Consensus government

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Consensus government is a system of government in which elected deputies do not sit as members of political parties but rather rule based on consensus.

In Canada, this system exists in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, territories with large aboriginal populations, and was accordingly inspired by aboriginal systems of governance. In this system, all citizens of a territory are entitled to stand for election in their electoral district, and to vote for an individual as their Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Once the Legislature is constituted, its members elect the premier, the speaker and the cabinet from amongst themselves.

In the past the consensus model was also used in British Columbia, District of Keewatin and the Yukon.

Policies advanced by the government are decided upon by majority vote; the government must therefore support policies that please a majority of the members if it wants them to pass.