Comparison of the American and Canadian legislative process
Legislation is an important process of any democratic nation. This essay will demonstrate the legislative differences between two democratic nations - Canada and the United States. Although many people consider Canada and the United States to be very similar nations, they have very different legislative process, each with its own pros and cons. In order to illustrate these differences we will be following a money bill through both the Canadian and American systems of government. When a bill is passed through the entire legislative system, all three constituents of the government are involved: The House of Commons, the Senate, and The Governor General. If a bill has passed through all of these bodies it then becomes law. A bill starts in the House of Commons where a Minister or Member of Parliament first introduces it. Once it is in the House of Commons it begins the first phase of legislation.The First reading acts as an introduction to the bill. During this stage the title of the bill is announced, followed by a brief description of the contents in the bill. At this stage the bill is tabled, printed and made public. All bills are automatically passed through this stage without
The Governor General's contribution to a bill is almost entirely ceremonial and any attempt by a Governor General to refuse to sign a bill that has already been passed by both houses would be viewed with horror by democrats and libertarians. Conference Committee ActionIf only minor changes are made to a bill by the other chamber, it is common for the legislation to go back to the first chamber for concurrence. During the second reading the bill is debated by the Members of Parliament. DebateWhen a bill reaches the floor of the Full House or Full Senate, there are rules or procedures governing the debate on legislation. However, when the actions of the other chamber significantly alter the bill, a conference committee is formed to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions. Another similarity would appear to be the similar functions performed by the Governor General in Canada and the President in the United States. The Opposition members' comments usually reflect the consensus of their party caucus. Unlike the Canadian system however, bills can be introduced in either the Senate or the House of Representatives. Report StageDuring the report stage, the bill is presented in its amended form and then debated. All debates are limited to the principle of the bill. This report describes the intent and scope of the legislation, impact on existing laws and programs, position of the executive branch, and views of dissenting members of the committee. This example reflects the fundamental difference between the American democratic system and the Canadian one. The same is not true of the Governor General. If the President opposes the bill, he can veto it.
Common topics in this essay:
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Acceptance Essays
