87-798: Matthew Rae MPP is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2022 provincial election . He represents the riding of Perth—Wellington as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario . He currently serves as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing . Rae grew up in Harriston, Ontario, and was raised on his family’s dairy farm. After graduating from
174-531: A coalition government with the support of moderate Liberals . John Stevenson served as the first speaker for the assembly. Its first session ran from September 3, 1867, until February 25, 1871, just prior to the 1871 general election . The Legislature has been unicameral since its inception, with the Assembly currently having 124 seats (increased from 107 as of the 42nd Ontario general election ) representing electoral districts ("ridings") elected through
261-698: A first-past-the-post electoral system across the province. In 1938, the title of Member of the Legislative Assembly was officially changed to Member of Provincial Parliament. Previously, multiple terms were unofficially used in the media and in the Legislature. Ontario uses the same boundaries as those at the federal level for its Legislative Assembly in Southern Ontario , while seats in Northern Ontario correspond to
348-460: A governor-general ) formally appoints as the head of government whoever commands the confidence of the lower or sole house of the legislature and invites him or her to form a government. In the UK, this is known as kissing hands . Although the dissolution of the legislature and the call for new elections is formally performed by the head of state, the head of state, by convention, acts according to
435-420: A semi-parliamentary system . The Westminster system has a very distinct appearance when functioning, with many British customs incorporated into day-to-day government function. A Westminster-style parliament is usually a long, rectangular room, with two rows of seats and desks on either side. Many chambers connect the opposing rows, either with a perpendicular row of seats and desks at the furthermost point from
522-533: A consultative body. In other Westminster countries, however, the upper house can sometimes exercise considerable power, as is the case for the Australian Senate. Some Westminster-derived parliaments are unicameral for two reasons: Hong Kong , a former British crown colony and currently a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China , has a unicameral Legislative Council . While
609-515: A federal government at any time, loss of supply is sometimes, controversially, considered a suitable trigger for a dismissal (such as with the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis ). This is controversial because it conflicts with the Westminster tradition of government by a party with the confidence of the lower house (not an upper house like the Senate). Some political scientists have held that
696-480: A means of advising, consulting and warning ministers in their actions. Such a practice takes place in the United Kingdom and India. In the UK, the sovereign holds confidential weekly meetings with the prime minister to discuss governmental policy and to offer his or her opinions and advice on issues of the day. In India, the prime minister is constitutionally bound to hold regular sessions with the president, in
783-463: A power similar to that held in the UK until 1911 by the House of Lords , which has since then been impossible, in the Westminster system. A government that has lost supply is severely restricted in its abilities to act; unless a solution can be negotiated and supply can be restored, such an occurrence would normally trigger a federal election. Since the governor-general , technically speaking, can dismiss
870-530: A series of procedures for operating a legislature , first developed in England . Key aspects of the system include an executive branch made up of members of the legislature, and that is responsible to the legislature; the presence of parliamentary opposition parties; and a ceremonial head of state who is separate from the head of government . The term derives from the Palace of Westminster , which has been
957-417: A similar manner to the aforementioned British practice. In essence, the head of state, as the theoretical executive authority, "reigns but does not rule". This phrase means that the head of state's role in government is generally ceremonial and as a result does not directly institute executive powers. The reserve powers of the head of state are sufficient to ensure compliance with some of their wishes. However,
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#17327943890471044-464: A specific bill or issue which would otherwise monopolize the time of the standing committees. A committee which exists for the duration of a parliamentary session. This committee examines and reports on the general conduct of activities by government departments and agencies and reports on matters referred to it by the house, including proposed legislation. Select committees are set up specifically to study certain bills or issues and according to
1131-428: Is a constitutional monarch ; he or she abides by the advice of his or her ministers, except when executing reserve powers in times of crisis. The sovereign's power to appoint and dismiss governments, appoint cabinet ministers to serve in the government, appoint diplomats , declare war , and to sign treaties (among other powers de jure held by the sovereign) is known as the royal prerogative , which in modern times
1218-508: Is exceptional because the government faces a fully elected upper house, the Senate , which must be willing to pass all its legislation. Although government is formed in the lower house, the House of Representatives, the support of the Senate is necessary in order to govern. The Australian Senate is unusual in that it maintains an ability to withhold supply from the government of the day –
1305-544: Is exercised by the sovereign solely on the advice of the Prime Minister. This custom also occurs in other countries are regions around the world using the Westminster System, as a legacy of British colonial rule . In Commonwealth realms such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the day-to-day functions that would be exercised by the sovereign personally in the United Kingdom are instead exercised by
1392-524: Is imminent, a lot of time is taken up in the conversations of politicians and in the news media, speculating on who will, or will not, be moved in and out of the Cabinet by the Prime Minister, because the appointment of ministers to the Cabinet, and threat of dismissal from the Cabinet, is the single most powerful constitutional power which a Prime Minister has in the political control of the Government in
1479-410: Is nominally exercised in their name. The head of government , usually called the prime minister or premier , will ideally have the support of a majority in the responsible house, and must, in any case, be able to ensure the existence of no absolute majority against the government. If the parliament passes a motion of no confidence , or refuses to pass an important bill such as the budget , then
1566-632: Is obliged to resign, e.g., when a re-elected Legislative Council passes again a bill that he or she had refused to sign. The waters of the Thames and of the Potomac both flow into Lake Burley Griffin . Australian constitutional law is, in many respects, a unique hybrid with influences from the United States Constitution as well as from the traditions and conventions of the Westminster system and some indigenous features. Australia
1653-475: Is studded with the provincial gemstone, the amethyst . The griffin , an ancient symbol of justice and equity, holds a calumet , which symbolizes the meeting of spirit and discussion that Ontario's First Nations believe accompanies the use of the pipe. The deer represent the natural riches of the province. The Loyalist coronets at their necks honour the original British settlers in Ontario who brought with them
1740-456: Is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario . Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly are given royal assent by the lieutenant governor of Ontario to become law. Together, the Legislative Assembly and Lieutenant Governor make up the unicameral Legislature of Ontario . The assembly meets at
1827-476: Is usually where ministers or members of the house come to speak. Other ceremonies sometimes associated with the Westminster system include an annual Speech from the Throne (or equivalent thereof) in which the head of state gives a special address (written by the government) to parliament about what kind of policies to expect in the coming year, and lengthy State Opening of Parliament ceremonies that often involve
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#17327943890471914-699: The Australian system of government was consciously devised as a blend or hybrid of the Westminster and the United States systems of government , especially since the Australian Senate is a powerful upper house like the US Senate; this notion is expressed in the nickname "the Washminster mutation". The ability of upper houses to block supply also features in the parliaments of most Australian states . The Australian system has also been referred to as
2001-495: The British Empire , upon gaining self-government (with the exception of the United States and Cyprus ), beginning with the first of the Canadian provinces in 1848 and the six Australian colonies between 1855 and 1890. It is the form of government bequeathed to New Zealand , and former British Hong Kong . Israel adopted a largely Westminster-inspired system of government upon declaring independence from
2088-476: The British Mandate of Palestine . However, some former colonies have since adopted either the presidential system ( Nigeria for example) or a hybrid system (like South Africa ) as their form of government. The Westminster system of government may include some of the following features: Most of the procedures of the Westminster system originated with the conventions , practices, and precedents of
2175-517: The British prime minister wished to dissolve Parliament in order for a general election to take place, the prime minister is constitutionally bound to request permission from the sovereign in order to attain such a wish. However, the sovereign in modern times has virtually always followed the advice of their prime minister without their own agency, this owes to the fact that the British sovereign
2262-680: The Governor remained the head of government until the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, when the role was replaced by the Chief Executive . Secretaries had remained to be chosen by the Chief Executive not from the Legislative Council, and their appointments need not be approved by the Legislative Council. Although essentially more presidential than parliamentary, the Legislative Council had inherited many elements of
2349-503: The House of Commons (under various names), comprising local, elected representatives of the people (with the only exception being elected entirely by nationwide Proportional Representation). Most also have a smaller upper house, which is made up of members chosen by various methods: In the UK, the lower house is the de facto legislative body, while the upper house practices restraint in exercising its constitutional powers and serves as
2436-561: The National Assembly of Quebec . The current assembly was elected on June 2, 2022 , as part of the 43rd Parliament of Ontario . Owing to the location of the Legislative Building on the grounds of Queen's Park , the metonym "Queen's Park" is often used to refer to both the provincial government and the Legislative Assembly. In accordance with the traditions of the Westminster system, most laws originate in
2523-497: The Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park in the provincial capital of Toronto . Ontario uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government in which members are elected to the Legislative Assembly through general elections using a "first-past-the-post" system . The premier of Ontario (the province's head of government ) holds office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of
2610-635: The Parliament of the United Kingdom , which form a part of what is known as the Constitution of the United Kingdom . Unlike the uncodified British constitution, most countries that use the Westminster system have codified the system, at least in part, in a written constitution . However, uncodified conventions, practices, and precedents continue to play a significant role in most countries, as many constitutions do not specify important elements of procedure. For example, some older constitutions using
2697-606: The Province of Canada into two new provinces, with the portion then called Canada West becoming Ontario. As such, the 1st Parliament of Ontario was one of the three legislative bodies succeeding the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada 's 8th Parliament . The first election in 1867 produced a tie between Conservatives led by John Sandfield Macdonald and the Liberals led by Archibald McKellar . Macdonald led
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2784-576: The governor-general . In such nations, the prime minister is obligated to formally seek permission from the governor-general when implementing executive decisions, in a manner similar to the British system. An analogous scenario also exists in republics in the Commonwealth of Nations , such as India or Trinidad and Tobago , where there is a president who functions similarly to a governor-general. An unusual case lies in Israel and Japan , where
2871-400: The head of government. The pattern of executive functions within a Westminster system is quite complex. In essence, the head of state , usually a monarch or president, is a ceremonial figurehead who is the theoretical, nominal or de jure source of executive power within the system. In practice, such a figure does not actively exercise executive powers, even though executive authority
2958-490: The prime minister and the Council of Ministers . In Israel , however, executive power is vested de jure and de facto in the cabinet and the president is de jure and de facto a ceremonial figurehead. As an example, the prime minister and cabinet (as the de facto executive body in the system) generally must seek the permission of the head of state when carrying out executive functions. If, for instance
3045-428: The provincial cabinet (government bills) and are passed by the legislature after multiple rounds of debate and decision-making. Backbench legislators may introduce private legislation ( private-member bills ) or amend bills presented to the legislature by cabinet, playing an integral role in scrutinizing bills both at the debate as well as committee stages. In the Ontario legislature, this confrontation provides much of
3132-489: The British parliamentary form of government. The royal crowns (left 1992, right 1792) recognize the parliamentary bicentennial and represent Ontario's heritage as a constitutional monarchy. They were granted as a special honour by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the recommendation of the Governor General. In the base, the maple leaves are for Canada, the trilliums for Ontario and the roses for York (now Toronto),
3219-402: The Cabinet are collectively seen as responsible for government policy, a policy termed cabinet collective responsibility . All Cabinet decisions are made by consensus, a vote is rarely taken in a Cabinet meeting. All ministers, whether senior and in the Cabinet, or junior ministers, must support the policy of the government publicly regardless of any private reservations. When a Cabinet reshuffle
3306-506: The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Sergeant-at-Arms , executive director of Administrative Services, and executive director of Legislative Library, Research and Information Services. The Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the chief permanent officer of the Legislative Assembly, with the rank and status of a Deputy Minister, responsible for administering the legislature and advising MPPs on questions of procedure or interpretation of
3393-581: The Crown are expected to be Members of the Assembly. When a political party comes to power it will usually place its more experienced parliamentarians into the key cabinet positions, where their parliamentary experience may be the best preparation for the rough and tumble of political life in government. The Legislative Assembly was established by the British North America Act, 1867 (later re-titled Constitution Act, 1867 ), which dissolved
3480-623: The Embassy of the Republic of Malta as an assistant for the Maltese ambassador. After graduation, Rae accepted a job as a Communications Manager for John Nater, Member of Parliament for Perth-Wellington. He also worked for former Member of Provincial Parliament, Randy Pettapiece as his Executive Assistant. Prior to seeking office, Rae worked for Shad Canada as their Director of University Relations. On November 18, 2021, Rae announced he would seek
3567-559: The Legislative Assembly, typically sitting as an MPP themselves and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Legislative Assembly. The largest party not forming the government is known as the Official Opposition , its leader being recognized as leader of the Opposition . The Ontario Legislature is sometimes referred to as the "Ontario Provincial Parliament". Members of the assembly refer to themselves as "Members of
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3654-554: The Legislative Councils in British Australasian and North American colonies were unelected upper houses and some of them had since abolished themselves, the Legislative Council of Hong Kong has remained the sole chamber and had in 1995 evolved into a fully elected house, yet only part of the seats are returned by universal suffrage. Responsible government was never granted during British colonial rule, and
3741-894: The Life Leases Act, 2024. Bill 141 aims to improve the transparency, and accountability for occupants in Life Lease Communities. In April 2024, Rae introduced his second Private Members' Public Bill, the Growing Agritourism Act. Bill 186 is the first legislation in Canada that aims to mitigate risks involved with agritourism operations on farms across Ontario by mandating the display of inherent risks associated with farms. Legislative Assembly of Ontario His Majesty's Loyal Opposition Other parties The Legislative Assembly of Ontario ( OLA ; French : Assemblée législative de l'Ontario )
3828-623: The Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce . Rae was also elected Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs as well as also serving on the Standing Committee on Social Policy. Rae currently serves on the Standing Committee of Heritage, Infrastructure, and Cultural Policy. On March 10, 2023, Rae became the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. On October 18, 2023, Rae introduced his first motion, Motion 63. The motion called upon
3915-798: The Norwell District Secondary School, Rae attended the University of Guelph to study Political Science and International Development. Rae graduated from the University of Guelph with a degree in Political Science and International Development before attending the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna to pursue a degree in Masters of Advanced International Studies. While in Vienna, Rae worked as an intern for
4002-546: The Ontario Government to continue to build out its clean, green nuclear fleet. Motion 63 passed on division on October 19, 2023. Rae also introduced his second motion on October 31, 2023, Motion 71. The motion calls on the Government of Canada to eliminate the carbon tax on natural gas and propane used for agricultural purposes. Motion 71 is still to be debate in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. In October 2023, Rae introduced his first Private Members’ Public Bill,
4089-613: The Progressive-Conservative nomination for Perth-Wellington after Randy Pettapiece announced he would not seek re-election. Rae would win the Progressive Conservative nomination for the riding of Perth-Wellington on March 5, 2022. Rae placed first in the June 2, 2022, local provincial election, with 46.8% of the vote. Shortly after being elected, Rae would be appointed as the Parliamentary Assistant to
4176-579: The Provincial Parliament" MPPs as opposed to " Members of the Legislative Assembly " (MLAs) as in many other provinces. Ontario is the only province to do so, in accordance with a resolution passed in the Assembly on April 7, 1938. However, the Legislative Assembly Act refers only to "members of the Assembly". The Legislative Assembly is the second largest Canadian provincial deliberative assembly by number of members after
4263-489: The Speaker's Chair at the opposite end of the chamber (e.g. UK House of Lords or Israel Knesset) or the rows of chairs and desks are rounded at the end, opposite to the Speaker's Chair (e.g. Australian chambers, Ireland, South Africa, India). The chairs in which both the government and opposition sit, are positioned so that the two rows are facing each other. This arrangement is said to have derived from an early Parliament which
4350-736: The Speaker, Sir Allan Macnab, the next day. Later, in 1854, the mace was twice rescued when the Parliament Buildings in Quebec were ravaged by fire. The mace continued to be used by the Union Parliament in Toronto and Quebec until Confederation in 1867, when it was taken to the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa, where it remained in the House of Commons until 1916. When the Parliament Buildings were gutted by fire during that year,
4437-516: The Standing Orders, consists of not more than 11 members from all parties with representation reflecting the current standing in the house. In some cases, the committee must examine material by a specific date and then report its conclusion to the legislature. After its final report, the committee is dissolved. Westminster System The Westminster system , or Westminster model , is a type of parliamentary government that incorporates
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#17327943890474524-530: The Upper Canada and Union Houses, once boasted of a similar layout. Last update: February 20, 2024 Note: Bold text designates the party leader. There are two forms that committees can take. The first, standing committees , are struck for the duration of the Parliament pursuant to Standing Orders. The second, select committees , are struck usually by a Motion or an Order of the House to consider
4611-430: The Westminster system do not mention the existence of the cabinet or the prime minister, because these offices were taken for granted by the authors of these constitutions. Sometimes these conventions, reserve powers , and other influences collide in times of crisis and in such times the weaknesses of the unwritten aspects of the Westminster system, as well as the strengths of the Westminster system's flexibility, are put to
4698-495: The Westminster system, including parliamentary powers, privileges and immunity, and the right to conduct inquiries, amongst others. Minutes are known as Hansards, and the theme colour of the meeting chamber is red as in other upper houses. Government secretaries and other officials are seated on the right hand side of the President in the chamber. The Chief Executive may dissolve the Legislative Council under certain conditions, and
4785-416: The Westminster system. The Official Opposition and other major political parties not in the Government, will mirror the governmental organisation with their own Shadow Cabinet made up of Shadow Ministers . In a Westminster system, some members of parliament are elected by popular vote, while others are appointed. Nearly all Westminster-based parliaments have a lower house with powers based on those of
4872-436: The concerns, problems and grievances of constituents. Depending on personal inclination and political circumstances, some Members concentrate most of their attention on House matters while others focus on constituency problems, taking on something of an ombudsman's role in the process. Finally, it is the task of the legislature to provide the personnel of the executive. As already noted, under responsible government, ministers of
4959-432: The crown of Queen Victoria and in a cup with her royal cypher , V.R. When she was succeeded by Edward VII in 1901, her crown and cup were removed and a new one bearing Edward's cypher on the cup was installed. Eventually, it was replaced with the current cup, which is adorned in gleaming brass leaves. Through some careful detective work on the part of Legislative Assembly staff, the original cup with Queen Victoria's cypher
5046-404: The executive as the head of government is ultimately the person from whom the head of state will take advice (by constitutional convention) on the exercise of executive power , including the appointment and dismissal of cabinet members. This results in the situation where individual cabinet members in effect serve at the pleasure of the prime minister. Thus the cabinet is strongly subordinate to
5133-410: The extent of such powers varies from one country to another and is often a matter of controversy. Such an executive arrangement first emerged in the United Kingdom. Historically, the British sovereign held and directly exercised all executive authority. George I of Great Britain (reigned 1714 to 1727) was the first British monarch to delegate some executive powers to a prime minister and a cabinet of
5220-545: The federal districts that were in place before the 2004 adjustment. Ontario had separate provincial electoral districts prior to 1999. The following notable events occurred during the 2022–present period: Regular Legislative Assembly proceedings are broadcast to subscribers of the Ontario Parliament Network in Ontario . A late-night rebroadcast of Question Period is also occasionally aired on TVO ,
5307-462: The floor in front of the government and opposition benches that members may cross only when exiting the chamber. At one end of the room sits a large chair, for the Speaker of the House . The speaker usually wears black robes, and in some countries, a wig . Robed parliamentary clerks often sit at narrow tables between the two rows of seats, as well. These narrow tables in the centre of the chamber,
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#17327943890475394-479: The following: One of five countries other than the UK to use a Westminster system with a native monarch , along with Japan, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Thailand. One of five countries other than the UK to use a Westminster system with a native monarch , along with Denmark, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Thailand. One of five countries other than the UK to use a Westminster system with a native monarch , along with Denmark, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand. The Westminster system
5481-417: The formal powers of monarchs, governors-general, and presidents vary greatly from one country to another. However, as sovereigns and governors-general are not elected, and some presidents may not be directly elected by the people, they are often shielded from any public disapproval stemming from unilateral or controversial use of their powers. In many Commonwealth realms a governor-general formally represents
5568-405: The government must either resign so that a different government can be appointed or seek a parliamentary dissolution so that new general elections may be held in order to re-confirm or deny the government's mandate. Executive authority within a Westminster system is de jure exercised by the cabinet as a whole, along with more junior ministers , however, in effect, the head of government dominates
5655-486: The legislature and report to the legislature through the Speaker rather than to the provincial government. These officers include the Auditor General , Information and Privacy Commissioner , Integrity Commissioner , Chief Electoral Officer , Ontario Ombudsman , and Poet Laureate of Ontario . The Legislative Assembly of Ontario is the first and only legislature in Canada to have a coat of arms separate from
5742-410: The mace could not be saved from Centre Block. All that remained was a tiny ball of silver and gold conglomerate. The current mace used in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario was acquired in 1867, after Confederation . It was provided by Charles E. Zollikofer of Ottawa for $ 200. The four-foot mace is made of copper and richly gilded, a flattened ball at the butt end. Initially, the head of the mace bore
5829-604: The mace. It was initially kept at the Royal Ontario Museum for a time, and it is now located in the Main Lobby of the Ontario Legislative Building . A second mace was introduced in 1813 and used until 1841. The third mace was not purchased until 1845. In 1849, it was stolen by a riotous mob in Montreal, apparently intent upon destroying it in a public demonstration. However, it was rescued and returned to
5916-447: The material for Oral Questions and Members' Statements. Legislative scrutiny of the executive is also at the heart of much of the work carried out by the Legislature's Standing Committees, which are made up of ordinary backbenchers. A member's day will typically be divided among participating in the business of the House, attending caucus and committee meetings, speaking in various debates, or returning to his or her constituency to address
6003-413: The mine. Two stones, one rough and one polished, were set in platinum in the crown of the mace while the third stone, also polished, was put on exhibit in the lobby of the Legislative Building as part of a display about the history of the mace. Elections to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario occurred on June 2, 2022, as a result of which the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , led by Doug Ford ,
6090-426: The ministers, largely because he was also the monarch of Hanover in Germany and did not speak English fluently. Over time, further arrangements continued to allow the execution of executive authority on the sovereign's behalf and more and more de facto power ended up lying in the Prime Minister's hands. Such a concept was reinforced in The English Constitution (1876) by Walter Bagehot , who distinguished between
6177-416: The monarch, who is usually absent from the realm. In such countries, the identity of the "head of state" may be unclear. In the book The English Constitution , Walter Bagehot emphasised the divide of the constitution into two components, the Dignified (that part which is symbolic) and the Efficient (the way things actually work and get done), and called the Efficient " Cabinet Government ". Members of
6264-460: The presentation of a large ceremonial mace . Some legislatures retain Westminster's colour-coded chambers, with the upper houses associated with the colour red (after the House of Lords) and the lower with green (after the House of Commons). This is the case in India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Barbados. Countries that use variations on the theme of the Westminster system, as of 2023, include
6351-475: The prime minister as they can be replaced at any time, or can be moved ("demoted") to a different portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle for "underperforming". In the United Kingdom, the sovereign theoretically holds executive authority, even though the prime minister and the cabinet effectively implement executive powers. In a parliamentary republic like India, the president is the de jure executive, even though executive powers are essentially instituted by
6438-446: The provincial arms. Green and gold are the principal colours, as in the coat of arms of Ontario . A mace is the traditional symbol of the authority of the Speaker. Shown on the left is the current mace, while on the right is the original mace from the time of the first parliament in 1792. The crossed maces are joined by the shield of arms of Ontario. The coronet on the wreath represents national and provincial loyalties, while its rim
6525-581: The provincial capital. The ceremonial mace of the Legislature is the fourth mace to be used in Upper Canada or Ontario. It acts as a symbol, representing the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to oversee the proceedings of the assembly. The first mace was used by the Chamber of Upper Canada's first Parliament in 1792 at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake ) and then moved to York (now Toronto ). The primitive wooden mace
6612-476: The provincial public broadcaster. The Legislative Assembly of Ontario, like the federal House of Commons, also includes procedural officers who administer the business of the legislature and impartially assist the Speaker and MPPs with their duties. These officers collectively make up the Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. The Office of the Assembly consists of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker as well as
6699-542: The respective prime ministers have the full legal power to implement executive decisions, and presidential (in Israel) or imperial (in Japan) approval is not required; the prime ministers of these nations are fully the de jure source of executive authority, and not the head of state. The head of state will often hold meetings with the head of government and cabinet, as a means of keeping abreast of governmental policy and as
6786-473: The rules and practices of the House. The Sergeant-at-Arms keeps order during meetings in the legislature, is charged with control of the ceremonial mace in the legislature, and is responsible for security in the House and the Legislative Precinct. Additional officers of the Legislative Assembly were created to protect certain public interests, these officers are appointed by unanimous votes of
6873-553: The seat of the Westminster Parliament in England and later the United Kingdom since the 13th century. The Westminster system is often contrasted with the presidential system that originated in the United States , or with the semi-presidential system, based on the government of France . The Westminster system is used, or was once used, in the national and subnational legislatures of most former colonies of
6960-705: The separate "dignified" and "efficient" functions of government. The sovereign should be a focal point for the nation ("dignified"), while the PM and cabinet actually undertook executive decisions ("efficient"). The electoral system is often set out in a Representation of the People Act . Common ministerial titles include parliamentary secretary and under-secretary . Ministers are supported by private secretaries and government departments are run by permanent secretaries , principal secretaries or chief secretaries . The head of state or their representative (such as
7047-497: The test. As an illustrative example, in the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 , the Governor-General of Australia, Sir John Kerr , dismissed Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and replaced him with opposition leader Malcolm Fraser . Usually the leader of the largest party in the lower house (legislature if unicameral). Formed by the largest party/coalition in the lower house (legislature if unicameral), and led by
7134-517: The wishes of the head of government. A president, monarch, or governor-general might possess clearly significant reserve powers . Examples of the use of such powers include the Australian constitutional crisis of 1975 and the Canadian King–Byng affair in 1926. The Lascelles Principles were an attempt to create a convention to cover similar situations, but have not been tested in practice. Because of differences in their written constitutions,
7221-414: Was adopted by a number of countries which subsequently evolved or reformed their system of government departing from the original model. In some cases, certain aspects of the Westminster system were retained or codified in their constitutions. For instance South Africa and Botswana , unlike Commonwealth realms or parliamentary republics such as India, have a combined head of state and head of government but
7308-456: Was held in a church choir . Traditionally, the opposition parties will sit in one row of seats, and the government party will sit in the other. In some countries, the mace will face the government’s side whilst lying on the table of the House. In most majority governments , the number of government-party MPs is so large that it must use the "opposition" seats as well. In the lower house at Westminster (the UK's House of Commons) there are lines on
7395-784: Was painted red and gilt, and surmounted by a crown of thin brass strips. It was stolen by American troops as a Prize of War in 1813 at the Battle of York during the War of 1812 . The mace was subsequently stored at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland . It remained in the United States until 1934, when it was returned to Ontario after President Franklin Roosevelt sent an order to Congress to return
7482-573: Was re-elected as His Majesty's Government of Ontario. The seating chamber is similar in layout to that of the British House of Commons and the original St. Stephen's Chapel in the Palace of Westminster . The Parliament of Ontario, however, may be easily distinguished from this model by its use of individual chairs and tables for members, absent in the British Commons' design. The legislature's former host building and site, home to
7569-468: Was recently found in the Royal Ontario Museum ’s collection and returned to the Legislature. It is now on display in the Ontario Legislative Building . In 2009, two diamonds were installed in the mace. The diamonds were a gift to the people of Ontario from De Beers Canada to mark the opening of the Victor Mine near Attawapiskat in northern Ontario. Three diamonds were selected from the first run of
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