5.1.2 Federal State

Canadians are governed at four levels: federal, provincial, territorial and municipal. Each level has its own work to do. The split of duties between Ottawa and the provinces was written down in 1867, in a law then called the British North America Act. That same law is known today as the Constitution Act, 1867. Under it, the national government deals with questions that affect the whole country or Canada's relations abroad. The provinces deal with matters closer to everyday life at home.

The federal government in Ottawa takes charge of subjects that are national or international in scope. Defence and foreign policy sit here. So do citizenship, criminal law and the currency. Trade and communications that cross provincial borders are federal, and so is navigation. These subjects touch every part of the country, so one government handles them for everyone. That keeps the rules the same from one coast to the other, no matter which province a person lives in.

The provinces look after services people use close to home. Education, health and highways are provincial. So are natural resources, and property and civil rights. Municipal government is set up by the provinces as well. Two subjects are not owned by one level alone: agriculture and immigration are shared, which means the federal government and the provinces both have responsibility for them. Learning which level handles which subject is one of the most useful things to know about Canadian government.