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1 1 (October 17, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbbkr0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional _____ ~Research Service lnforming the Iegislative debate since 1914 Canada's October 2019 Elections Updated October 17, 2019 Canada is to hold parliamentary elections on October 21, 2019. Polls suggest a close race, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party struggling to hold onto the majority they won in 2015. The outcome of the election could have implications for the United States, which is closely bound to Canada by a 5,500-mile border, extensive commercial ties, and mutual defense commitments. Electoral System Canada is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as sovereign. She is represented in Canadian affairs by a governor general appointed on the advice of the Canadian prime minister. Canada's bicameral parliament includes an elected, 338-seat House of Commons and an appointed, 105-seat Senate. Canadians elect Members of Parliament from individual districts (ridings) under a first-past-the-post system, which only requires a plurality of the vote to win a seat. Following elections, the sitting prime minister has the right to try to form a new government. If the prime minister's party lacks a majority, it may seek support from other parties to form a minority government, which has occurred several times in Canada's recent history. If those efforts fail, the governor general typically calls on the party that won the most seats to try to form a government. A government lasts as long as it can command a parliamentary majority, for a maximum of four years. 2019 Campaign Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberals came to power in 2015 on a platform pledging to improve economic security for the middle class. Upon taking office, they enacted a tax cut for middle-income families and created a new child benefit to help families with the cost of raising children. The Liberals also increased paid parental leave benefits and worked with the provinces to gradually increase Canadians' pension benefits. Although unemployment is near a 40-year low, many Canadians remain concerned about so-called pocketbook issues. Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer has campaigned on helping Canadians get ahead. He argues that the Liberal government's carbon tax has increased Canadians' cost of living and that four years of deficit spending have failed to improve Canadians' lives. The Conservatives have pledged to repeal the carbon tax, cut income taxes, and balance the budget within five years. The Liberals also face pressure from their left. The New Democratic Party (NDP), led by Jagmeet Singh, and the Green Party, led by Elizabeth May, argue that the Liberals have not enacted the far-reaching Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11178 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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