Canadá Gobierno Perfil 2008

Capital

nombre: Ottawa
coordenadas geográficas: 45 25 N, 75 42 W
diferencia de tiempo: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
note: Canada is divided into six time zones

Independencia

1 Julio 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 Diciembre 1931 (recognized by UK)

Feriado nacional

Canada Day, 1 Julio (1867)

Constitución

made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 Marzo 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 Abril 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

Sufragio

18 años de edad; universal

Poder Executivo

jefe de estado: Queen ELIZABETH II (desde 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Michaelle JEAN (desde 27 September 2005)
jefe de gobierno: Prime Minister Stephen HARPER (desde 6 February 2006)
cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister usually from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
elections: the monarchy 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 or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general