If Sue is around (or other Canadians), do Canadians use government/administration the way we do here in the U.S., or does "government" refer to the present administration, as in Europe?

The latter. Mostly.

If Sue is around (or other Canadians), do Canadians use government/administration the way we do here in the U.S., or does "government" refer to the present administration, as in Europe?

I totally don't understand this question. What does it mean in the US?

Government is the institutions, Obama's people are his administration, not his government.

Right, so you would talk about the Martin government or the Trudeau government, but never the Mulroney administration.

10 other condiment-related crimes.

Idaho is NIFTY.

Of course, I went directly here.

I'm just trying to write an explanation of Italian usage that doesn't presume the reader is American. I am failing.

it's irritating that nearly all of my water bill is flat fees that have nothing to do with how much water I use

Wouldn't it be irritating if your taxes were higher?

Actually, no. I don't "see" the taxes being taken out of my salary, per se. I don't really miss that money. The water bill comes out of my spending money.

so you would talk about the Martin government or the Trudeau government, but never the Mulroney administration

Hmm. That's how you'd talk about it in the UK too, right?

Right.