How are members of Parliament chosen?
- They are appointed by the United Nations
- They are chosen by the provincial premiers
- They are elected by landowners and police chiefs
- They are elected by voters in their local constituency (riding)
Answer: They are elected by voters in their local constituency (riding)
Canada is divided into electoral districts, or ridings. The voters in each riding elect one member of Parliament to the House of Commons, and the candidate with the most votes becomes the MP. This is one of the study questions in Discover Canada.
Learn more: Electoral districts, candidates and MPs
- An electoral district is a geographic area represented by one Member of Parliament. It is also called a riding or a constituency.
- Canada is divided into 343 electoral districts (since the 2025 general election; Discover Canada gives 308).
- The citizens in each electoral district elect one MP, who represents them and all Canadians in the House of Commons.
- Canadian citizens aged 18 or older may run in a federal election.
- People who run for office are called candidates. There can be many candidates in one electoral district.
- Voters in each district vote for the candidate and political party of their choice.
- The candidate who receives the most votes becomes the MP for that district.