakers. As
1700-489: A symbol. In the United Kingdom, the House of Commons and the House of Lords use the royal badge of the portcullis , in green and red respectively, to represent those institutions and to distinguish them from the government, the courts and the monarch. The Canadian Heraldic Authority on April 15, 2008, granted the House of Commons, as an institution, a badge consisting of the chamber's mace (as described above) behind
1800-523: A visual arts group, it also spread to other forms of expression, such as drama, poetry and dance. The title "les Automatistes" came from journalist Tancrède Marcil Jr., in a review of their second exhibit in Montreal (February 15 to March 1, 1947), which appeared in Le Quartier Latin (the Université de Montréal 's student journal). In 1948, Borduas published a collective manifesto called
1900-401: Is a personal choice. Despite near-universal support in the House of Commons, several important dissenters criticized the motion. Intergovernmental Affairs minister Michael Chong resigned from his position and abstained from voting, arguing that this motion was too ambiguous and had the potential of recognizing a destructive ethnic nationalism in Canada. Liberals were the most divided on
2000-469: Is a word used primarily to refer to a French-speaking inhabitant of the Canadian province of Quebec . Sometimes, it is used more generally to refer to any inhabitant of Quebec. It can refer to French spoken in Quebec . It may also be used, with an upper- or lower-case initial, as an adjective relating to Quebec, or to the French-Canadian culture of Quebec . A resident or native of Quebec
2100-406: Is any taxation or spending bill and the annual budget. When a government has lost the confidence of the House of Commons, the prime minister is obliged to either resign or request the governor general to dissolve parliament, thereby precipitating a general election. The governor general may theoretically refuse to dissolve parliament, thereby forcing the prime minister to resign. The last instance of
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#17327976812772200-422: Is close to the national average. The other six provinces (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador) are over-represented. Boundary commissions, appointed by the federal government for each province, have the task of drawing the boundaries of the electoral districts in each province. Territorial representation is independent of the population; each territory
2300-405: Is entitled to only one seat. The electoral quotient was defined by legislation as 111,166 for the redistribution of seats after the 2011 census and is adjusted following each decennial census by multiplying it by the average of the percentage of population change of each province since the previous decennial census. The population of the province is then divided by the electoral quotient to equal
2400-573: Is often referred to in English as a Quebecer or Quebecker. In French, Québécois or Québécoise usually refers to any native or resident of Quebec. Its use became more prominent in the 1960s as French Canadians from Quebec increasingly self-identified as Québécois. English expressions employing the term may imply specific reference to francophones; examples include "Québécois music","a Québécois rocker" or "Québécois literature" . The dictionary Le Petit Robert , published in France, states that
2500-460: Is placed upon the table in front of the speaker for the duration of the sitting with the crown pointing towards the prime minister and the other cabinet ministers, who advise the monarch and governor general and are accountable to this chamber (in the Senate chamber, the mace points towards the throne, where the king has the right to sit himself). Carved above the speaker's chair is the royal arms of
2600-566: Is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada . Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada , they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada . The House of Commons is a democratically elected body whose members are known as members of Parliament (MPs). There have been up to 338 MPs since the most recent electoral district redistribution for the 2015 federal election , which saw
2700-521: Is the dominant chamber of Parliament, with the Senate very rarely exercising its powers in a way that opposes the will of the democratically elected chamber. The last major bill defeated in the Senate came in 2010, when a bill passed by the Commons concerning climate change was rejected in the Senate. A clause in the Constitution Act, 1867 permits the governor general (with the approval of
2800-411: Is usually used only to refer to members of the House of Commons, even though the Senate is also a part of Parliament. Members of the House of Commons may use the post-nominal letters "MP". The annual salary of each MP, as of November 2024, was $ 203,100; members may receive additional salaries in right of other offices they hold (for instance, the speakership ). MPs rank immediately below senators in
2900-475: The Canadian coat of arms are now understood to be the royal arms of the monarch. Escutcheons of the same original royal arms can be found on each side of the speaker's chair held by a lion and a unicorn. In response to a campaign by Bruce Hicks for the Canadianization of symbols of royal authority and to advance the identity of parliamentary institutions, a proposal that was supported by speakers of
3000-521: The Centre Block , which houses the traditional Commons chamber, undergoes renovation. The term derives from the Anglo-Norman word communes, referring to the geographic and collective "communities" of their parliamentary representatives and not the third estate , the commonality. This distinction is made clear in the official French name of the body, Chambre des communes . Canada and
3100-417: The Constitution Act, 1867 , a member of the Senate may not also become a member of the House of Commons and MPs must give up their seats when appointed to the Senate or the bench. The House of Commons elects a presiding officer, known as the speaker, at the beginning of each new parliamentary term, and also whenever a vacancy arises. Formerly, the prime minister determined who would serve as speaker. Although
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3200-643: The French colony of New France to Britain after the Seven Years' War . Quebec City remained the capital. In 1774, Guy Carleton obtained from the British Government the Quebec Act , which gave Canadiens most of the territory they held before 1763; the right of religion; and their right of language and culture. The British Government did this to in order to keep their loyalty, in the face of
3300-651: The House of Commons of Canada in 2006 approved a motion tabled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper , which stated that the Québécois are a nation within a united Canada. Harper later elaborated that the motion's definition of Québécois relies on personal decisions to self-identify as Québécois, and therefore is a personal choice. Québécois (pronounced [kebekwa] ); feminine : Québécoise (pronounced [kebekwaz] ), Quebecois (fem.: Quebecoise ), or Québecois (fem.: Québecoise )
3400-586: The Province of Canada (which was divided into Quebec and Ontario ), Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into a single federation called Canada. The new Parliament of Canada consisted of the monarch (represented by the governor general, who also represented the Colonial Office ), the Senate and the House of Commons. The Parliament of Canada was based on the Westminster model (that is, the model of
3500-615: The Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. The predominant French Canadian nationalism and identity of previous generations was based on the protection of the French language , the Roman Catholic Church , and Church-run institutions across Canada and in parts of the United States. In contrast, the modern Québécois identity is secular and based on a social democratic ideal of an active Quebec government promoting
3600-535: The Refus global , an important document in the cultural history of Quebec and a declaration of artistic independence and the need for expressive freedom. The decision to write the manifesto was partly influenced by Jean Paul Riopelle, who had recently signed the Surrealist manifesto Rupture inaugurale during a visit to Paris. Refus global was published in a first edition of four hundred copies, which went on sale at
3700-690: The United Kingdom remain the only countries to use the name "House of Commons" for a lower house of parliament. The body's formal name is: The Honourable the Commons of Canada in Parliament assembled (French: l’Honorable Chambre des communes du Canada, en Parlement assemblée ) The House of Commons came into existence in 1867, when the British Parliament passed the British North America Act 1867 , uniting
3800-406: The deputy clerk , the law clerk and parliamentary counsel, and several other clerks. These officers advise the speaker and members on the rules and procedure of the House in addition to exercising senior management functions within the House administration. Another important officer is the sergeant-at-arms , whose duties include the maintenance of order and security on the House's premises and inside
3900-500: The executive power on behalf of the prime minister and Cabinet, enjoys a complementary relationship with the House of Commons—similar to the UK model, and in contrast to the US model of separation of powers . Though it does not formally elect the prime minister, the House of Commons indirectly controls who becomes prime minister. By convention, the prime minister is answerable to and must maintain
4000-901: The order of precedence . Under the Constitution Act, 1867 , Parliament is empowered to determine the qualifications of members of the House of Commons. The present qualifications are outlined in the Canada Elections Act , which was passed in 2000. Under the Act, individuals must be eligible voters as of the day of nomination, to stand as a candidate. Thus, minors and individuals who are not citizens of Canada are not allowed to become candidates. The Canada Elections Act also bars prisoners from standing for election (although they may vote). Moreover, individuals found guilty of election-related crimes are prohibited from becoming members for five years (in some cases, seven years) after conviction. The Act also prohibits certain officials from standing for
4100-497: The "grandfather clause" guarantees each province has at least as many Members of Parliament now as it had in 1985. (This was amended in 2021 to be the number of members in the 43rd Canadian Parliament .) As a result of these clauses, smaller provinces and territories that have experienced a relative decline in population have become over-represented in the House. Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta are under-represented in proportion to their populations, while Quebec's representation
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4200-740: The 2021 census, it is expected to go into effect at the earliest for any federal election called after April 2024. After initial controversy that Quebec would lose a seat in the redistribution under the existing representation formula established by the Fair Representation Act, the Preserving Provincial Representation in the House of Commons Act was passed and given royal assent on June 23, 2022, and effectively allocated three additional seats to Alberta and one new seat each to Ontario and British Columbia. The following tables summarize representation in
4300-602: The Automatistes were the subject of the NFB/CBC documentary series On the Spot in an episode entitled Artist in Montreal. Qu%C3%A9b%C3%A9cois (word) Self-identification as Québécois became dominant starting in the 1960s; prior to this, the francophone people of Quebec mostly identified themselves as French Canadians and as Canadiens before anglophones started identifying as Canadians as well. A majority in
4400-516: The Bloc Québécois resolution came to a vote. The English version changed the word Quebecer to Québécois and added "within a united Canada" at the end of the Bloc motion. The "Québécois nation" was recognized by the House of Commons of Canada on November 27, 2006. The Prime Minister specified that the motion used the "cultural" and "sociological" as opposed to the "legal" sense of
4500-760: The British Parliament did not apply to Canada, with some exceptions. These exceptions were removed by the Canada Act 1982 . From 1867, the Commons met in the chamber previously used by the Legislative Assembly of Canada until the building was destroyed by fire in 1916. It relocated to the amphitheatre of the Victoria Memorial Museum — what is today the Canadian Museum of Nature , where it met until 1922. Until
4600-571: The Chamber, three sword-lengths apart (about three metres). The speaker's chair (which can be adjusted for height) is at the north end of the Chamber. In front of it is the Table of the House, on which rests the ceremonial mace. Various "table officers"—clerks and other officials—sit at the table, ready to advise the speaker on procedure when necessary. Members of the Government sit on the benches on
4700-451: The Chamber. If, after a second count, a quorum is still not present, the speaker must adjourn the House until the next sitting day. During debates, members may only speak if called upon by the speaker (or, as is most often the case, the deputy presiding). The speaker is responsible for ensuring that members of all parties have an opportunity to be heard. The speaker also determines who is to speak if two or more members rise simultaneously, but
4800-563: The Ermitage, an exhibition hall owned by the Collège de Montréal , the show featured gouaches that illustrated the artist's experimentation with non-figurative painting. Initially, les Automatistes exhibited in makeshift venues, since no commercial gallery was willing to show the work of all the members. However, the group was soon being exhibited in Paris and New York also. Though it began as
4900-852: The French language and French-speaking culture in the arts, education, and business within the Province of Quebec . Politically, this resulted in a push towards more autonomy for Quebec and an internal debate on Quebec independence and identity that continues to this day. The emphasis on the French language and Quebec autonomy means that French-speakers across Canada now self-identify more specifically with provincial or regional identity-tags, such as acadienne , or franco-canadienne , franco-manitobaine , franco-ontarienne or fransaskoise . Terms such as Franco-Ontarian and Franco-Manitoban are still predominant. Francophones and anglophones use many terms when discussing issues of francophone linguistic and cultural identity in English. The political shift towards
5000-474: The House are divided between the four officers aforementioned; however, the speaker usually presides over Question Period and over the most important debates. The speaker controls debates by calling on members to speak. If a member believes that a rule (or standing order) has been breached, they may raise a " point of order ", on which the speaker makes a ruling that is not subject to any debate or appeal. The speaker may also discipline members who fail to observe
5100-513: The House are open to the public. Proceedings are broadcast over cable and satellite television and over live streaming video on the Internet by CPAC owned by a consortium of Canadian cable companies. They are also recorded in text form in print and online in Hansard , the official report of parliamentary debates. The Constitution Act, 1867 establishes a quorum of twenty members (including
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#17327976812775200-414: The House of Commons John Fraser and Gilbert Parent , a Commons committee was eventually struck following a motion by MP Derek Lee , before which Hicks and Robert Watt , the first chief herald of Canada , was called as the only two expert witnesses, though Senator Serge Joyal joined the committee on behalf of the Senate. Commons' speaker Peter Milliken then asked the governor general to authorize such
5300-460: The House of Commons . The government house leader (as they are more commonly known) is a member of Parliament selected by the prime minister and holds cabinet rank. The leader manages the schedule of the House of Commons and attempts to secure the Opposition's support for the Government's legislative agenda. Officers of the House who are not members include the clerk of the House of Commons ,
5400-532: The House of Commons by province and territory: General elections occur whenever parliament is dissolved by the governor general on the monarch's behalf. The timing of the dissolution has historically been chosen by the Prime minister . The Constitution Act, 1867 , provides that a parliament last no longer than five years. Canadian election law requires that elections must be held on the third Monday in October in
5500-408: The House of Commons. These officers include members of provincial and territorial legislatures (although this was not always the case), sheriffs, crown attorneys , most judges, and election officers. The chief electoral officer (the head of Elections Canada , the federal agency responsible for conducting elections) is prohibited not only from standing as candidate but also from voting. Finally, under
5600-517: The House voted on the matter, the voting constituted a mere formality. Since 1986, however, the House has elected speakers by secret ballot. The speaker is assisted by a deputy speaker, who also holds the title of chair of Committees of the Whole. Two other deputies—the deputy chair of Committees of the Whole and the assistant deputy chair of Committees of the Whole—also preside. The duties of presiding over
5700-539: The Librairie Tranquille in Montreal on August 9, 1948. The manifesto's denunciation of the Catholic Church's authority was particularly scandalous and resulted in the group's public humiliation . This ultimately led to a kind of martyrdom but was initially devastating. Borduas was dismissed from his position at the École du meuble and, unable to find work, left Quebec permanently in 1953. Although
5800-478: The Lower House alone is authorized to originate bills imposing taxes or appropriating public funds. This restriction on the power of the Senate is not merely a matter of convention, but is explicitly stated in the Constitution Act, 1867 . Otherwise, the power of the two Houses of Parliament is theoretically equal; the approval of each is necessary for a bill's passage. In practice, however, the House of Commons
5900-613: The Parliament of the United Kingdom). Unlike the UK Parliament, the powers of the Parliament of Canada were limited in that other powers were assigned exclusively to the provincial legislatures . The Parliament of Canada also remained subordinate to the British Parliament, the supreme legislative authority for the entire British Empire. Greater autonomy was granted by the Statute of Westminster 1931 , after which new acts of
6000-596: The Parti Québécois tabled a motion that was unanimously adopted in the National Assembly affirming that the Quebec people formed a nation. Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe scheduled a similar motion in the House of Commons for November 23, 2006, that would have recognized "Quebecers as a nation". Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper tabled the Québécois nation motion the day before
6100-588: The Senate only occasionally amends bills passed by the House of Commons and rarely rejects them. Moreover, the Cabinet is responsible primarily to the House of Commons. The government stays in office only so long as they retain the support, or "confidence", of the lower house. The House of Commons meets in a temporary chamber in the West Block of the parliament buildings on Parliament Hill in Ottawa , while
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#17327976812776200-729: The United Kingdom . This chair was a gift from the United Kingdom Branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association in 1921, to replace the chair that was destroyed by the fire of 1916, and was a replica of the chair in the British House of Commons at the time. These arms at its apex were considered the royal arms for general purposes throughout the British Empire at the time. Since 1931, however, Canada has been an independent country and
6300-496: The addition of 30 seats. Members are elected by simple plurality ("first-past-the-post" system) in each of the country's electoral districts , which are colloquially known as ridings . MPs may hold office until Parliament is dissolved and serve for constitutionally limited terms of up to five years after an election. Historically, however, terms have ended before their expiry and the sitting government has typically dissolved parliament within four years of an election according to
6400-552: The adjective québécois , in addition to its territorial meaning, may refer specifically to francophone or French Canadian culture in Quebec. The dictionary gives as examples cinéma québécois and littérature québécoise . However, an ethnic or linguistic sense is absent from Le Petit Larousse , also published in France, as well as from French dictionaries published in Canada such as Le Dictionnaire québécois d'aujourd'hui and Le Dictionnaire du français Plus , which indicate instead Québécois francophone "francophone Quebecer" in
6500-613: The area around Quebec City where the Saint Lawrence River narrows to a cliff-lined gap. French explorer Samuel de Champlain chose this name in 1608 for the colonial outpost he would use as the administrative seat for the French colony of Canada and New France . The Province of Quebec was first founded as a British colony in the Royal Proclamation of 1763 after the Treaty of Paris formally transferred
6600-598: The base provincial-seat allocation. The "special clauses" are then applied to increase the number of seats for certain provinces, bringing the total number of seats (with the three seats for the territories) to 338. The most recent redistribution of seats occurred subsequent to the 2011 census . The Fair Representation Act was passed and given royal assent on December 16, 2011, and effectively allocated fifteen additional seats to Ontario, six new seats each to Alberta and British Columbia, and three more to Quebec. A new redistribution began in October 2021 subsequent to
6700-465: The buildings of the parliamentary precinct. (The Royal Canadian Mounted Police patrol Parliament Hill but are not allowed into the buildings unless asked by the speaker). The sergeant-at-arms also carries the ceremonial mace , a symbol of the authority of the Crown and the House of Commons, into the House each sitting. The House is also staffed by parliamentary pages , who carry messages to the members in
6800-440: The candidate who signs up the most local party members generally wins the nomination. To run for a seat in the house, candidates must file nomination papers bearing the signatures of at least 50 or 100 constituents (depending on the size of the electoral district). Each electoral district returns one member using the first-past-the-post electoral system , under which the candidate with a plurality of votes wins. To vote, one must be
6900-477: The chamber and otherwise provide assistance to the House. The Commons' mace has the shape of a medieval mace which was used as a weapon, but in brass and ornate in detail and symbolism. At its bulbous head is a replica of the Imperial State Crown ; the choice of this crown for the Commons' mace differentiates it from the Senate's mace, which has St. Edward's Crown at its apex. The Commons mace
7000-486: The decision may be altered by the House. Motions must be moved by one member and seconded by another before debate may begin. Some motions, however, are non-debatable. Speeches may be made in either of Canada's official languages (English and French), and it is customary for bilingual members of parliament to respond to these in the same language they were made in. It is common for bilingual MPs to switch between languages during speeches. Members must address their speeches to
7100-543: The end of 2018, the Commons sat in the Centre Block chamber. Starting with the final sitting before the 2019 federal election, the Commons sits in a temporary chamber in the West Block until at least 2028, while renovations are undertaken in the Centre Block of Parliament. The House of Commons has 338 members , each of whom represents a single electoral district (also called a riding ). The constitution specifies
7200-520: The escutcheon of the shield of the royal arms of Canada (representing the monarch, in whose name the House of Commons deliberates). Like the Senate, the House of Commons meets on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The Commons Chamber is modestly decorated in green, in contrast with the more lavishly furnished red Senate Chamber. The arrangement is similar to the design of the Chamber of the British House of Commons. The seats are evenly divided between both sides of
7300-500: The first sitting of Parliament; a dissolution is automatic upon the expiry of this period. Normally, Parliaments do not last for full five-year terms; prime ministers typically ask for dissolutions after about three or four years. In 2006, the Harper government introduced a bill to set fixed election dates every four years , although snap elections are still permitted. The bill was approved by Parliament and has now become law. Whatever
7400-541: The following questions: "1) I would now like to ask you about your ethnic ancestry, heritage or background. What were the ethnic or cultural origins of your ancestors? 2) In addition to "Canadian", what were the other ethnic or cultural origins of your ancestors on first coming to North America?" This survey did not list possible choices of ancestry and permitted multiple answers. In census ethnic surveys, French-speaking Canadians identify their ethnicity most often as French , Canadien , Québécois , or French Canadian , with
7500-633: The fourth year after the last election, subject to the discretion of the Crown. Campaigns must be at least 36 days long. Candidates are usually nominated by political parties . A candidate can run independently, although it is rare for such a candidate to win. Most successful independent candidates have been incumbents who were expelled from their political parties (for example, John Nunziata in 1997 or Jody Wilson-Raybould in 2019) or who failed to win their parties' nomination (for example, Chuck Cadman in 2004). Most Canadian candidates are chosen in meetings called by their party's local association. In practice,
7600-488: The front rows. Other members of Parliament who do not hold any kind of special responsibilities are known as "backbenchers". The House usually sits Monday to Friday from late January to mid-June and from mid-September to mid-December according to an established calendar, though it can modify the calendar if additional or fewer sittings are required. During these periods, the House generally rises for one week per month to allow members to work in their constituencies. Sittings of
7700-450: The group dispersed soon after the manifesto was published, the movement continues to have influence, and may be considered a forerunner of the Quiet Revolution . Alongside Lyrical Abstract painters in France, the Automatistes favoured a fluid, painterly technique over the comparatively reserved, hard-edge abstraction so popular in the U.S. and Eastern Europe at the time. Much like a nonobjective Group of Seven , they were looking to create
7800-554: The independence of members of Parliament tends to be extremely low, and "backbench rebellions" by members discontent with their party's policies are rare. In some circumstances, however, parties announce "free votes", allowing members to vote as they please. This may be done on moral issues and is routine on private members' bills . The Parliament of Canada uses committees for a variety of purposes. Committees consider bills in detail and may make amendments. Other committees scrutinize various Government agencies and ministries. Potentially,
7900-591: The issue and represented 15 of the 16 votes against the motion. Liberal MP Ken Dryden summarized the view of many of these dissenters, maintaining that it was a game of semantics that cheapened issues of national identity. A survey by Leger Marketing in November 2006 showed that Canadians were deeply divided on this issue. When asked if Québécois are a nation, only 53 per cent of Canadians agreed, 47 per cent disagreed, with 33 per cent strongly disagreeing; 78 per cent of French-speaking Canadians agreed that Québécois are
8000-429: The job following the death of a prime minister and did not contest elections. The prime minister stays in office by retaining the confidence of the House of Commons. The lower house may indicate its lack of support for the government by rejecting a motion of confidence , or by passing a motion of no confidence . Important bills that form a part of the government's agenda are generally considered matters of confidence, as
8100-464: The largest of the Commons committees are the Committees of the Whole, which, as the name suggests, consist of all the members of the House. A Committee of the Whole meets in the Chamber of the House but proceeds under slightly modified rules of debate. (For example, a member may make more than one speech on a motion in a Committee of the Whole, but not during a normal session of the House.) Instead of
8200-847: The latter three referred to by Jantzen (2005) as "French New World" ancestries because they originate in Canada. Jantzen (2005) distinguishes the English Canadian , meaning "someone whose family has been in Canada for multiple generations", and the French Canadien , used to refer to descendants of the original settlers of New France in the 17th and 18th centuries. Those reporting "French New World" ancestries overwhelmingly had ancestors that went back at least 4 generations in Canada: specifically, 90% of Québécois traced their ancestry back this far. Fourth generation Canadiens and Québécois showed considerable attachment to their ethno-cultural group, with 70% and 61% respectively reporting
8300-481: The linguistic sense. The online dictionary Grand dictionnaire terminologique of the Office québécois de la langue française mentions only a territorial meaning for Québécois . Newspaper editor Lysiane Gagnon has referred to an ethnic sense of the word Québécois in both English and French. The name Québec comes from an Algonquin word meaning 'narrow passage' or 'strait'. The name originally referred to
8400-427: The member presiding) for the House of Commons. Any member may request a count of the members to ascertain the presence of a quorum; if however, the speaker feels that at least twenty members are clearly in the Chamber, the request may be denied. If a count does occur, and reveals that fewer than twenty members are present, the speaker orders bells to be rung, so that other members on the parliamentary precincts may come to
8500-594: The monarch) to appoint up to eight extra senators to resolve a deadlock between the two houses. The clause was invoked only once, in 1990, when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney advised the appointment of an additional eight senators to secure the Senate's approval for the Goods and Services Tax . As a Westminster democracy, the Government of Canada , or more specifically the Governor-in-Council , exercising
8600-406: The passage of "time allocation" motions. Alternatively, the House may end debate more quickly by passing a motion for " closure ". When the debate concludes, the motion in question is put to a vote. The House first votes by voice vote; the presiding officer puts the question, and members respond either "yea" (in favour of the motion) or "nay" (against the motion). The presiding officer then announces
8700-529: The population. The British North America Act 1867 (now called the Constitution Act, 1867 ) created the House of Commons, modelling it on the British House of Commons . The lower of the two houses making up the parliament, the House of Commons, in practice holds far more power than the upper house , the Senate. Although the approval of both chambers is necessary for legislation to become law,
8800-713: The presiding officer, not the House, using the words "Mr. Speaker" (French: Monsieur le Président ) or "Madam Speaker" (French: Madame la Présidente ). Other members must be referred to in the third person. Traditionally, members do not refer to each other by name, but by constituency or cabinet post, using forms such as "the honourable member for [electoral district]" or "the minister of..." Members' names are routinely used only during roll call votes, in which members stand and are named to have their vote recorded; at that point they are referred to by title ( Ms. or mister for Anglophones and madame , mademoiselle , or monsieur for Francophones) and last name, except where members have
8900-518: The reason—the expiry of parliament's five-year term, the choice of the prime minister, or a government defeat in the House of Commons—a dissolution is followed by general elections. If the prime minister's party retains its majority in the House of Commons, then the prime minister may remain in power. On the other hand, if their party has lost its majority, the prime minister may resign or may attempt to stay in power by winning support from members of other parties. A prime minister may resign even if he or she
9000-492: The record (although this behaviour is creeping into the modern debate). The speaker may order a member making such remarks to cease speaking. The Standing Orders of the House of Commons prescribe time limits for speeches. The limits depend on the nature of the motion but are most commonly between ten and twenty minutes. However, under certain circumstances, the prime minister, the Opposition leader, and others are entitled to make longer speeches. The debate may be further restricted by
9100-471: The result of the voice vote, but five or more members may challenge the assessment, thereby forcing a recorded vote (known as a division , although, in fact, the House does not divide for votes the way the British House of Commons does). First, members in favour of the motion rise, so that the clerks may record their names and votes. Then, the same procedure is repeated for members who oppose the motion. There are no formal means for recording an abstention, though
9200-457: The rules of the House. When presiding, the speaker must remain impartial. The speaker also oversees the administration of the House and is chair of the Board of Internal Economy , the governing body for the House of Commons. The current speaker of the House of Commons is Greg Fergus . The member of the Government responsible for steering legislation through the House is leader of the Government in
9300-453: The same or similar last names, at which point they would be listed by their name and riding ( "M. Massé, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia; Mr. Masse, Windsor West.... ). No member may speak more than once on the same question (except that the mover of a motion is entitled to make one speech at the beginning of the debate and another at the end). Moreover, tediously repetitive or irrelevant remarks are prohibited, as are written remarks read into
9400-548: The second-largest party (or in the case of a coalition, the largest party out of government) usually becomes the leader of the Official Opposition. Moreover, the prime minister is, by unwritten convention, a member of the House of Commons, rather than of the Senate. Only two prime ministers governed from the Senate: Sir John Abbott (1891–1892) and Sir Mackenzie Bowell (1894–1896). Both men got
9500-514: The sovereigntist Parti Québécois government renewed the push for recognition as a nation through symbolic motions that gained the support of all parties in the National Assembly. They affirmed the right to determine the independent status of Quebec. They also renamed the area around Quebec City the Capitale-Nationale (national capital) region and renamed provincial parks Parcs Nationaux (national parks). In opposition in October 2003,
9600-439: The speaker's right, while members of the Opposition occupy the benches on the speaker's left. Government ministers sit around the prime minister, who is traditionally assigned the 11th seat in the front row on the speaker's right-hand side. The leader of the Official Opposition sits directly across from the prime minister and is surrounded by a Shadow Cabinet or critics for the government portfolios. The remaining party leaders sit in
9700-852: The speaker, the chair, deputy chair, or assistant deputy chair presides. The House resolves itself into a Committee of the Whole to discuss appropriation bills, and sometimes for other legislation. The House of Commons also has several standing committees, each of which has responsibility for a particular area of government (for example, finance or transport). These committees oversee the relevant government departments, may hold hearings and collect evidence on governmental operations and review departmental spending plans. Standing committees may also consider and amend bills. Standing committees consist of between sixteen and eighteen members each, and elect their chairs. Some bills are considered by legislative committees, each of which consists of up to fifteen members. The membership of each legislative committee roughly reflects
9800-562: The strength of the parties in the whole House. A legislative committee is appointed on an ad hoc basis to study and amend a specific bill. Also, the chair of a legislative committee is not elected by the members of the committee but is instead appointed by the speaker, normally from among the speaker's deputies. Most bills, however, are referred to standing committees rather than legislative committees. The House may also create ad hoc committees to study matters other than bills. Such committees are known as special committees. Each such body, like
9900-494: The support of, the House of Commons. Thus, whenever the office of prime minister falls vacant, the governor general has the duty of appointing the person most likely to command the support of the House—normally the leader of the largest party in the lower house, although the system allows a coalition of two or more parties. This has not happened in the Canadian federal parliament but has occurred in Canadian provinces. The leader of
10000-407: The word "nation" . According to Harper, the motion was of a symbolic political nature, representing no constitutional change, no recognition of Quebec sovereignty, and no legal change in its political relations within the federation. The Prime Minister has further elaborated, stating that the motion's definition of Québécois relies on personal decisions to self-identify as Québécois, and therefore
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