The true statement among the options provided is:
"In a unitary system, all powers are held by one government."
In a unitary system of government, the central government holds the majority of the power, and any local governments (if they exist) operate under its authority. In contrast, a federal system divides powers between a central government and various regional governments, which each have their own jurisdiction.
The other statements are not accurate in their respective contexts:
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"In a unitary system, most powers are reserved to provincial governments." - This is incorrect as a unitary system centralizes power in the national government.
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"In a federal system, there are no checks and balances between branches of government." - This is also incorrect; federal systems can include checks and balances, depending on the specific government's structure.
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"In a federal system, the head of the executive branch and the legislative branch are the same person." - This is typically true in parliamentary systems but isn't a defining feature of federalism, as federal systems can also have a separation of powers, such as in the United States.