Government of Quebec

Government of Quebec
French: Gouvernement du Québec
Logo of the Government of Quebec
Overview
EstablishedJuly 1, 1867 (1867-07-01)
StateQuebec
CountryCanada
LeaderPremier
François Legault
Appointed byLieutenant Governor
Manon Jeannotte
Main organExecutive Council
Responsible toNational Assembly
HeadquartersQuebec City
Websitewww.quebec.ca

The Government of Quebec (French: Gouvernement du Québec) also known as His Majesty's Government for Quebec is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Quebec. The term Government of Quebec (French: Gouvernement du Québec) is typically used to refer to the executive—ministers of the Crown (the Executive Council) of the day, and the non-political staff within each provincial department or agency, i.e. the civil services, whom the ministers direct—which corporately brands itself as the Gouvernement du Québec, or more formally, His Majesty's Government (French: Gouvernement de Sa Majesté).[1][2]

The current construct was established when the province joined Confederation in 1867. Quebec is a secondary jurisdiction of Canada, a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy in the Westminster tradition; a Premier—presently François Legault of the Coalition Avenir Québec—is the head of government and is invited by the Crown to form a government after securing the confidence of the National Assembly, typically determined through the election of enough members of the National Assembly (MNAs) of a single political party in an election to provide a majority of seats, forming a governing party or coalition.[3] The sovereign is King Charles III, Canada's head of state, who is represented provincially in Quebec by the lieutenant governor, presently Manon Jeannotte.

Role of the Crown

Main articles: Monarchy of Canada and Monarchy in Quebec
See also: Monarchy in the Canadian provinces
Charles III is King of Canada, the head of state

King Charles III, as King of Canada is also the King in Right of Quebec. As a Commonwealth realm, the Canadian monarch is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations.[9] Within Canada, the monarch exercises power individually on behalf of the federal government, and the 10 provinces.

Lieutenant governor

Main article: Lieutenant Governor of Quebec

While the powers of the Crown are vested in the monarch, they are exercised by the lieutenant governor, his personal representative, typically on the binding advice of the premier and Executive Council.

In Canada, lieutenant governor is appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister of Canada.[13] Thus, it is typically the lieutenant governor whom the premier and ministers advise, in exercising much of the royal prerogative.

While the advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding on the lieutenant governor, there are occasions when the lieutenant governor has refused advice. This usually occurs if the premier does not clearly command the confidence of the elected National Assembly.

King-in-Council

The executive power vested in the Crown is exercised "in-Council", meaning on the advice of the Executive Council; conventionally, this is the Cabinet, which is chaired by the premier and comprises ministers of the Crown. The term Government of Quebec, or more formally, His Majesty's Government refers to the activities of the King-in-Council. The day-to-day operation and activities of the Government of Quebec are performed by the provincial departments and agencies, staffed by the non-partisan public service and directed by the elected government.

Premier and Executive Council

François Legault is Premier of Quebec
Main articles: Premier of Quebec and Executive Council of Quebec

The premier of Quebec (French: premier ministre du Québec, lit. 'prime minister of Quebec') is the primary minister of the Crown. The premier acts as the head of government for the province, chairs and selects the membership of the Cabinet, and advises the Crown on the exercise of executive power and much of the royal prerogative. As premiers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected Nation Assembly, they typically sit as a MNA and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Assembly. Premiers hold office until resignation or removal by the lieutenant governor after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election.[14] Among Canadian premiers, the Quebec premier is unique, in that new sessions begin with the Opening Speech by the premier,[15] rather than a speech from the throne by the lieutenant governor, as is the case federally as well.

In Canada, the Cabinet (French: Conseil des ministres, lit. 'council of ministers') of each provincial and territorial government is known as an Executive Council (French: Conseil exécutif).

François Legault has served as Premier since October 18, 2018, after the Coalition Avenir Québec won a majority government following the 2018 election.

See also

References

  1. ^ MacLeod, Kevin S. (2008), A Crown of Maples (PDF) (1 ed.), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, p. 18, ISBN 978-0-662-46012-1, retrieved June 21, 2009
  2. ^ Government of Canada, Department of Justice (1999-11-03). "Department of Justice - Final Report of the French Constitutional Drafting Committee". www.justice.gc.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  3. ^ "Westminster Tradition". www.leg.bc.ca. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  4. ^ Claude Bouchard (16 February 2016). "Jugement No. 200-17-018455-139" (PDF) (in French). Cour supérieure du Québec. p. 16. Retrieved 17 February 2016 – via Le Devoir.
  5. ^ Romaniuk, Scott Nicholas; Wasylciw, Joshua K. (February 2015). "Canada's Evolving Crown: From a British Crown to a "Crown of Maples"". American, British and Canadian Studies Journal. 23 (1): 108–125. doi:10.1515/abcsj-2014-0030.
  6. ^ Department of Canadian Heritage (2015). "Crown of Maples: Constitutional Monarchy in Canada" (PDF). Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Queen and Canada". The Royal Household. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  8. ^ "The Queen of Canada". Government of Canada. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  9. ^ [4][5][6][7][8]
  10. ^ Hicks, Bruce (2012). "The Westminster Approach to Prorogation, Dissolution and Fixed Date Elections" (PDF). Canadian Parliamentary Review. 35 (2): 20.
  11. ^ MacLeod 2008, p. 36
  12. ^ Government of Canada (4 December 2015). "Why does the Governor General give the Speech?". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  13. ^ [10][11][12]
  14. ^ Brooks 2007, p. 235
  15. ^ National Assembly of Quebec. "Parliament and Government". Éditeur officiel du Québec. Archived from the original on February 23, 2010.

Works cited