Federal Elections
- Who Can Vote: Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years old on election day and registered to vote; eligible voters can also register when they vote.
- Secret Ballot: Voting in Canadian elections is strictly confidential. No one can demand to know who you voted for.
- Electoral Districts (Ridings): Canada is divided into 343 ridings. The candidate who receives the most votes in each riding is elected as the Member of Parliament (first-past-the-post).
The Justice System
The Canadian justice system is founded on the Rule of Law, where laws apply equally to everyone.
- Presumption of Innocence: In criminal trials, the accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Independent Courts: Judges are completely independent of politicians and governments.
- The Supreme Court of Canada: The highest court of appeal in the nation, composed of nine judges (three must be from Quebec to ensure expertise in the Civil Code) led by the Chief Justice.
- Police Forces: Enforce the law. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP / 'Mounties') is the federal police force. Ontario and Quebec operate their own provincial police forces; cities maintain municipal forces.