Canadian Parliamentary System of Democracy

The Canadian parliamentary system borrows heavily from the Westminster system, which comprises the head of state and an elected parliament. The elected parliament is comprised of two major arms, the executive and legislature, all of which work together in synchronicity. The two arms must work together to ensure accountability, shared decision-making, and responsibility to the citizens. The interrelationship between the two arms of the Canadian parliament creates a connection with the British parliamentary system from which much is borrowed.

Both Canada and the United Kingdom integrate the legislative and executive arms of the government, presenting a key similarity. This shared characteristic is based on the fact that the executive branch, headed by the Prime Minister, originates within the legislative domain, fostering coordination and interrelationship between the two. The majority party or a coalition within the House of Commons collaborates to form the government. The leader of the majority party assumes the Prime Ministerial role and subsequently chooses their Cabinet members from the elected legislators. This intricate interweaving mechanism ensures governmental accountability to the parliament, deliberately blurring the distinct lines between the roles of the legislative and executive branches.

A critical feature of the Canadian parliamentary system is entailed within the principle of responsible government. This principle stipulates that the executive branch, specifically the Cabinet, is answerable to the Parliament and must retain its support to retain authority. This implies that for the government to continue its functions, it must secure a majority of votes within the House of Commons to pass laws successfully (Forsey, 2020). Consequently, the loss of a confidence vote or a critical piece of legislation may necessitate the government's resignation, potentially culminating in a leadership shift or new elections.

Furthermore, within Canadian and British systems, the Head of State—the monarch— fulfills primarily ceremonial roles. The monarch's authority is constrained by constitutional bounds and is wielded under the guidance of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. In Canada, the Governor General carries out this ceremonial representation of the monarch and associated duties (Forsey, 2020). At the same time, the Prime Minister serves as the de facto head of state, assuming responsibility for executive determinations.

An additional essential component pertains to the bicameral legislature present in Canada, comprising the House of Commons and the Senate. The House of Commons, the lower house, possesses considerable legislative authority and is composed of elected representatives, mirroring the popular mandate (Elections Canada, 2021). Conversely, the Senate primarily functions as a revisory body, systematically reviewing and proposing amendments to bills from the House of Commons (Britannica, 2019). Although the British Parliament lacks an upper house with comparable powers, the bicameral legislature concept resonates with the Westminster model's fundamental tenets.

To conclude, the Canadian parliamentary democratic system resembles the British Westminster model. Key attributes encompass the integration of authority between the legislative and executive arms, the doctrine of responsible government, the symbolic position of the monarch, and the existence of a bicameral legislature. This interconnectedness and reciprocal responsibility between the legislative and executive branches serve as pillars upholding foundational democratic principles, profoundly influencing governance and decision-making paradigms in both Canada and the United Kingdom.