Parliament, the three branches, and how a bill becomes law
The three parts of Parliament, how members of Parliament and senators get their seats, the seven steps a bill goes through to become law, the three branches of government, and how the provinces make their laws.
Test yourself
Transcript
Arjun is thirty. He came from India, and he works in computer support in Kitchener. On the drive to work, the radio news says a bill has passed third reading in the House of Commons. Then the story moves on. Arjun wonders, what is a bill? And how many readings are there? I'm Vinnie. Remember, this is a free, independent course. It is not a government course.
So here is the question. Who makes Canada's laws, and what steps does a new law go through?
The official study guide, Discover Canada, explains this in How Canadians Govern Themselves. Laws for all of Canada are passed by Parliament. Parliament has three parts. The Sovereign, the Senate, and the House of Commons.
The House of Commons is made up of members of Parliament. The people elect them, traditionally every four years. The Senate is the other chamber. Its members are called senators. Senators are not elected. The Governor General appoints them, on the Prime Minister's advice. They can serve until age seventy-five.
A bill is a proposed law, written down. It becomes a law only after it passes both the House of Commons and the Senate, and then gets royal assent. Royal assent is the final approval. The Governor General gives it, on behalf of the Sovereign.
The guide lists seven steps. One, first reading. Two, second reading. Three, committee stage. Four, report stage. Five, third reading. Six, the Senate. Seven, royal assent. So Arjun's bill had passed third reading. It still needed the Senate, and then royal assent.
The guide also names three branches of government. The executive, the legislative and the judicial. In plain words, the legislative branch makes the laws. That is Parliament. The judicial branch is the courts. The executive branch runs the government. The Cabinet is the Prime Minister and the Cabinet ministers, and the Prime Minister chooses them.
The provinces work in a similar way. A province's legislature is the Lieutenant Governor plus an assembly that the people elect. The members have different names in different provinces. In Ontario, they are members of Provincial Parliament, and they meet at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto. The Premier leads a province's government, much like the Prime Minister does for Canada.
Let's make it stick. Parliament is a stool with three legs: the King, the Senate and the House. For the bill, count on your fingers. Read, read, committee, report, read. That is one hand, and it is all in the House. Then two more fingers. Senate, assent.
Let's change one fact. What if the Senate does not pass Arjun's bill? Then it cannot go on to royal assent. A bill must pass both the House of Commons and the Senate first. That is why the Senate is step six, and royal assent comes last.
The mistake people make is thinking senators are elected, like members of Parliament. They are not. Senators are appointed, and they can serve until age seventy-five. Members of Parliament are the ones you vote for.
Here's the one thing to remember. Parliament is the Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons. A bill becomes law after both houses pass it and it gets royal assent.
This week, say the seven steps of a bill out loud, three times, without looking. Then read the part of the guide about the three branches. Next time, elections, voting, and who forms the government.