Peace, order and good government

In Canada, the phrase peace, order and good government (in French, paix, d'ordre et de bon gouvernement) is often used to describe the principles upon which that country's confederation took place. Originally used in the Constitution Act, 1867 enacted by the United Kingdom, it defines the principles under which a Canadian Parliament should legislate. It appears in the Section 91 of the Act, which divides legislative powers between the federal and provincial levels of government. In that section the phrase describes the legal grounds upon which the federal government is constitutionally permitted to pass laws that intrude on the legislative purview of the provinces.

Despite its technical purpose, the phrase “peace, order and good government” has become meaningful to Canadians. This tripartite motto is sometimes said to define Canadian values in a way comparable to “liberté, égalité, fraternité” (liberty, equality, fraternity) in France or “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the United States.

See also

• Canadian federalism