Understanding Business and Personal Law

Chapter 17: Personal Property and Bailments

A Global Perspective

Canada

Canada is an affluent, high-tech nation with a wide variety of geological formations and ecological systems. Canada has more lakes and inland waters than any other country. It is located in northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean. Canada is slightly larger than the United States. It is the second largest country in the world, but has about the same population as the state of California. Ninety-seven percent of the population is literate.

Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Today, its government is considered a confederation with parliamentary democracy. Canada’s chief of state is the Queen of England. A governor represents the chief of state. The monarch on the advice of the prime minister appoints this governor for a term of five-years. The head of government is the prime minister. The leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated to become prime minister. The cabinet is chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his or her own party sitting in Parliament. The Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Commons. The Senate is a body whose members are appointed by the governor to serve until they reach age 75. There are 104 Senators. The House of Commons has 301 seats, and its members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms.

The legal system in Canada is based on English common law except in Quebec, where the civil law is based on French law. The Supreme Court of Canada is composed of judges appointed by the prime minister. Canada also has the Federal Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal, and Provincial Courts.

Canada closely resembles the United States in its market-oriented economic system and high standard of living.

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