Government

The government of New Brunswick is based on the British parliamentary system. The head of the province is the lieutenant governor, but this is a mainly ceremonial office. The lieutenant governor is appointed by the federal government to represent the British sovereign. The real executive power is exercised by the premier and cabinet. The premier of the province is an elected member of the Legislative Assembly. The premier is usually the leader of the majority party in the Assembly.

The Legislative Assembly has a single house of 55 members elected by the people. Any person 18 and over may vote after six months' residence. The normal term of the assembly is five years, but elections are held earlier if the assembly is dissolved. Cabinet members are chosen from the assembly and are responsible to it. The cabinet can hold office so long as it has the support of the majority of the assembly.

The highest court in New Brunswick is the Court of Appeal, which consists of a chief justice and five other judges. A panel of three judges hears most appeals, but some cases are argued before all six judges. The Court of Queen's Bench has a chief justice and 20 other judges. The court has two divisions: the Trial Division and the Family Division. The Trial Division hears civil and criminal cases. The Family Division hears cases related to family matters, including divorce. The governor general in council appoints judges of the Court of Appeal and Court of Queen's Bench. The Provincial Court has a chief judge and 25 other judges, all appointed by the provincial government. The court hears criminal matters, including cases involving juveniles. Lawyers may appeal Provincial Court verdicts to the Court of Queen's Bench or, in some cases, directly to the Court of Appeal.

The province has 15 counties. It has 10 members in the federal Senate and 10 in the House of Commons.