HCO Glossary - C

Cabinet (Executive Council)

The heads of government ministries. The Premier is the head of the cabinet and chooses cabinet ministers from among elected members of his or her party.

Cabinet Minister

A member of the cabinet; the head of a government ministry. The Premier chooses cabinet ministers and the Lieutenant Governor swears them in.

Caucus

All of the elected members from one party; a private meeting of this group.

Chamber

The room where the House of Commons, Senate or Legislative Assembly holds its sittings.

Civil Servants

People who work for government ministries.

Clerk, The:

The senior permanent employee of the Legislative Assembly. The Clerk is responsible for keeping the Assembly's records and for providing procedural advice to the Speaker. This position has administrative responsibility in the Legislative Assembly Office equivalent to that of a deputy minister of a government department.

Committee of Supply

A committee of all Members of the Legislative Assembly that meets to discuss the government's budget estimates.

Committee of the Whole

A committee of all Members of the Legislative Assembly that meets to discuss bills in detail.

Constituency

A voting district. In Alberta there are 83 constituencies; each elects one Member of the Legislative Assembly.

Constitution

The supreme law of a country. The Canadian Constitution is made up of the British North America Act ,1867 (now called the Constitution Act, 1867) and its amendments, all the acts and orders which gave Canada new territories and created its provinces, the Constitution Act, 1982, and unwritten customs called conventions.

Constitutional Monarchy

A system of government in which the supreme law is the nation's Constitution but the formal head of state is a monarch, 96 represented in Canada by the Governor General and in Alberta by the Lieutenant Governor.

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