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The principle of democracy in Canada

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The constitutional principle of democracy is one that again has been debated and there are many forms of democracy around the world. In Canada our Supreme Court has expressed a very particular view of what democracy is and certainly it starts from the idea of democratically elected representative institutions. Institutions that are composed of members of parliament who are elected by elections by the people, by majority votes and institutions that that function through majority votes, but democracy is much more than just a majority rule in Canada.

The Supreme Court has recognized that there is the possibility of different majorities across the country. The division of the country into provinces and territories recognizes that those groups within those territorial units that are provinces and territories should be able to control certain kinds of decisions that they make for themselves, and they shouldn’t necessarily be bound by the decisions of a majority constituted by everybody in the whole country. So, the notion of Federalism is something that springs out of democracy in this sense of allowing people self-government, basically in a word. And that notion of self-government is tied into other values that are essential to the functioning of a healthy society, particularly in a country like Canada which is increasingly more and more diverse. From the very beginning Canada was a diverse country you had largely francophone population in Quebec and an anglophone population elsewhere and it’s a country that has been built on immigration, people from all over the world and so democracy in Canada recognizes the need to have a healthy functioning diverse community and the Supreme Court in a reference case on the secession of Quebec articulated this a little bit more broadly in in these terms it said “The court must be guided by the values and principles essential to a free and democratic society which I believe in body to name a few respect for the inherent dignity of the human person commitment to social justice and equality accommodation of a wide variety of beliefs respect for cultural and group identity and faith in social and political institutions which enhance the participation of individuals and groups in society” so democracy is fundamentally about allowing people to have a voice in the way their government operates, and the way their laws are made and in a way that will respect their dignity and respect the diversity of the community.

A new interactive course, developed by Jurivision and the Civil Law Section of the University of Ottawa, explores the complex process of law-making in Canada. Providing a clear and accessible understanding of these systems, this course highlights the essential connections between the legislative process and fundamental principles such as democracy and federalism.

In this segment from the course, Professor John Mark Keyes explains that Canadian democracy rests on much more than just majority rule. Federalism, self-governance, and respect for diversity play a central role. These values, which emphasize dignity, equality, and inclusive participation, also ensure that provinces have autonomy in their policy decisions while strengthening Canada’s multicultural identity.

Professor John Mark Keyes and the Jurivision team during the filming of video segments featured in the online course.

The Canadian Political System at the Federal Level

Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of British origin. Its Constitution establishes three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. These three branches operate independently but interact with each other in various contexts, particularly within the legislative process.

The interactive illustration below, taken from the visual course, highlights the interactions among these three branches within the Canadian federal political system.

A documentary-inspired format for interactive learning

Inspired by a documentary format, The Legislative and Regulatory Process in Canada uses innovative teaching techniques to encourage dynamic learning. The course combines video segments with experts, interactive graphics, explanatory texts, and links to relevant resources to help learners deepen their understanding of key concepts.

This professional program, offered online in collaboration with the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute, is ideal for public sector professionals, consultants, and anyone interested in gaining a clearer understanding of how laws and regulations are developed in Canada.

Enroll today to explore the Canadian legislative system in all its depth and complexity!

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References and Useful Links
John Mark Keyes
Professor and specialist in legislative drafting, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa

A graduate of the Faculties of Law of the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa, John Mark Keyes is a professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, where he teaches mainly in the field of public law and legislation. John has also worked for the Department of Justice Canada, first in the Privy Council Office Section, where he reviewed draft regulations, and then in the Legislation Section, where he drafted bills as legislative counsel.

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