First Empowered Elected Council
The Conseil de Québec, established in 1657, was the first elected council authorized by the colonial powers on Canadian soil. Previously, power was held exclusively by appointed representatives of Britain or France.

Voting in Canada Was Not Always Free and Democratic
Canadians take pride in our democratic system. Canadian citizens have the universal right to vote, and a strong array of mechanisms guarantee that they can exercise their right freely and easily. A look back at our history shows that this is a recent achievement and demonstrates just how valuable it is. A team of renowned historians and academics produced a memorable account of the social evolution that made democracy possible, in a book published by Elections Canada, A History of the Vote in Canada.