| A | B |
|---|
| Commonwealth of Nations | a group of countries that were once a part of the British Empire. All the member countries recognize Britain's monarch as the head of the commonwealth |
| Parliament | lawmaking body in both Britain and Canada; like our congress |
| Two Houses of Parliament | Senate and House of Commons |
| Members of Senate | appointed by the prime minister |
| Prime Minister | leader of Canada's government (like our president); head of the leading political party (party that wins the most seats) in the House of Commons |
| Members of the House of Commons | elected by the people for his or her own electoral district |
| ministers | 20-30 department heads in the prime ministers cabinet; chosen by the prime minister from the House of Commons |
| Prime Minister and Cabinet | in charge of carrying out the laws passed by Parliament |
| governor general | post appointed by Britain's monarch; he/she takes part in ceremonies, but has no real power |
| federal system | type of government in which states or provinces share authority with the national government |
