conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Canada

CA

confederation with parliamentary democracy

Ottawa

10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta,
British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest
Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

1 July 1867 (from UK)

Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the
machinery of the government was set up in the British North America
Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs

based on English common law, except in Quebec, where
civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7 October
1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November
1993)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the
members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year
term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the
governor general to become prime minister

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the
Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until
reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the
advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and
the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members
elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Commons - last held 2 June 1997 (next to be held
by NA June 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 38%, Reform
Party 19%, Progressive Conservative Party 19%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New
Democratic Party 11%, other 2%; seats by party - Liberal Party 155,
Reform Party 60, Bloc Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 21,
Progressive Conservative Party 20, independents 1
note: seats by party as of December 1999 - Liberal Party 157, Reform
Party 57, Bloc Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 20, Progressive
Conservative Party 19, independents 4

Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime
minister through the governor general

Bloc Quebecois ;
Liberal Party ; New Democratic Party ;
Progressive Conservative Party ; Reform Party [Preston
MANNING]

ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, APEC,
AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer),
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G-10,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURCA, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS,
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP,
UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN
chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
telephone:  (202) 682-1740
FAX:  (202) 682-7726
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle
consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon D. GIFFIN
embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa
mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430
telephone:  (613) 238-5335, 4470
FAX:  (613) 238-5720
consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and
Vancouver

three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white
(double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the
white band