- Definition
In a constitutional monarchy, a king or queen is the head of state, but their power is limited by a constitution and laws, meaning elected officials make the actual decisions about how the country is run. Canada has this type of government.
In Canada, the King is the head of state, but the Prime Minister and the elected government make the country's laws.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A constitutional monarchy is like having a team captain who is the symbol of the team, but the coach and players make the actual decisions about how to play the game.
Ask your child: Why have a king or queen if they don't make the final decisions?
Common mix-up: In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited by law and constitutional convention. In Canada, Parliament—made up of the Crown, Senate, and House of Commons—passes laws, while elected representatives govern day to day.
Examples
- The King's image is on Canadian coins, but the elected government decides the country's budget.
- In the United Kingdom, the monarch gives a speech to open Parliament, but the elected members are the ones who make the laws.
constitutional monarchy* is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
