INTRODUCTION

Canada is the second largest (by area) and the northern-most country in the world, occupying almost half of the North American land mass. It is a decentralized federation of ten provinces and three territories, governed as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. It was initially constituted through the British North America Act of 1867 and styled the Dominion of Canada. Canada's capital is Ottawa, home of the nation's Parliament, as well as the residences of the Governor General of Canada (who exercises the personal prerogatives delegated by Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's formal head of state) and the Prime Minister (the head of government). Originally a union of former French and British colonies, Canada is a Commonwealth Realm, and a member of both La Francophonie and the Commonwealth of Nations. Canada is officially bilingual, with French widely spoken in the eastern provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, in Eastern Ontario, Southern Manitoba and in specific communities throughout the West. English is the majority language elsewhere. Parliament mainly comprises members of four main political parties.