Final answer:
The elected lower house of Canadian parliament is called the House of Commons, where members are democratically elected to represent their ridings, in contrast to the Senate, where members are appointed for life by the prime minister.
Step-by-step explanation:
The elected lower house of the Canadian parliament is known as the House of Commons. In Canada's bicameral parliamentary system, there are two chambers: the House of Commons and the Senate.
Members of the House of Commons, also called members of Parliament, are elected to represent various federal electoral districts or ridings across Canada.
Each riding elects one member to the House of Commons through a democratic voting process. The Senate, on the other hand, is not an elected body. Its members are appointed for life by the prime minister of Canada.
Historical context such as the involvement of women, notably Agnes Macphail who became the first woman to serve in the Canadian House of Commons, emphasizes the progressive evolution of parliamentary representation in Canada.
The legislature functions with a system of democratic accountability, whereby if public support shifts, the composition of the elected chamber can change significantly, reflecting the will of the voters.
This system distinguishes Canadian democracy from other forms where senators or legislators might be appointed indirectly and are not directly accountable through elections, such as in the Parliament of the Bahamas.