Canada has a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy as its form of government. It follows the Westminster tradition. The system includes three main components: the Crown, the Senate, and the House of Commons. The executive authority is formally vested in the Crown, represented by the Governor General, who acts upon the Prime Minister's advice. The legislative power is shared between the elected House of Commons and the appointed Senate. Canada is also a federal state where lawmaking responsibilities are divided among federal, provincial, and territorial governments. This system is founded on the rule of law, respect for rights and freedoms, and representative democracy, with the government deriving authority from the Canadian people.