25
Apr
Ontario, April 25: As Canada gears up for its federal election on April 28, many first-time voters—and a good number of observers abroad—are surprised to learn they won’t actually be voting for the country’s Prime Minister. At least, not directly.Unlike the U.S. presidential system, where citizens vote for a head of state, Canada’s parliamentary democracy works differently. Voters cast a ballot not for a national leader, but for a local Member of Parliament (MP) in their riding. That MP’s party—if it wins the most seats in the House of Commons—then gets the chance to form a government. The party leader…