COUNTRY	Canada
ELECTION TYPE	Parliamentary
DATE	June 28, 2004

• 308 seats in the House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)

• Chief of State: ELIZABETH II*
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN
• Assembly: Canada has a bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consisting of the Senate (Senat) with 105 members and the House of Commons (Chambre des Communes) with 308 members.

*Note: The Queen is represented by Governor-General Adrienne CLARKSON.

• All members of the Senate are approved by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. No terms are set and senators can serve in office until the age of 75.
• In the House of Commons, all members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms.

• Party: Liberal Party of Canada (LIB)
  Leader: Paul MARTIN
  Seats won in this election: 135
  Seats won in last election: 172
  
  
• Party: Conservative Party of Canada (CONS)*
  Leader: Stephen HARPER
  Seats won in this election:99
  Seats won in last election: 78

*Note: The Conservative Party was formed when the Progressive Conservative (PCP) which had 12 seats and the 66 seat Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance (CA) merged together after the 2000 elections.

• Party: Bloc QuÉbecois (BQ)
  Leader: Gilles DUCEPPE
  Seats won in this election:54
  Seats won in last election: 38
  
  
• Party: New Democratic Party (NDP)
  Leader: Jack LAYTON
  Seats won in this election:19
  Seats won in last election: 13

• Canada held its last parliamentary elections on November 27, 2000. In the last election, 301 seats were in contention in the House of Commons.

• Population: 32,207,113 (July 2003 estimate)
• Number of registered voters: 22,295,670

• Major election issues included improvements in the government-administered healthcare, taxes, gun registration, homelessness and the issue of same sex marriages.
• Other concerns that surrounded the elections included voter disinterest and confusion on party platforms.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: IFES ELECTIONGUIDE ONLINE