History
Canada is a constitutional monarchy. Since 1534,
when the King of France claimed possession of
what is now Canada, the history of our country
has been marked by the reigns of an
uninterrupted succession of monarchs, both
French and British, who have had a significant
influence on our country's development. Under
the Crown, Canada developed first as a colony of
two empires, originally the French and
subsequently the British, then as an independent
dominion, and now as an entirely sovereign
nation.
| Royal Family |
| History |
| - Before Confederation |
| - Since Confederation |
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The Crown occupies a central place in our Parliament and our democracy, founded on the rule of law and respect for rights and freedoms; the Crown embodies the continuity of the state and is the underlying principle of its institutional unity . The Crown is fused to all three branches of government. The Prime Minister, as head of the Executive, is the Governor General's principal advisor; the Crown is also a constituent element of Parliament, with the Senate and the House of Commons; and finally, all decisions made by the courts are given in the Crown's name.
The most important characteristic of Canada's constitutional monarchy
has been its ability to adapt to changing conditions over the course of
our evolution from colony to nation. In the Senate Foyer and the Salon
de la Francophonie hang the portraits of the kings and queens in whose
names our laws have been, and continue to be, enacted.
(Under Construction)