Principles of Liberal Democracy in Canada’s System of Government and Politics

How Are the Principles of Liberal Democracy Reflected in Canada’s System of Government and Politics?
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How Are the Principles of Liberal Democracy Reflected in Canada’s System of Government and Politics?
Introduction
Canada is a parliamentary democracy, and this implies that it is a form of government that considers the law as the supreme authority of the land. In Canadian politics, liberalism has undergone tremendous changes for numerous years. The constitution of Canada is based on the Constitution Act, 1887, which ensures that the country has a single parliament that is made up of three distinctive elements which include the House of Commons, the Senate, and the Crown (Forsey, 2016). Canada has portrayed similar attributes of various liberal democracies that have been present in Western democratic political traditions. Nevertheless, since Canada is a federal state, institutions that are responsible for enacting the law in the country include the federal, provincial, and territorial government. This paper critically analyzes how the principles of liberal democracy are reflected in Canada’s system of government and politics.
Principles of Liberal Democracy
Generally, scholars are of the opinion that there are four basic principles of liberal democracies. First, the individual forms a fundamental part of the system, and this ideology holds that the individual is both rational and moral (Mintz, Close & Croci, 2011). Second, there should be a belief in progress and reason. This implies that one of the natural aspects of humanity is growth and development, where politics is regarded as an art of compromise. The third principle is based on the consensual theory of the society. This holds that a society is a form of mutual association where all individuals benefit. Therefore, every agent seeks to have order and cooperation instead of conflict and disorder. Lastly, when different forms of power are concentrated within certain groups, individuals, or governments, it tends to raise suspicion. Mintz, Close and Croci (2011) say that it is from these perspectives that liberal democracies aim at limiting the amount of power that is controlled by different agents so that a legitimate government can be promoted within a framework of freedom and justice.
How Parliamentary System of Government and Politics Works
Canada is an independent sovereign democracy that is made up of a federal government, ten provinces that generally govern themselves, and three territories that have a minimal degree of self-governance (ourcommons.ca, n.d). The Governor General uses the cabinet that is headed by the prime minister to govern. A cabinet remains in power from the time the prime minister is sworn in until the time he resigns, dismissed, or dies. The cabinet is made up of ministers who can range from 13 to over 40 members, while the provincial cabinets have ministers who range from 10 to over 30 (Forsey, 2016). Every minister is given a portfolio, such as being in charge of finance, education, environment, and so on, and they are accountable and answerable to the legislature or the House of Commons. ‘Ministers of state’ usually assist other ministers and they a...