ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Declaration of war by Canada

Okay kiddo, sometimes countries have disagreements and they can't work them out peacefully. When this happens, they might decide to fight each other. But first, they have to officially announce that they're going to war. That's called a declaration of war.

Now, Canada is a country too, and it has its own government. If the leaders of Canada think that going to war is necessary to protect Canadians or their interests, they might decide to declare war on another country.

But declaring war is a big deal and it's not something that Canada or any country takes lightly. So before they do so, they have to think long and hard about whether there are other options, like talking things out, that could solve the problem instead of going to war.

If Canada decides that it really needs to declare war, it has to follow certain rules and procedures. The Prime Minister, who is the leader of the government, would first have to get approval from the Cabinet, which is a group of senior government officials who help the Prime Minister make important decisions.

After that, the Prime Minister would go to the Governor General, who is the Queen's representative in Canada, and ask for permission to declare war. The Governor General would then consult with other officials and decide whether or not to give permission.

If the Governor General agrees, then the Prime Minister would make an official announcement to the people of Canada and to the world that Canada is at war. This announcement would explain why Canada is going to war, who Canada is fighting, and what Canada hopes to achieve.

So you see, declaring war is a serious and complicated process, and it's not something that happens every day. It's important to try to avoid war whenever possible and to only go to war as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted.