POL214Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Justification For The State, Responsible Government, Royal Assent
Document Summary
The queen is the canadian head of state, but she reigns according to the constitution. The concept of the crown revolves around the head of state and can be defined as the collectivity of executive powers exercised by or in the name of the monarch. In speaking of the powers of the crown, it is best to see them as being in the possession of the queen but exercised by the prime minister and cabinet. The queen remains the canadian head of state, but in her absence the governor general may perform any of her functions and exercise any of her powers. Today, the governor general is only the personal representative of the queen and has no connection whatsoever to the british government. The canadian prime minister actually chooses the governor general, who serves a term of approximately five years.
