ernment was set up in the British North America Act of 1867;
charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where
civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Adrienne CLARKSON (since 7
October 1999) elections: monarch on the advice of the prime minister
for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by
the governor general to become prime minister head of government: Prime
Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993); Deputy Prime Minister
John MANLEY (since NA January 2002) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen
by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting
in Parliament

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the
Senate or Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the
advice of the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age ;
its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre
des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms) elections: House of Commons - last held 27 November 2000
(next to be held by 2005) election results: House of Commons - percent
of vote by party - Liberal Party 41%, Conservative Alliance 26%, Bloc
Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 9%, Progressive Conservative Party
12%; seats by party - Liberal Party 172, Conservative Alliance 66, Bloc
Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13, Progressive Conservative Party 12;
note - percent of vote by party as of January 2002 - Liberal Party 51%,
Canadian Alliance 10%, Bloc Quebecois 10%, New Democratic Party 9%,
Progressive Conservative Party 18%; seats by party - Liberal Party
172, Canadian Alliance 66, Bloc Quebecois 38, New Democratic Party 13,
Progressive Conservative Party 12

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the
prime minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously
Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court,
and Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders: Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Canadian
Alliance [Stephen