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CANADA
COUNTRY Canada
ELECTION TYPE Parliamentary
DATE June 28, 2004
At stake in this election:
  • 308 seats in the House of Commons (Chambre des Communes)
Description of government structure:
  • 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.

Description of electoral system:
  • 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.
Main parties in the electoral races:
  • 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
When was the last election?
  • 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 and number of registered voters:
  • Population: 32,207,113 (July 2003 estimate)
  • Number of registered voters: 22,295,670
Of interest:
  • 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.
SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ELECTION SYSTEMS (IFES)
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: IFES ELECTIONGUIDE ONLINEexternal link
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