Western alienation, in the context of Canadian politics, refers to the notion that the Western provinces—British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba—have been marginalized within Confederation, particularly compared to Ontario and Quebec, Canada's two largest provinces. Expressions of western alienation frequently allege that those provinces are politically over-represented and receive out-sized economic benefits at the expense of western Canadians.
An effigy of Pierre Trudeau being hanged in Alberta in the 1980s.
Trucks participating in the convoy protest and occupation of Ottawa in February 2022; the truck on the left is adorned with Saskatchewan flags.
The politics of Canada functions within a framework of parliamentary democracy and a federal system of parliamentary government with strong democratic traditions. Canada is a constitutional monarchy where the monarch is head of state. In practice, executive authority is entrusted to the Cabinet, a committee of ministers of the Crown chaired by the Prime Minister of Canada that act as the executive committee of the King's Privy Council for Canada and are responsible to the democratically elected House of Commons.
Charles III, King of Canada, the country's head of state
Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, the monarch's representative
Canada's Prime Ministers from 1867 to 1963. The Prime Minister of Canada serves as the head of government.
A democratically elected body, the House of Commons of Canada is one of three components of the Parliament of Canada.