Discover Canada study notes: Federal Elections

This chapter explains how Canadians elect their Members of Parliament, who can vote and how, and what happens after an election. Use these notes and key facts to prepare for the citizenship test.

Electing Members of Parliament

In federal elections, Canadians elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons in Ottawa.

A law passed by Parliament says that federal elections must take place on the third Monday in October, every four years after the last general election. The Prime Minister can, however, ask the Governor General to call an election sooner.

Canada is divided into areas called electoral districts, also known as ridings or constituencies. Each district elects one MP. The guide's printed version says there are 308 districts. Today there are 343, so the House of Commons has 343 seats.

Any Canadian citizen who is 18 or older can run in a federal election. People who run are called candidates, and one riding can have many of them. The candidate who gets the most votes in a riding becomes its MP.

Who can vote

To vote in a federal election or a federal referendum, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen;
• be at least 18 years old on voting day; and
• be on the voters' list.

The voters' lists are made by Elections Canada, a neutral agency of Parliament. It uses information from the National Register of Electors, a database of Canadians who can vote.

How voting works

When an election is called, each person in the National Register of Electors gets a voter information card in the mail. It tells you when and where to vote. If you do not get a card, call your local elections office to check that you are on the list, or call Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868 (website: www.elections.ca). You can be added to the voters' list at any time, even on election day.

If you cannot vote on election day, or prefer not to, you can vote at an advance poll or by special ballot. Your voter information card gives the dates and places.

On election day, take your voter information card and proof of your identity and address to the polling station on your card.

The secret ballot

The law protects your right to a secret ballot. No one may watch you vote or look at how you voted. You may tell people how you voted if you want to, but no one, not even your family, your employer or a union representative, can make you tell them.

Behind a screen, you mark an "X" in the circle next to your chosen candidate, fold the ballot, show it to the poll officials (who tear off the ballot number), and put it in the ballot box. After the polls close, the votes are counted and the results are made public.

After the election

The Governor General usually asks the leader of the party with the most seats to form the government. That leader becomes the Prime Minister.

• A majority government holds at least half of the seats in the House of Commons.
• A minority government holds less than half of the seats.

To stay in power, the government must have the support (confidence) of most MPs. If it loses a vote on an important matter, such as the budget, this usually leads to a new election.

Cabinet ministers, chosen by the Prime Minister, lead federal departments, prepare the budget and propose most new laws.

The other parties are called opposition parties. Their job is to question, oppose or improve what the government proposes. The opposition party with the most seats is the Official Opposition. When the guide was printed, the three major parties in the House of Commons were the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party.

Other levels of government

• Federal: MPs deal with national defence, foreign policy, citizenship, policing and criminal justice, among others.
• Provincial and territorial: elected members called MLAs, MNAs, MPPs or MHAs deal with education, health care, highways and more. In each province, the Lieutenant Governor represents the Sovereign and the Premier leads the government.
• Municipal (local): a mayor or reeve and councillors or aldermen pass by-laws and look after things like roads, garbage removal, snow removal, firefighting and recreation.
• First Nations: many reserves have a band chief and councillors who look after matters such as housing and schools on the reserve.

Learn the names of your own MP, riding, provincial or territorial representative and mayor.

Key facts to remember

• Federal elections are held on the third Monday in October, every four years, unless an earlier election is called.
• Each electoral district (riding, constituency) elects one MP. There are now 343 ridings (the guide's printed version says 308).
• To vote: Canadian citizen, 18 or older on voting day, on the voters' list.
• Elections Canada runs federal elections and makes the voters' list from the National Register of Electors. Phone 1-800-463-6868.
• Bring your card and proof of identity and address. You can also vote at an advance poll or by special ballot.
• Voting is by secret ballot; mark an X beside your candidate.
• The party with the most seats usually forms the government; its leader becomes Prime Minister.
• Majority = at least half the seats; minority = less than half.
• The largest opposition party is the Official Opposition.
• Municipal leaders: mayor or reeve, councillors or aldermen; they pass by-laws.