 | Politics of Quebec: Encyclopedia II - Politics of Quebec - Institutions
Politics of Quebec - Institutions
Many of Quebec's political institutions are among the oldest in North America. The first part of this article presents the main political institutions of Quebec society. The last part presents an overview of Quebec's current politics and issues.
Politics of Quebec - The Parliament of Quebec
The Parliament of Quebec holds the legislative power. It consists of the National Assembly of Quebec and the lieutenant governor of Quebec.
Main article: National Assembly of Quebec
The National Assembly of Quebec is part of a legislature based on the Westminster System. However, it has a few special characteristics, one of the most important being that it functions primarily in French, although English is allowed and the Assembly's records are published in both English and French. The representatives of the Quebec people are elected with the first-past-the-post electoral method.
The government is created by the majority party and it is responsible to the National Assembly. Since the abolition of the Legislative Council in 1968, the National Assembly has all the powers to enact laws in the provincial jurisdiction as specified in the Constitution of Canada.
A symbolic function by nature, the lieutenant-governor represents the Queen of Canada in Quebec. Appointed by the federal government, the lieutenant-government signs bills into law.
Politics of Quebec - Government of Quebec
The government of Quebec consists of all the ministries and governmental branches that do not have the status of independent institutions, such as municipalities and regional county municipalities.
Main article: Executive Council of Quebec
The Executive Council is the body responsible for decision-making in the government. It is composed of the Premier (in French Premier ministre), the government ministers, the ministers of state and delegate ministers. The Executive Council directs the government and the civil service, and oversees the enforcement of laws, regulations and policies. Together with the lieutenant governor, it constitutes the government of Quebec. See also Premier of Quebec.
The Quebec Ombudsman is a governmental institution responsible for handling complaints from individuals, companies and associations who believe the government of Quebec or any of its branches has made an error or treated them unjustly. The Ombudsman has certain powers defined by the Public Protector Act. The Quebec Ombudsman has a social contract with Quebecers to ensure the transparency of the state.
The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission) is a publicly-funded agency created by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Its members are appointed by the National Assembly. The Commission has been given powers to promote and protect human rights within all sectors of Quebec society. Government institutions and Parliament are bound by the provisions of the Charter. The Commission may investigate into possible cases of discrimination, whether by the State or by private parties. It may introduce litigation if its recommendations are not followed.
The Office québécois de la langue française (Quebec Office of the French language) is an organization created in 1961. Its mandate was greatly expanded by the 1977 Charter of the French Language. It is responsible for applying and defining Quebec's language policy pertaining to linguistic officialization, terminology and francization of public administration and businesses.
See language policies for a comparison with other jurisdictions in the world.
Established in 1973, the Conseil du status de la femme (Council on the Status of Women) is a government advisory and study council responsible for informing the government of the status of women's rights in Quebec. The council is made of a chair and 10 members appointed by the Quebec government every four to five years. The head office of the council is in Quebec City and it has 11 regional offices throughout Quebec.
A first in North America, the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (Quebec Commission on Access to Information) is an institution created in 1982 to administer the Quebec legislative framework of access to information and protection of privacy.
The first law related to privacy protection is the Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1971. It ensured that all persons had the right to access their credit record. A little later, the Professional Code enshrined principles such as professional secrecy and the confidential nature of personal information.
Today, the CAI administers the law framework of the Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information as well as the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector.
Politics of Quebec - Chief electoral officer of Quebec
Independent from the government, this institution is responsible for the administration of the Quebec electoral system.
Politics of Quebec - Judicial bodies
The principal judicial courts of Quebec are the Court of Quebec, the Superior Court and the Court of Appeal.
In 1973, the Tribunal des professions was created to behave as an appeal tribunal to decisions taken by the various discipline committees of Quebec's professional orders. The current president is Paule Lafontaine.
On December 10, 1990, the Quebec Human rights Tribunal was created. It became the first judicial tribunal in Canada specializing in human rights. The current president is Michèle Rivet.
An administrative tribunal, the Tribunal administratif du Québec is in operation since April 1, 1998 to resolve disputes between citizens and the government. The current president is Jacques Forgues.
Politics of Quebec - Municipal and regional institutions
The territory of Quebec is divided into 17 administrative regions: Bas-Saint-Laurent, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Capitale-Nationale, Mauricie, Estrie, Montréal, Outaouais, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Chaudière-Appalaches, Laval, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Montérégie, and Centre-du-Québec.
Inside the regions, there are municipalities and regional county municipalities (RCMs).
Politics of Quebec - School boards
On July 1, 1998, 69 linguistic school boards, 60 francophone and 9 anglophone, were created in replacement for the former 153 Protestant and Catholic boards. In order to pass this law, which ended a debate of over 30 years, it was necessary for the Parliament of Canada to amend Article 93 of the Constitution Act 1867.
- List of Quebec school boards
- List of Quebec schools
- Education in Quebec
Other related archives1960s, 1976, 1980 Quebec referendum, 1982, 1985, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1995 referendum on sovereignty, 2003 election, Parti conservateur du Québec, Parti égalité/Equality Party, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Action démocratique du Québec, Action libérale nationale, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Bloc Québécois, Bloc populaire, Bloc pot, British, Cabinet of Quebec, Canada, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian confederation, Capitale-Nationale, Centre-du-Québec, Charlottetown Accord, Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Charter of the French Language, Chaudière-Appalaches, Civil Code of Quebec, Commonwealth of Nations, Constitution of Canada, Court of Appeal, Côte-Nord, Daniel Johnson, Jr., Education in Quebec, Estrie, Executive Council of Quebec, Ford v. Quebec (A.G.), Francophonie, Front de libération du Québec, Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Government of Quebec, History of Quebec, Jacques Parizeau, Jean Charest, Jean Chrétien, Jean Lesage, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Laval, Leader of the Official Opposition, Liberal Party, Liberal Party of Canada, Lieutenant-Governor, List of Quebec leaders of the Opposition, List of Quebec premiers, List of Quebec senators, List of political parties in Canada#Quebec, Lucien Bouchard, Maurice Duplessis, Mauricie, Meech Lake Accord, Montréal, Montérégie, National Assembly, National Assembly of Quebec, National Question, Nord-du-Québec, October 30, October Crisis, Office québécois de la langue française, Outaouais, Oxfam, Parliament of Canada, Parti Québécois, Parti créditiste, Parti démocratie chrétienne du Québec, Parti libéral du Québec, Parti marxiste-léniniste du Québec, Parti républicain du Québec, Parti vert du Quebec, Pierre Laporte, Pierre Trudeau, Political parties in Quebec, Premier, Premier of Quebec, President of the Assembly, Protestants, Quebec, Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, Quebec Sovereignism, Quebec federalism, Quebec federalist ideology, Quebec general election, 1994, Quebec general election, 1998, Quebec general election, 2003, Quebec general elections, Quebec nationalism, Quebec provincial election, Quebec sovereigntism, Quebec sovereignty movement, Quiet Revolution, Ralliement créditiste, Ralliement national, Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale, Reference re Secession of Quebec, René Lévesque, Robert Bourassa, Roman Catholics, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, State, Supreme Court of Canada, Timeline of Quebec history, Union Nationale, Union des forces progressistes, Westminster System, World Social Forum, constitution, constitutional, federal government, federalist, first-past-the-post, government of Quebec, language policies, lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, municipalities, nation, nationalists, one in 1980, one in 1995, politics, premier, re-elected, referendums, responsible, social democratic, sovereignty association, sovereignty-association, status quo, unionism, État québécois
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Institutions", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
