“Government”

The party with the most elected members in the House of Commons usually forms the Government. Within the federal Government, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet determine priorities and policies, ensure their implementation and guide the Government's legislation through the House of Commons. An important feature of our system is that the Cabinet is responsible to Parliament. If the Government loses a major vote in the House, the Cabinet resigns. At that point the Governor General may accept the Prime Minister's advice to dissolve Parliament and call an election, or the Governor General may ask the Leader of the Official Opposition to form a new Government. > See responsible government.