President of Canada (Cinco De Mayo)

The President of Canada is a constitutional position created in the 1990 Constitution of Canada which serves as the Canadian Head of State. Practically, the President of Canada has only honorary powers, such as presenting the Order of Canada upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister and calling elections. After an additional constitutional reform in 1996, the President is formally the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Armed Forces. The President of Canada has his own staff and office in Ottawa, and in the case of the death of the President he is succeeded by the sitting President of the Senate for the remainder of his term.

The President is elected on the second Sunday of October with a runoff (if necessary) on the second Sunday of November every seven years and is constitutionally limited to a single seven-year term. The President is popularly elected and the various parties may contest the Presidency, though the Presidency is officially a non-partisan office. Since December 1, 2012 the President of Canada has been Stephen Harper, who resigned as Prime Minister of Canada to assume the office.