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Chapter 6: Federal elections

Electoral districts and candidates

In federal elections, Canadians choose the people who represent them in the House of Commons. These members are called members of Parliament, or MPs. Voters can re-elect the same MPs or choose new ones.

Canada is divided into electoral districts, also called ridings or constituencies. An electoral district is a geographic area, and the citizens in each one elect one MP to represent them and all Canadians in the House of Commons.

Any Canadian citizen aged 18 or older may run as a candidate. Candidates can belong to a political party or run as independents. The candidate with the most votes in a district becomes its MP. By law, federal elections are held on the third Monday in October, every four years after the last general election, but the Prime Minister may ask the Governor General to call an election earlier.

Who can vote

Voting is one of the privileges of Canadian citizenship. 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 produced by Elections Canada, a neutral agency of Parliament. They come from the National Register of Electors, a permanent database of Canadian citizens aged 18 or older who are qualified to vote in federal elections and referendums. New citizens can ask to have their names added to the register.

Steps to voting

Once you are registered, you receive a voter information card. It confirms that your name is on the voters' list and tells you when and where to vote. If you do not get a card, contact your local elections office or Elections Canada.

If you cannot or do not want to vote on election day, you can vote at an advance poll or by special ballot. On election day, go to your polling station and bring your voter information card and proof of your identity and address.

Behind a screen, mark an "X" in the circle next to the candidate you choose. Fold the ballot and hand it to the poll official, who tears off the ballot number and gives it back so you can put it in the ballot box.

The secret ballot

Canadian law protects your right to a secret ballot. No one may watch you vote, and no one should look at how you voted. You are free to talk about your vote if you want to, but nobody, including your family, your employer or your union representative, has the right to make you tell them.

As soon as the polls close, election officers count every ballot and the results are made public through the media and the Elections Canada website.

Provincial, territorial and municipal elections are also held by secret ballot, but their rules are not the same as the federal rules. It is worth learning the rules for local and provincial elections so that you can use your right to vote at every level.

After an election

Normally, the leader of the political party with the most elected representatives becomes Prime Minister. If the party in power holds at least half of the seats in the House of Commons, it is a majority government. If it holds less than half, it is a minority government.

The Prime Minister and the party in power govern only while they have the support, or confidence, of most MPs. A vote on a major issue such as the budget is a matter of confidence. If a majority of MPs vote against a major government decision, the party in power is defeated, and the Prime Minister usually asks the Governor General, on the Sovereign's behalf, to call an election.

The Cabinet and the Opposition

The Prime Minister chooses the ministers of the Crown, most of them from among members of the House of Commons. Cabinet ministers are responsible for running federal government departments. Together, the Prime Minister and the ministers form the Cabinet. The Cabinet makes important decisions about how the country is governed, prepares the budget and proposes most new laws. All members of the House of Commons can question its decisions.

Parties that are not in power are called opposition parties. The opposition party with the most members in the House of Commons is the Official Opposition. The role of the opposition is to peacefully oppose or try to improve the government's proposals.

Practice questions on this chapter

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