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110-667: The NHA replaced and expanded the scope of the Dominion Housing Act of 1935. First passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1938, replacement National Housing Acts were passed in 1944 and 1954. Major amendments to these acts occurred in 1948, 1949, 1956, 1964, 1969, 1973, 1985, 1999 and 2007. The purpose of the NHA set out in section 3 "in relation to financing for housing, is to promote housing affordability and choice, to facilitate access to, and competition and efficiency in

220-460: A British law was necessary, though Canada's consent was required. The Parliament of Canada was granted limited power to amend the constitution by a British Act of Parliament in 1949, but it was not permitted to affect the powers of provincial governments, the official positions of the English and French languages, rights of any class of persons with respect to schools, or the maximum five-year term of

330-526: A confidence vote but was allowed to remain in power with the mutual consent of the leaders of the other parties. In practice, the House of Commons' scrutiny of the government is quite weak in comparison to the equivalent chamber in other countries using the Westminster system . With the plurality voting system used in parliamentary elections tending to provide the governing party with a large majority, and

440-454: A general election typically follows. Subject to the governor general's discretion, general elections are held four years after the previous on the third Monday in October or, on the recommendation of the chief electoral officer , the following Tuesday or Monday. The governor general may dissolve Parliament and call a general election outside of these fixed dates, conventionally on the advice of

550-510: A higher population. The governor still held significant personal influence over Canadian affairs until 1848, when responsible government was implemented in Canada. The actual site of Parliament shifted on a regular basis: From 1841 to 1844, it sat in Kingston , where the present Kingston General Hospital now stands; from 1844 until the 1849 fire that destroyed the building , the legislature

660-404: A member of either house cannot be sued for slander based on words uttered in the course of parliamentary proceedings, the only restraint on debate being set by the standing orders of each house. Further, MPs and senators are immune to arrest in civil (but not criminal) cases, from jury service and attendance in courts as witnesses. They may, however, be disciplined by their colleagues for breach of

770-583: A nine-pounder naval cannon to Ottawa's British army garrison in 1854. The newly created government of the Dominion of Canada purchased the cannon in 1869 and fired it on Parliament Hill as the Noonday Gun, which was colloquially known as "Old Chum", for many years. By 1876, the structures of Parliament Hill, and the surrounding fence and gates, were completed. The grounds were designed with the help of architects Thomas Scott and Calvert Vaux . Following

880-422: A party system that gives leaders strict control over their caucus (to the point that MPs may be expelled from their parties for voting against the instructions of party leaders), there is often limited need to compromise with other parties. Additionally, Canada has fewer MPs, a higher turnover rate of MPs after each election, and an Americanized system for selecting political party leaders, leaving them accountable to

990-420: A plurality of voters in each of the country's federal electoral districts , or ridings. To run for one of the 338 seats in the lower house , an individual must be at least 18 years old. Each member holds office until Parliament is dissolved, after which they may seek re-election. The ridings are regularly reorganized according to the results of each decennial national census ; however, the "senatorial clause" of

1100-496: A series of stages in each chamber, beginning with the first reading . It is not, however, until the bill's second reading that the general principles of the proposed law are debated; though rejection is a possibility, such is not common for government bills. Next, the bill is sent by the house where it is being debated to one of several committees. The Standing Orders outline the general mandate for all committees, allowing them to review: bills as they pertain to relevant departments;

1210-481: A suite of Gothic revival buildings whose architectural elements were chosen to evoke the history of parliamentary democracy . Parliament Hill attracts approximately three million visitors each year. The Parliamentary Protective Service is responsible for law enforcement on Parliament Hill and in the parliamentary precinct, while the National Capital Commission is responsible for maintaining

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1320-429: A tie. The speaker customarily votes in favour of the status quo . The constitution establishes the quorums to be 15 senators in the upper house and 20 members in the lower house, the speaker of each body being counted within the tally. Voting can thus take three possible forms: whenever possible, leaving the matter open for future consideration and allowing for further discussion by the house; when no further discussion

1430-472: A way that opposes the will of the democratically elected house. The federal government consists of the monarch (represented by the governor general)-in-council , which is a collection of ministers of the Crown appointed by the governor general to direct the use of executive powers . Per the tenets of responsible government , these individuals are almost always drawn from Parliament, and are predominantly from

1540-793: Is defined as resting between the Ottawa River to the north, the Rideau Canal and the Colonel By Valley to the east, Wellington Street to the south, and a service road called Kent Street near the Supreme Court to the west. A Victorian, high-gothic, wrought iron fence demarcates the south front of the property. The fence, which is named the Wellington Wall, has its centre on an axis with the Peace Tower to

1650-533: Is defined by the Constitution Act, 1867 , and various conventions . Neither he nor his viceroy, however, participates in the legislative process save for signifying the King's approval to a bill passed by both houses of Parliament, known as the granting of Royal Assent , which is necessary for a bill to be enacted as law. All federal bills thus begin with the phrase "Now, therefore, His Majesty, by and with

1760-517: Is demanded by members—requiring at least two in the Senate and five in the House of Commons. Members of both houses vote by rising in their places to be counted; the speaker of the Senate is permitted to vote on a motion or bill—though does so irregularly, in the interest of impartiality—and, if there is no majority, the motion is defeated. In the Commons, however, the speaker cannot vote, unless to break

1870-531: Is fronted by the Peace Tower on the south facade, and the Library of Parliament lies at the building's rear. The East Block contains ministers' and senators' offices, meeting rooms, and other administrative spaces. The West Block is serving as the temporary seat of the House of Commons. The buildings' unifying architectural style is Gothic Revival . More than 20 bronze statues in the grounds commemorate important figures in Canada's history. Most are arranged in

1980-410: Is possible, taking into account that the matter could somehow be brought back in future and be decided by a majority in the house; or, leaving a bill in its existing form rather than having it amended. For example, during the vote on the 2005 budget , which was considered a vote of confidence , the speaker of the House of Commons cast the tie-breaking vote during the second reading , moving in favour of

2090-623: Is the federal legislature of Canada , seated at Parliament Hill in Ottawa , and is composed of three parts: the King , the Senate , and the House of Commons . By constitutional convention , the House of Commons is dominant, with the Senate rarely opposing its will. The Senate reviews legislation from a less partisan standpoint and may initiate certain bills. The monarch or his representative, normally

2200-465: Is the 44th Parliament since Confederation in 1867. The official languages of the Parliament are English and French . The body consists of the King of Canada , represented by a viceroy , the governor general ; an upper house , the Senate ; and a lower house , the House of Commons . Each element has its own officers and organization. Each has a distinct role, but work in conjunction within

2310-593: The Reform Act and resulting changes to the Parliament of Canada Act , in 2015, were a response to this trend and an attempt to increase the power and independence of MPs. Parliament possesses a number of privileges, collectively and accordingly known as parliamentary privilege , each house being the guardian and administrator of its own set of rights. Parliament itself determines the extent of parliamentary privilege, each house overseeing its own affairs, but

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2420-496: The Constitution Act, 1867 guarantees each province at least as many MPs as it has senators, and the "grandfather clause" permits each province as many MPs as it had in either 1976 or 1985. The existence of this legislation has pushed the size of the House of Commons above the required minimum of 282 seats. The powers of the Parliament of Canada are limited by the constitution, which divides legislative abilities between

2530-808: The Dominion Housing Act from 1935 to 1938. Two years after the DHA was passed, the Federal Home Improvement Plan was established and subsidized the interest rates on loans for housing rehabilitation to 66,900 homes. In 1938, the first National Housing Act was passed by the Parliament of Canada to replace and expand the scope of the Dominion Housing Act of 1935. Replacement National Housing Acts were later passed in 1944 and 1954. Major amendments to these acts occurred in 1948, 1949, 1956, 1964, 1969, 1973, 1985, 1999 and 2007. Deputy Minister of Finance William Clifford Clark

2640-590: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The incident ended when the shooter was killed by Vickers and RCMP Constable Curtis Barrett. Following the incidents, the Parliamentary Protective Service was created to integrate the House of Commons and Senate security forces with RCMP patrols of the grounds. Since 2002, an extensive $ 3 billion renovation-and-rehabilitation project has been underway throughout

2750-565: The Sir John A. Macdonald Building was completed in 2015 and work on the Wellington Building was completed in 2016. An architectural competition is being held for designs pertaining to the city block south of Wellington Street and a new Visitors Welcome Centre is being built. The nine-hectare (22-acre) area, which the National Capital Commission maintains, is named by the Parliament of Canada Act as "Parliament Hill" and

2860-518: The Supreme Court of Canada , and the amending formulas themselves. 45°25′31″N 75°42′00″W  /  45.42521°N 75.70011°W  / 45.42521; -75.70011 Parliament Hill Parliament Hill ( French : Colline du Parlement ), colloquially known as The Hill , is an area of Crown land on the southern bank of the Ottawa River that houses the Parliament of Canada in downtown Ottawa , Ontario. It accommodates

2970-709: The War of 1812 , American troops set fire to the buildings of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada in York (now Toronto ). In 1841, the British government united the two Canadas into the Province of Canada , with a single legislature composed of, again, an assembly, council, and governor general; the 84 members of the lower chamber were equally divided among the two former provinces, though Lower Canada had

3080-414: The governor general , provides royal assent to make bills into law. The governor general, on behalf of the monarch, summons and appoints the 105 senators on the advice of the prime minister , while each of the 338 members of the House of Commons – called members of Parliament (MPs) – represents an electoral district , commonly referred to as a riding , and are elected by Canadian voters residing in

3190-497: The legislative process . This format was inherited from the United Kingdom and is a near-identical copy of the Parliament at Westminster , the greatest differences stemming from situations unique to Canada, such as the impermanent nature of the monarch's residency in the country and the lack of a peerage to form the upper chamber. Only those who sit in the House of Commons are usually called members of Parliament (MPs);

3300-407: The notwithstanding clause . Such clause, however, has never been used by the federal parliament, though it has been employed by some provincial legislatures. Laws violating any part of the constitution are invalid and may be ruled unconstitutional by the courts . Each of Parliament's two chambers is presided over by a speaker ; that for the Senate is a member appointed by the governor general on

3410-453: The speaker of that house. They are sometimes referred to as Agents of Parliament . Another key official is the parliamentary librarian , a position established in 1871 under the Library of Parliament Act , charged with directing the Library of Parliament . The Constitution Act, 1867 , outlines that the governor general alone is responsible for summoning Parliament, though it remains the monarch's prerogative to prorogue and dissolve

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3520-539: The "newest" province, although "oldest" English settlement ), is represented by six senators. Since 1975 each of Canada's territories is represented by 1 senator—the Northwest Territories , Yukon , and (since its formation in 1999) Nunavut . An additional 4 or 8 senators may be appointed by the governor general, provided the approval of the King is secured and the four divisions are equally represented. This power has been employed once since 1867: to ensure

3630-478: The Cabinet had become eclipsed by prime ministerial power. Thus, defeats of majority governments on issues of confidence are very rare. In contrast, a minority government is more volatile, and is more likely to fall due to loss of confidence. The last prime ministers to lose confidence votes were Stephen Harper in 2011, Paul Martin in 2005 and Joe Clark in 1979, all involving minority governments. The passage of

3740-633: The Centre Block on 7 February 2012, one day after Accession Day . On 22 October 2014, shooting incidents occurred around Parliament Hill . After fatally shooting a Canadian Army soldier stationed as a ceremonial guard at the National War Memorial , a gunman entered the Centre Block of the parliament buildings. There, the shooter engaged in a firefight with Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons Kevin Vickers and members of

3850-580: The Commons' right to deny entry to anyone, including even the monarch (but with an exception for royal messengers). Once the MPs are gathered behind the Bar of the Senate—save for the prime minister, the only MP permitted into the Senate proper to sit near the throne dais—the House of Commons speaker presents to the monarch or governor general, and formally claims the rights and privileges of the House of Commons; and then

3960-586: The Constitution): 24 for Ontario , 24 for Quebec , 24 for the Maritimes (10 for Nova Scotia , 10 for New Brunswick , and four for Prince Edward Island ), and 24 for the Western provinces (six each for Manitoba , British Columbia , Saskatchewan , and Alberta ). Additionally, senators are appointed from two geographic areas not part of any senatorial division. Newfoundland and Labrador (since 1949

4070-415: The House of Commons establishing legislative committees, the chair of the latter being appointed by the speaker of the House of Commons, and is normally one of his deputies. Whichever committee is used, any amendments proposed by the committee are considered by the whole house in the report stage. Furthermore, additional amendments not proposed by the committee may also be made. After the report stage (or, if

4180-497: The House of Commons to do so before adjourning. The new parliamentary session is marked by the opening of Parliament , a ceremony where a range of topics can be addressed in a Speech From the Throne given by the monarch, the governor general, or a royal delegate. The usher of the black rod invites MPs to these events, knocking on the doors of the lower house that have been slammed shut —a symbolic arrangement designed to illustrate

4290-463: The House of Commons, of which most are put forward by ministers of the Crown , making them government bills, as opposed to private members' bills or private senators' bills, which are launched by MPs and senators, respectively, who are not in cabinet. Draft legislation may also be categorized as public bills, if they apply to the general public, or private bills , if they concern a particular person or limited group of people. Each bill then goes through

4400-408: The House of Commons, the only body to which ministers are held accountable, typically during Question Period , wherein ministers are obliged to answer questions posed by members of the opposition. Hence, the person who can command the confidence of the lower chamber—usually the leader of the party with the most seats therein—is typically appointed as prime minister. Should that person not hold a seat in

4510-440: The House of Commons, the prime minister will, by convention, seek election to one at the earliest possible opportunity; frequently, in such situations, a junior member of Parliament who holds a safe seat will resign to allow the prime minister to run for that riding in a by-election . If no party holds a majority, it is customary for the governor general to summon a minority government or coalition government , depending on which

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4620-824: The National Police Memorial. Beyond the edges of these landscaped areas, the escarpment remains in its natural state. At its base runs part of the Trans-Canada Trail , the portion between the West Block and the Supreme Court building being named the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Trail, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth's accession to the Canadian throne . In 1976,

4730-507: The Ottawa River. The team of Thomas Stent and Augustus Laver won the prize for the second category, which included the subsequent East and West Blocks structures. These proposals were selected for their sophisticated use of Gothic architecture , which was thought to remind people of parliamentary democracy 's old European history, and would contradict the republican neoclassical style of architecture used in Washington, D.C. It

4840-610: The Parliament Buildings and the grounds of Parliament Hill were each designated as National Historic Sites of Canada due to their importance as the physical embodiment of the Canadian government and as the focal point of national celebrations. The Parliament of Canada Act prohibits anyone naming any other area or establishment within the National Capital Region "Parliament Hill", and forbids

4950-709: The Parliament of the United Kingdom to enact a constitutional amendment in 1982, in the form of the Canada Act 1982 which included the Constitution Act, 1982 . This legislation terminated the power of the British Parliament's ability to legislate for Canada and the authority to amend the constitution was transferred to the Canadian House of Commons, the Senate, and the provincial legislative assemblies, acting jointly. Most amendments require

5060-737: The Senate responsible for security in that chamber, as well as for protocol, administrative, and logistical details of important events taking place on Parliament Hill, such as the Speech from the Throne , Royal Assent ceremonies, state funerals , or the investiture of a new governor general. Other officers of Parliament include the auditor general , chief electoral officer , official languages commissioner , privacy commissioner , information commissioner , conflict of interest and ethics commissioner , public sector integrity commissioner , and commissioner of lobbying . These individuals are appointed by either one or both houses, to which they report through

5170-589: The Senate was that used in the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada after 1849, while that of the House of Commons was inherited from the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada , first used in 1845. Following the burning of the Centre Block on 3 February 1916, the City of London , England, donated a replacement, which is still used today. The temporary mace, made of wood, and used until

5280-480: The Senate. Members of the two houses of Parliament must also express their loyalty to the sovereign and defer to his authority, as the Oath of Allegiance must be sworn by all new parliamentarians before they may take their seats. Further, the official opposition is formally called His Majesty's Loyal Opposition , to signify that, though they may be opposed to the incumbent Cabinet's policies, they remain dedicated to

5390-471: The advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows ..." and, as such, the Crown is immune from acts of Parliament unless expressed otherwise in the act itself. The governor general will normally perform the task of granting Royal Assent, though the monarch may also do so, at the request of either the Cabinet or the viceroy, who may defer assent to the sovereign as per

5500-426: The advice of the prime minister, while the equivalent for the House of Commons is a member of Parliament, who is elected by the other members of that body. In general, the powers of the latter are greater than those of the former. Following the British model, the upper chamber is essentially self-regulating, but the lower chamber is controlled by the chair, in a majoritarian model that gives great power and authority to

5610-642: The annual Canada Day celebrations and the Changing of the Guard . To the sides of the buildings are statues, memorials, and at the northwest corner a gazebo called the Summer Pavilion, which is a 1995 reconstruction of an earlier gazebo named Summer House. Summer House was built for the Speaker of the House of Commons in 1877 by Thomas Seaton Scott and demolished in 1956. Summer Pavilion now serves as

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5720-427: The apolitical Crown. The upper house of the Parliament of Canada, the Senate ( French : Sénat ), is a group of 105 individuals appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister; all those appointed must, per the constitution, be a minimum of 30 years old, be a subject of the monarch, and own property with a net worth of at least $ 4,000, in addition to owning land worth no less than $ 4,000 within

5830-451: The assent of the original house in order to stand part of the final bill. If one house passes amendments that the other will not agree to, and the two houses cannot resolve their disagreements, the bill fails. Once the bill is passed in identical form by both houses, it is presented for Royal Assent ; in theory, the governor general has three options: grant Royal Assent, thereby making the bill into law; withhold Royal Assent, thereby vetoing

5940-577: The bill, and recommend amendments. The bill may also be committed to the Committee of the Whole , a body consisting of, as the name suggests, all the members of the chamber in question. Finally, the bill could be referred to an ad hoc committee established solely to review the piece of legislation in question. Each chamber has their own procedure for dealing with this, with the Senate establishing special committees that function like most other committees, and

6050-441: The bill; or reserve the bill for the signification of the King's pleasure , which allows the sovereign to personally grant or withhold assent. If the governor general does grant Royal Assent, the monarch may, within two years, disallow the bill, thus annulling the law in question. In the federal sphere, no bill has ever been denied royal approval. In conformity with the British model, only the House of Commons may originate bills for

6160-455: The budget and allowing its passage. If the vote on the third reading had again been tied, the speaker would have been expected to vote against the bill, bringing down the government. Simultaneous interpretation for both official languages, English and French , is provided at all times during sessions of both houses. Laws, known in their draft form as bills , may be introduced by any member of either house. However, most bills originate in

6270-480: The budget is always a matter of confidence. Where a government has lost the confidence of the House of Commons, the prime minister is obliged to either resign (allowing the governor general to appoint the leader of the Opposition to the office) or seek the dissolution of Parliament and the call of a general election. A precedent, however, was set in 1968, when the government of Lester B. Pearson unexpectedly lost

6380-515: The capital of the new country. Within four years, Manitoba , British Columbia , Prince Edward Island , and the North-West Territories —now Alberta , Saskatchewan , Yukon , Northwest Territories , and Nunavut —were added and, along with the associated bureaucracy, the first three required representation be added in Parliament. The offices of Parliament spread to buildings beyond Parliament Hill. The British military allocated

6490-403: The chair. In 1991, however, the powers of the speaker of the Senate were expanded, which reorganized the balance of power to be closer to the framework of the Commons. The usher of the black rod of the Senate of Canada is the most senior protocol position in Parliament, being the personal messenger to the legislature of the sovereign and governor general. The usher is also a floor officer of

6600-419: The committee made no amendments to the bill, immediately after the committee stage), the final phase of the bill—the third reading —occurs, at which time further amendments are not permitted in the House of Commons, but are allowed in the Senate. If it passes the third reading, the bill is sent to the other house of Parliament, where it passes through the same stages; amendments made by the second chamber require

6710-430: The commons will support. The lower house may attempt to bring down the government by either rejecting a motion of confidence —generally initiated by a minister to reinforce the Cabinet's support in the commons—or by passing a motion of no confidence—introduced by the opposition to display its distrust of the Cabinet. Important bills that form part of the government's agenda will usually be considered matters of confidence;

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6820-480: The completion of the Peace Tower in 1927. In 1976, the Parliament Buildings and the grounds of Parliament Hill were designated as National Historic Sites of Canada . Since 2002, an extensive $ 3 billion renovation-and-rehabilitation project has been underway throughout the precinct's buildings that is expected to be completed after 2028. Parliament Hill is a limestone outcrop with a gently sloping top that

6930-409: The consent of the Senate, the House of Commons, and the legislative assemblies of two-thirds of the provinces representing a majority of the population; the unanimous consent of provincial legislative assemblies is required for certain amendments, including those affecting the sovereign, the governor general, the provincial lieutenant governors , the official status of the English and French languages,

7040-469: The constitution bars it from conferring any "exceeding those at the passing of such an Act held, enjoyed, and exercised by the [British House of] Commons... and by the Members thereof." The foremost dispensation held by both houses of Parliament is that of freedom of speech in debate; nothing said within the chambers may be questioned by any court or other institution outside of Parliament. In particular,

7150-508: The constitution. As both the monarch and his or her representatives are traditionally barred from the House of Commons, any parliamentary ceremonies in which they are involved take place in the Senate chamber. The upper and lower houses do, however, each contain a mace , which indicates the authority of the King-in-Parliament and the privilege granted to that body by him, both bearing a crown at their apex. The original mace for

7260-606: The cornerstone of the Centre Block on 1 September. Construction of Parliament Hill became the largest construction project undertaken in North America to that date. Workers hit bedrock sooner than expected, necessitating blasting to complete the foundations, which the architects had altered to sit 5.2 metres (17 ft) deeper than originally planned. By early 1861, the Canadian Department of Public Works reported over $ 1.4   million had been spent on

7370-470: The death of Queen Victoria in 1901, in late September that year, Prince George, Duke of Cornwall (later King George V )—Queen Victoria's grandson—dedicated a large statue that stands on the hill in the late Queen's honour. On 3 February 1916, a fire destroyed the Centre Block. Despite the ongoing war , Governor General Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught , re-laid the original cornerstone on 1 September 1916, exactly fifty-six years after his brother

7480-529: The east across the canal to build the Château Laurier hotel, growth of the parliamentary infrastructure moved westward along Wellington Street with the erection in the 1930s of the Confederation and Justice Buildings on the north side, and further construction to the south. By the 1970s, the Crown began purchasing other structures or leasing space in the downtown civic area of Ottawa. In 1973,

7590-579: The faults of the American federal system, with its relatively powerful states and a less powerful federal government. The British North America Act limited the powers of the provinces, providing that all subjects not explicitly delegated to them by that document remain within the authority of the Canadian Parliament, while simultaneously giving the provinces unique powers in certain agreed-upon areas of jurisdiction. Full legislative autonomy

7700-399: The federal and provincial legislatures ; in general, provincial legislatures may only pass laws relating to topics explicitly reserved for them by the constitution (such as education, provincial officers, municipal government, charitable institutions, and "matters of a merely local or private nature") while any matter not under the exclusive authority of the provincial legislatures is within

7810-521: The federal parliament regulates marriage and divorce in general, but the solemnization of marriage is regulated only by the provincial legislatures. Other examples include the powers of both the federal and provincial parliaments to impose taxes, borrow money, punish crimes, and regulate agriculture. The powers of Parliament are also limited by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms , though most of its provisions can be overridden by use of

7920-437: The first raising of the country's new national flag took place on 15 February 1965. Queen Elizabeth II revisited Parliament Hill on 17 April 1982 for the issuing of a royal proclamation of the enactment of the Constitution Act that year. In April 1989, armed man Charles Yacoub hijacked a Greyhound Lines bus with eleven passengers on board that was travelling to New York City from Montreal, and drove it onto

8030-737: The future King Edward VII had first set it. Eleven years later, the rebuilt Centre Block was completed and a new, freestanding bell tower was dedicated as the Peace Tower in commemoration of the Canadians who had died during the First World War. Parliament Hill has hosted several significant events in Canadian history, including the first visit of the reigning Canadian sovereign King George VI and his consort Queen Elizabeth to his Parliament in 1939. A huge celebration on 8 May 1945 marked Victory in Europe Day , and

8140-539: The gardens behind the three parliamentary buildings and one stands outside the main fence. A number of other monuments are distributed across the hill, marking historical moments or acting as memorials for larger groups of people. Though Parliament Hill remains the heart of the parliamentary precinct, expansion beyond the bounded area began in the 1880s with the construction of the Langevin Block across Wellington Street. After private interests purchased land to

8250-459: The hill, naming it Barrack Hill. A large fortress was planned for the site following the War of 1812 and the Upper Canada rebellion but the threat of an American invasion subsided and the project was scrapped. In 1858, Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital of the Province of Canada . Barrack Hill was chosen as the site of the new parliament buildings for its prominence over

8360-430: The imposition of taxes or for the appropriation of Crown funds. The constitutional amendment procedure does make provision for the Commons overcoming an otherwise-required Senate resolution in most cases. Otherwise, the theoretical power of both houses over bills is equal, with the assent of each being required for passage. In practice, however, the House of Commons is dominant, with the Senate rarely exercising its powers in

8470-528: The lawn in front of the Centre Block. A six-hour standoff with police ensued; three shots were fired but there were no injuries. On 14 September 2001, 100,000 people gathered on the main lawn to honour the victims of the September ;11 attacks on the United States that year. Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee was commemorated with the installation of a specially tinted window in

8580-439: The legislature cease all legislative business until the governor general issues another proclamation calling for a new session to begin; except for the election of a speaker for the House of Commons and his or her claiming of that house's privileges, the same procedures for the opening of Parliament are again followed. After a number of such sessions—having ranged from one to seven —a Parliament comes to an end via dissolution , and

8690-463: The legislature, after which the writs for a general federal election are usually dropped by the governor general at Rideau Hall . Upon completion of the election, the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister, then issues a royal proclamation summoning Parliament to assemble. On the date given, new MPs are sworn in and then are, along with returning MPs, called to the Senate, where they are instructed to elect their speaker and return to

8800-563: The legislature. While her father, King George VI , had been the first Canadian monarch to grant royal assent in the legislature—doing so in 1939—Queen Elizabeth II was the first sovereign to deliver the speech from the throne . This event, in 1957, was the first time television cameras were allowed into the chambers of parliament, as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation broadcast the speech nation-wide. The Canadian House of Commons and Senate last requested

8910-551: The maces of the House of Commons and Senate crossed behind. The budget for the Parliament of Canada for the 2010 fiscal year was $ 583,567,000. Following the cession of New France to the United Kingdom in the 1763 Treaty of Paris , Canada was governed according to the Royal Proclamation issued by King George III in that same year. To this was added the Quebec Act , by which the power to make ordinances

9020-413: The new one arrived from the United Kingdom in 1917, is still carried into the Senate each 3 February. The Senate's 1.6-metre-long mace comprises brass and gold. The Senate may not sit if its mace is not in the chamber; it typically sits on the table with the crown facing the throne, though it may, during certain ceremonies, be held by the mace bearer, standing adjacent to the governor general or monarch in

9130-513: The nine-hectare (22-acre) area of the grounds. Development of the area, which in the 18th and early 19th centuries was the site of a military base, into a governmental precinct began in 1859 after Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of the Province of Canada . Following several extensions to the Parliament and departmental buildings, and a fire in 1916 that destroyed the Centre Block , Parliament Hill took on its present form with

9240-478: The north and the formal entrance to Parliament Hill the Queen's Gates , which Ives & Co. of Montreal forged. Approximately three million visitors come to the hill every year. The hill's main outdoor area is the formal forecourt, which is formed by the arrangement of the Parliament and departmental buildings on the site. This expanse is the site of major celebrations, demonstrations, and traditional shows such as

9350-569: The party membership rather than caucus, as is the case in the United Kingdom; John Robson of the National Post opined that Canada's parliament had become a body akin to the American Electoral College , "its sole and ceremonial role to confirm the executive in power." At the end of the 20th century and into the 21st, analysts—such as Jeffrey Simpson , Donald Savoie , and John Gomery —argued that both Parliament and

9460-477: The passage of the bill establishing the Goods and Services Tax , Prime Minister Brian Mulroney advised Queen Elizabeth II to appoint extra senators in 1990. This results in a temporary maximum number of senators of 113, which must through attrition return to its normal number of 105. The elected component of the Canadian Parliament is the House of Commons ( French : Chambre des communes ), with each member chosen by

9570-493: The precinct's buildings to bring the Parliament buildings to modern safety standards and to address their deteriorated state; work is not expected to be complete until after 2028. The West Block was completed in November 2018 before the House of Commons moved there and renovations on the Senate of Canada Building concluded in 2019 to accommodate the Senate while the Centre Block and East Block undergo renovations. Work on

9680-461: The prime minister, which may be preceded by a successful motion of no confidence . The timing of such dissolutions may be politically motivated. Both houses determine motions by voice vote ; the presiding officer puts the question and, after listening to shouts of "yea" and "nay" from the members, announces which side is victorious. This decision by the Speaker is final, unless a recorded vote

9790-401: The production of merchandise bearing that name. Any violation of this law is punishable on summary conviction. The Parliament Buildings are three edifices arranged around three sides of Parliament Hill's central lawn. The speakers of each chamber of the legislature oversee the use and administration of the spaces within each building. The Centre Block has the Senate and Commons chambers, and

9900-431: The program and policy plans, as well as the projected expenditures, and the effectiveness of the implementation thereof, for the same departments; and the analysis of the performance of those departments. Most often, bills end up before a standing committee , which is a body of members or senators who specialize in a particular subject (such as foreign affairs ), and who may hear testimony from ministers and experts, debate

10010-436: The province the candidate seeks to represent. Senators served for life until 1965, when a constitutional amendment imposed a mandatory retirement age of 75. Senators may, however, resign their seats prior to that mark, and can lose their position should they fail to attend two consecutive sessions of Parliament. The principle underlying the Senate's composition is equality amongst Canada's geographic regions (called Divisions in

10120-494: The provinces of New Brunswick , Nova Scotia , and Canada—with the Province of Canada split into Quebec and Ontario —into a single federation called the Dominion of Canada . Though the form of the new federal legislature was again nearly identical to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the decision to retain this model was made with heavy influence from the just-concluded American Civil War , which indicated to many Canadians

10230-522: The provision of, housing finance, to protect the availability of adequate funding for housing at low cost, and generally to contribute to the well-being of the housing sector in the national economy." The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is the agency responsible for administering the act, since its establishment in 1945. The Dominion Housing Act was passed in 1935 as Canada's first national housing policy. It included as part of "Canada's New Deal" put forward by Prime Minister R. B. Bennett , who

10340-486: The riding. The governor general also summons and calls together the House of Commons, and may prorogue or dissolve Parliament , in order to either end a parliamentary session or call a general election . The governor general also delivers the throne speech at the opening of each new Parliament (the monarch occasionally has done so, instead of the governor general, when visiting Canada). The current Parliament , summoned by Governor General Mary Simon in November 2021,

10450-481: The rules, including contempt of Parliament —disobedience of its authority; for example, giving false testimony before a parliamentary committee—and breaches of its own privileges. The Canadian Heraldic Authority , on 15 April 2008, granted the Parliament of Canada, as an institution, a heraldic achievement composed of symbols of the three elements of Parliament: the escutcheon of the Royal Arms of Canada with

10560-419: The scope of the federal Parliament's power. Thus, Parliament alone can pass laws relating to, among other things, the postal service, census, military , navigation and shipping, fishing, currency, banking, weights and measures, bankruptcy, copyrights, patents, First Nations , and naturalization . In some cases, however, the jurisdictions of the federal and provincial parliaments may be more vague. For instance,

10670-406: The speaker of the Senate, on behalf of the Crown, replies in acknowledgement after the sovereign or viceroy takes their seat on the throne. The speech is then read aloud. It can outline the program of the Cabinet for the upcoming legislative session, as well as other matters chosen by the speaker. A parliamentary session lasts until a prorogation, after which, without ceremony, both chambers of

10780-487: The term is not usually applied to senators (except in legislation, such as the Parliament of Canada Act ), even though the Senate is a part of Parliament. Though legislatively less powerful, senators take higher positions in the national order of precedence . No individual may serve in more than one chamber at the same time. The sovereign's place in the legislature, formally known as the King-in-Parliament ,

10890-467: The town and the river, and because the Crown already owned it. On 7 May 1859, the Department of Public Works issued a call for design proposals for the new parliament buildings on Barrack Hill, for which 298 drawings were submitted. The number of entries was reduced to three but the panel of judges could not decide whose design should win the contest. Governor General Sir Edmund Walker Head

11000-540: The venture, leading to the closure of the site in September and the covering of the unfinished structures with tarpaulins until 1863, when construction resumed following a commission of inquiry . The site was still incomplete when three of the British North American colonies—now the provinces Ontario , Quebec , Nova Scotia , and New Brunswick —entered Confederation in 1867, and Ottawa remained

11110-437: Was also thought that it would be better suited to the rugged surroundings of still wilderness in northern North America, while being stately. $ 300,000 was allocated for the main building and $ 120,000 more for each of the several departmental buildings. Ground was broken on 20 December 1859 and the first stones were laid on 16 April the following year. Prince Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII ), laid

11220-434: Was approached to break the stalemate, and the winners were announced on 29 August 1859. Contracts to build the Centre Block and departmental buildings were separately awarded. The first was awarded to the team of Thomas Fuller and Chilion Jones , with their Victorian High Gothic scheme of a formal, symmetrical front facing a quadrangle and a more rustic, picturesque back facing the escarpment and bluffs overlooking

11330-686: Was facing an election with low support following his government's response to the Great Depression . Taking inspiration from President Roosevelt 's New Deal , Bennett proposed regulatory and social safety net legislation. Despite demands for affordable housing from social reformers, the DHA ended up setting the tone for all future housing legislation with the provision of loans for the wealthiest Canadians and promotion of homeownership and mortgage lending infrastructure. The DHA consisted of two parts: The DHA provided $ 20 million in loans. A total of 3,263 mortgage loans were administered through

11440-549: Was granted by the Statute of Westminster, 1931 , passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Though the statute allowed the Parliament of Canada to repeal or amend previously British laws as they applied to Canada, it did not permit amendment to Canada's constitution, including the British North America Acts. Hence, whenever a constitutional amendment was sought by the Canadian Parliament, the enactment of

11550-517: Was granted to a governor-in-council , both the governor and council being appointed by the British monarch in Westminster, on the advice of his or her ministers there. In 1791, the Province of Quebec was divided into Upper and Lower Canada , each with an elected legislative assembly , an appointed legislative council , and a governor, mirroring the parliamentary structure in Britain. During

11660-554: Was in Montreal ; and, after a few years of alternating between Toronto and Quebec City , the legislature was finally moved to Ottawa in 1856, Queen Victoria having chosen that city as Canada's capital in 1857. The modern-day Parliament of Canada came into existence in 1867, in which year the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland passed the British North America Act, 1867 , uniting

11770-657: Was jointly owned with CMHC. The 1973 amendments provided financial assistance for new home buying , loans for co-operative housing , and low interest loans for municipal and private non-profit housing. As such, the federal approach was shifted to low-income housing from "social," segregated public housing to "comprehensive" housing policy and included provisions for non-profit and co-operative housing. Parliament of Canada Later added some jurisdiction from: His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Parties with official status Parties without official status The Parliament of Canada ( French : Parlement du Canada )

11880-475: Was originally covered in a primeval forest of beech and hemlock . For hundreds of years, the hill was a landmark on the Ottawa River for First Nations people and later for European traders, adventurers, and industrialists, marking their journeys to the interior of the continent. After the founding of Ottawa , which was then called Bytown , the builders of the Rideau Canal sited a military base on

11990-409: Was seen as a "tokenist" gesture and very few social housing units were built. The NHA of 1954 was largely the same as the two previous NHAs in its objective to "maintain the private mortgage market," however did it replace the joint-loan program with a mortgage-loan one. The 1964 amendments made provinces, municipalities or their agencies the sole owners of public housing, as previously public housing

12100-706: Was the one to draft the National Housing Acts of 1938 and 1944, as well as the Dominion Housing Act . In 1945, the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation (later renamed Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation ) was created to administer the NHA. Amendments to the Act in 1948 introduced limited-dividend housing. In 1949, the Act was again amended to provide joint federal-provincial funding to construct public, rent-geared-to-income housing; however, this

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