Big ideas Flashcards
Idea of entire textbook
How do issues, such as individual and collective rights, as well as individual and collective decisions, affect citizenship, identity, and quality of life?
How does governance connect to
citizenship and identity?
- Governance is how people govern, or manage their society
- Obviously, different ways of governance dramatically change citizenship and identity
- TEXTBOOK EX: OTTAWA HOSPITAL WAS ABOUT TO CLOSE DOWN THAT PROVIDED TRAINING FOR FRENCH PROFESSIONALS BUT GOVERNMENT HAD THE POWER TO SAVE IT
How does economics connect to citizenship
and identity?
- Economics is the process of using resources to create goods and services, and distributing and consuming those goods and services
- Your economic decisions such as what you produce and what you consume obviously impact your sense of citizenship and identity
- TEXTBOOK EX: CANADA AND USA
- TEXTBOOK EX: TYRONE BRASS STARTING HIS BUSINESS
What factors are important to your quality
of life, citizenship and identity?
- Very subjective, but it is things that are of the closest importance to you
What factors are important to the quality
of life, citizenship and identity of people
in Canada?
TEXTBOOK EX: THE IMPORTANCE OF ELDERS IN ABORIGINAL SOCIETY SPOKEN ABOUT BY ALBERT YELLOWKNEE
TEXTBOOK EX: IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY, PUBLIC HEALTH CARE, FAMILY AND EDUCATION BY REFUGEE SANDRA VIDAKOVIC
TEXTBOOK EX: THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING THE FRENCH LANGUAGE BY SUPERINTENDENT DOLORESE NOLETTE
How do issues affect the quality of life,
citizenship and identity of Canadians?
- People have opinions, different opinions
What makes something an issue?
- Involves a topic that receives a wide range of responses from
different people and that generally has an important impact on
their quality of life, citizenship or identity. - Is framed as an open-ended, unbiased question. This question is
about a complex problem regarding a particular topic that
cannot be easily “solved” with one clear right or wrong answer. - Requires an informed response, supported by clear and relevant
reasons and appropriate examples. - Requires critical thinking, and personal reflection about identity
and worldview, to create an informed response. - Requires understanding and appreciation of multiple perspectives
and responses to create an informed response. - Requires background knowledge and research to create an
informed response.
TEXTBOOK EX: COLLECTIVE SUPPORT OF A POLITICAL PARTY, ASSERTING COLLECTIVE IDENTITY, COLLECTIVE OPINIONS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Case study: Gun Violence
- Topic is whether or not Canada should have laws that require people to get permits to own a firearm
-Response 1: Gun control will make it easier for police to prevent and solve crimes by making guns easier to track.
-Response 2: Gun control would make society less safe than it is now. It would discourage citizens from owning guns, but it would make no difference to criminals. So, citizens would lose an effective way to defend themselves.
-Response 3: Hunting is a right of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. Guns are part of the way they exercise their right — something gun control should not interfere with.
-Response 4: So much tragedy in our society could be prevented by gun control. In Alberta, statistics show that a murder is three times more likely in a home with guns than in a home without guns.
-Response 5: Society is worried about the way criminals use guns, not the way law-abiding citizens use guns. Gun control will just make criminals out of law-abiding citizens who fail to get permits. - All these different responses makes gun violence an issue
How to spot and respond to an issue
- What is the topic about?
- What is the central issue question?
- What is your first response to the issue?
- How can you develop a more informed response to the issue?
- What is your informed position on the issue?
- What action do you need to take on the issue?
Chapter 1: How effectively does Canada’s
federal political system govern
Canada for all Canadians?
As Canada’s prime minister, how would you respond to
what you believe is the most important issue about
government today?
Changes in Canadian governance since 1867
MUCH more inclusive
Difference between majority and minority government
Majority can make all the decisions but minority needs some help
Constitution
Canada’s constitution is the law that describes governance in Canada.
It sets out the role of the governor general, and the different roles of
the three branches of government. It describes how the three branches of government work together to exercise the decision-making authority of government. The constitution also sets out other important institutions in Canada, such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Monarchy
Monarch of Britain: Inherits purely ceremonial role
Governor General: Appointed by Prime Minister to represent British Monarch and give bills Royal Assent.
EXTRA: If they do not, many other people, such as Chief Justice of the Supreme court can also do it, however they have never had to
Executive branch
Executive branch: Puts laws into action
PM: Head of winning political party, chooses governor general, chooses supreme court judges, chooses senate, chooses cabinet
Cabinet: Each has a sector or portfolio they tend to
Civil Servants: Helps Cabinet in maintaining their portfolio
The executive branch also proposes many of the bills in the House of Commons
TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE: JACK DAVIS, FIRST ENVIRONMENT MINISTER
Legislative branch
Legislative branch: Creates laws
House of Commons: 338 seats of elected MPs from their ridings. The number of MPs from a specific party decides who wins the election. The MPs’ goal is to represent their constituents well. Question period is the time of day where the other MPs get to question the government.
Senate: Appointed by PM, stays until age 75, represents Canada’s minorities. Different from house in that the Senate cannot propose laws that create or spend taxes
The speech from the throne is an annual speech written by the government that describes to the Senate its plans
What impact does the popular vote have on
the results of an election?
It is very different than our current riding system.
TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE: ALBERTA IS NEAERLY ALL CONSERVATIVE IN RIDING FORM, BUT OVER 30% OTHERS IN POPULAR VOTE
Judicial branch
Judicial branch: Applies and interprets laws
Supreme court: 9 Santa Claus, appointed by PM
Steps to persuasive communication
- State your idea
- Know your audience
- Support your idea with evidence
- Choose formats that fit your evidence
- Organize your points
Case Study: Federal accountability act
Act that aimed to solve issues including:
* Responsible and accountable spending by government.
* Protection for government employees who “blow the whistle” on
wrongdoing within Canada’s civil service.
* More information about the activities of lobbyists. Lobbyists are
people paid to represent the interests of particular groups in society.
Parliamentary page program
40 students invited to learn about the legislative branch in person
Media
Informs people about government to make them have better-informed choices
How a bill becomes a law
See images 2, 3
First nations in constitution
Although First Nations have been recognized in the constitution, many still believe they are excluded and have superstitions on participating in Canadian government
Parliamentary press gallery
an association of reporters who cover the decisions and actions of
Canada’s government. Includes:
ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TELEVISION NETWORK
APTN provides First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples “the opportunity to share their stories with all of Canada through a national television network dedicated to Aboriginal programming.” APTN broadcasts in English, French and several Aboriginal languages.
ASSOCIATION DE LA PRESSE FRANCOPHONE
This news organization serves Francophone communities outside of Québec. Its membership includes Le Franco, based in Edmonton. Why do you think Francophone communities in Alberta might have different perspectives on issues than Francophones living in Québec?
CBC/RADIO-CANADA
CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s public broadcaster, provides radio, television, Internet and satellite-based services in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages to all Canadians. It also broadcasts in nine languages to Canadians and international listeners abroad, and in eight languages to new and aspiring Canadians.
LE DEVOIR
This French-language newspaper, based in Montréal, is distributed in Québec.
MING PAO NEWS
This Chinese-language newspaper, based in Hong Kong, has Canadian editions in Toronto and Vancouver.
OMNI TELEVISION
This television broadcaster aims to “reflect Canada’s diversity through multicultural, multilingual and multi-faith programming.” It broadcasts in several languages and targets many cultural groups in Canada, including South Asian, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Caribbean communities.
How to detect Bias
- Who is the writer(s) or speaker(s)?
- Do they have authority to speak about the subject?
- Does the information provide facts and evidence?
- Does it use stereotyping, or appeal to fear or emotion?
- Does it ignore any people or groups?
- How does the information fit with what you already know?
- How could you verify the information for accuracy?
lobbyists
- A lobbyist is someone hired by a group to influence MPs and
government officials. - Lobbyists must register with a Commissioner of Lobbyists, so
everyone in Canada can know who they are and who they
represent. Lobbyists voice the views of groups on issues that affect
their members, products or services. These issues can also affect all
Canadians. Within the federal political system, lobbyists provide
different perspectives and in-depth expertise on many issues. - The Federal Accountability Act introduced rules that require
lobbyists to document which MPs and government officials
they meet with.
Chapter 2: To what extent is the justice system fair and equitable for youth?
Create a multimedia presentation
sharing your position on youth
justice issues.
How are youth justice and adult justice
different in Canada?
Youth:
* Deals with 12- to 17- year olds in trouble with the law.
* Allows some young offenders to face consequences such as counselling and community service.
* Prohibits adult sentences for youths 12 to 14 years of age. Allows adult sentences for young people 14 years of age and older who have committed serious crimes.
* Protects the privacy of young offenders. News media may not publish their names unless they receive an adult sentence.
* Allows most young offenders to avoid a criminal record.
Adult:
* Deals with adults in trouble with the law.
* Makes going to court the usual consequence for breaking the law.
* Defines adult sentences, which can include long periods of imprisonment for some crimes.
* Allows the publication of offenders’ names.
* Creates a criminal record for most offenders.
If arrested, you have the right to:
- remain silent
- speak to a lawyer, parent or guardian
- to have parents with you during questioning
- to have a lawyer if you go to court
What happens if a young person breaks the law?
See images 4, 5
What was youth justice like before the YCJA?
Before the YCJA, every young person who broke the law was
charged and went to court. This often meant:
* Young offenders did not face consequences for a long time,
because the courts are busy with many cases and offenders.
* The consequences did not always connect back to the people
and communities the offence affected.
Additionally, the YOA (Young Offenders Act) placed more emphasis on punishment than rehabilitation
What factors determine the consequences young offenders face?
- The seriousness of the offence. For example, a violent offence
is more serious than a non-violent offence. - The history of the young person. Someone who’s been in
trouble before may face more serious consequences than a
first-time offender. - The attitude of the young person. A young person who takes
responsibility for their actions will face less serious
consequences than someone who does not. - The circumstances of the young person. For example, a
young person’s actions may relate to substance abuse, or to a
situation they face at home or in their community. They may
need support from a social worker more than consequences
from the justice system.
What are the objectives of the YCJA?
The following principles apply in the
Youth Criminal Justice Act:
(i) prevent crime by addressing the circumstances underlying a young person’s offending behavior,
(ii) rehabilitate young persons who commit offences and reintegrate them into society, and
(iii) ensure that a young person is subject to meaningful consequences for his or her offence in order to promote the long-term protection of society.
(iv) the criminal justice system for young persons must be separate from that of adults and [recognize]… their reduced level of maturity.
Are the consequences for young offenders
appropriate?
Very controversial topic, as many believe they are not due because public safety is more important, such as removing the media ban and giving out harsher sentences
What responsibilities do jurors have?
- Under the YCJA, a person 14 years of age or older may
choose to be tried by a judge and jury for certain serious
offences, such as assault or murder. - For these offences, juries always have twelve people and all
twelve must agree on the verdict. Their decision must be
unanimous. - Anyone 18 years of age and older who is a Canadian citizen is
eligible for jury duty, with some exceptions. For example, people
convicted of some crimes are not eligible. - Serving on juries is considered a duty of Canadian citizens.
- If you are summoned to jury duty, it’s your responsibility to
appear at the courthouse on time. You must make whatever
arrangements are necessary for transportation, time off work or
classes, and rebooking appointments. - Employers have to give you time off for jury duty, but don’t have
to pay you. - People are excused from jury duty only if they can demonstrate
that it would cause them undue hardship.
Juries are sequestered from the outside world, and are expected to make a decision based on only the evidence presented
How do you read a political cartoon?
What symbols does the cartoon use?
What situation does the cartoon show?
What’s the message?
Describe the situation in one sentence, then replace symbols with meanings
How do you determine the validity and authority of a source?
Does the speaker have experience or qualifications to speak about the topic?
Does the information come from a reputable source?
Does the source/ information state facts, opinions or bias?
Does the source/ information represent balanced points of view and perspectives?
Does the source information meet your research needs?
What do justice advocacy groups do?
- Canada has two major citizen-led organizations involved in the
justice system: the John Howard Society and the Elizabeth Fry
Society. - These organizations work independently of government. They try
to solve the underlying reasons for crime. - They provide public education about laws and the justice system,
including the Youth Criminal Justice Act. - They work with youths and adults who have broken the law to
help them return to their communities. For example, they may
help them find jobs and places to live. Sometimes they arrange
meetings between victims and offenders to help everyone move
forward. - They stand up for the rights of youths and adults accused of
crimes. - They call for measures to improve the fairness of the justice
system for people accused of crimes and those harmed by crime. - The Elizabeth Fry Society focuses on justice issues for women and
girls. The John Howard Society works with men, women, boys and
girls in trouble with the law
What role do Elders have in the justice
system?
They use traditional methods that are sometimes more effective on aboriginal youth, mainly sitting in a circle and talking
Chapter 3:
How effectively does Canada’s
Charter of Rights and Freedoms
protect your individual rights?
Organize an informal debate
about individual rights and
freedoms in Canada.
What is the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms?
- The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is part of Canada’s
constitution. The constitution sets out the framework for how
Canada is to be governed. - The constitution is the highest law of Canada. All other laws must
be consistent with it. - Before the Charter, Canada’s provincial and federal government
had — and still have — a variety of laws about individual rights.
The Charter created constitutional protections for individual
rights and freedoms, which apply to laws and governments across
Canada. - With the Charter, Canadians can challenge in court laws that
restrict their rights. The judicial branch makes decisions about
these challenges by interpreting how to apply the Charter. It
strikes down laws that restrict rights in an unjustified way. - The Charter says that Canada’s government is justified in
restricting rights, if the restrictions are necessary to maintain
Canada as a free and democratic society.
Parts of the charter
Fundamental Freedoms
* The freedom to express your opinions.
* The freedom to choose your own religion.
* The freedom to organize peaceful meetings and demonstrations.
* The freedom to associate with any
person or group.
Democratic Rights
* The right to vote for members of the House of Commons and of provincial legislatures.
* The right to vote for a new government at least every five years.
Mobility Rights
* The right to move anywhere within Canada and to earn a living there.
* The right to enter, stay in, or leave Canada.
Legal Rights
* The right to be free of imprisonment, search and seizure without reasons backed by law and evidence.
* The right to a fair and quick public trial by an impartial court that assumes that you are innocent until proven guilty.
Equality Rights
* The right to be free of discrimination because of race, national or
ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, or mental or physical disability.
What does the Charter reflect about today’s
society compared to the past?
Indian Act: Aimed at forceful assimilation and destroying indigenous culture (fundamental freedom and equality right violation)
Women’s suffrage: Once banned women from voting (democratic right violation)
War internment: Internment labor camps took away everything (every right violation)
How do you analyze cause and effect?
- What events, values and attitudes contributed to the government action?
- What clues can you find in the information that help you identify causes?
- What happened after the event?
- How do the causes and effects compare in importance or impact? Rank them.
- How does the intent of the government action compare with the results?
Case study: Eldridge v. British Columbia
3 British Columbians born deaf and left without interpreters in hospitals won a supreme court case of an equality right violation and established a permanent system of sign language interpreters in hospitals that had been previously provided by a non-profit gone bankrupt
Case study: Lord’s day act
An act that made it previously impossible to shop on Sundays that was abolished because it was a freedom of religion violation. Immediately after the Charter was created, Calgary’s Big M drug mart opened illegally on Sunday
Case study: No fly list
Canada has put out a no-fly list for people once deemed threats against airline safety. However, it has been controversial because of “innocent until proven guilty” and mobility rights violations. Nevertheless, it has still stayed in place
Case study: Children’s advertisements
Issue because of normal children not being able to tell the difference between a commercial and regular programming, thus taking advantage of their disabilities for profit. This very slightly violates the Charter’s life, liberty, security section because junk food is harmful to children and exploitation is very ethically wrong
Case study: Pay equity for women
Ontario women and labor unions challenged the supreme court that the principle of pay equity based on the Charter’s equality rights was not fulfilled. They won and got 414 million dollars in lost wages
Case study: Forced retirement at 65
Olive Dickason, a professor at the U of A, challenged the supreme court on whether she would have to retire at age 65. She lost because of the terms in her contract but from then after, employers began to become a lot more soft in retirement ages
Chapter 4:
To what extent has Canada
affirmed collective rights?
Create a display for an exhibit on
collective rights in Canada.
What legislation relates to collective rights?
See image 6
What are the Numbered Treaties?
The Numbered Treaties are historic agreements that
affect the rights and identity of some First Nations
in Canada. The First Nations shared their land, while the government gave them Annuities, Farming assistance, education, health care, and hunting and fishing rights
How does perspective impact the Numbered treaties?
The first nations thought of oral agreements as binding while the government only recognized the written ones. Therefore, there were quite a lot of translation errors that caused both sides (mainly the first nations) to miss out on a lot of key points
Numbered treaties timeline
What is the Indian Act?
- The act affirmed the collective rights of First Nations. It also
created officials for each reserve — “Indian Agents” — with the
power to decide individually how the government would fulfill its
duties. This meant there were many interpretations of what Treaty
rights meant on a case-by-case basis. - The Indian Act dates from 1876. At the time, Canada’s
government thought it appropriate to make laws for First Nations
without consulting them. This connects to Canada’s colonial past,
when people of European descent believed their cultures superior
to other cultures (ethnocentrism). - The act defines who may be registered as a “status Indian” with
Treaty rights. This means the federal government mostly controls
these decisions, not First Nations themselves. The Indian Act was
— and is — a way for the government to administer Treaty rights
to Treaty peoples. - The act originally aimed to assimilate First Nations peoples.
– It defined how First Nations peoples had to conduct their
affairs, such as band elections, although First Nations had their
own ways of governing themselves.
– At points in its history, the act restricted the right of First
Nations people to travel freely, to take political action, to wear
traditional dress, and to take part in traditional ceremonies.
– Until 1960, the act required First Nations people to give up
their legal identity and Treaty rights to gain the right to vote. - Pressure from First Nations has caused Canada’s government to
revise the Indian Act several times. The act remains in force today
Case study: Bill C-61
The first nations governance act allowed first nations to make decisions by themselves and have sovereignty. However, no group was consulted on their opinion to the act, hence its presence as an issue
What are official language minorities?
a group that speaks one of Canada’s official languages (English or French) and that does not make up the majority population of a province or territory
What are the Charter rights of official
language groups?
Official bilingualism
* Sections 16 to 20 of the Charter establish French and English as
official languages of Canada, and the right of Canadian citizens to
conduct their affairs with the federal government in either official
language.
* These sections also establish New Brunswick as an officially
bilingual province.
Minority language education rights
* Section 23 of the Charter says that a French-speaking or English speaking minority population of sufficient size in any province
has the right to publicly funded schools that serve their language
community.
How has the Charter affected Francophone
education?
The idea of a bilingual country came from the BNA act where Canada was established as bicultural and bilingual. However, acts like the Manitoba schools act, Haultain Resolution and North-West Territories Ordinance Number 22 made Francophones have their rights denied. So, Pierre Trudeau thought it was a good time to firmly entrench the education rights into the constitution, making a lot of Francophones living in minority settings able to educate their children in French
How does the Charter affect Francophone
identity in Québec?
Although Bill 101 made English culture nearly disappear in Quebec, the Charter and the Supreme court made rulings such as French can be more prominent than English but not ban English altogether and Francophone parents must send their children to Francophone schools while immigrant parents can send their children to Anglophones, all mainly fair decisions aimed at protecting Francophone and Anglophone culture in Canada
What was Bill 101?
A bill passed by the Quebec government that mandated to have all signs in French and immigrant and French families mandated to send their children to French schools
Metis timeline
Chapter 5:
How well do Canada’s
immigration laws and policies
respond to immigration issues?
Create a storyboard about issues
concerning immigration in Canada.
What is the Immigration and Refugee
Protection Act?
The immigration and refugee protection act was created to:
* Pursue social, cultural and economic benefits for all Canadians.
* Respect the bilingual and multicultural character of Canada.
* Support the development of minority official language communities in Canada.
* Share the benefits of immigration and support a prosperous economy across all regions of Canada.
* Reunite families in Canada.
* Promote the successful integration of immigrants into Canadian society, recognizing that integration involves mutual obligations for new immigrants and Canadian society
What kinds of people are accepted into Canada?
See image 7
How does immigration aim to meet
Canada’s workforce needs?
Canada’s parents are having less and less children, but Canada needs labor to have a successful economy. Therefore, they accept immigrants based on the points system to achieve this
What is the point system for accepting
immigrants?
A bunch of criteria that has points assigned to add up whether an immigrant is suitable for Canada, such as work experience, education, etc.
How does health factor into qualifying as
an immigrant?
A person may be refused entry to Canada if:
* Their health could put the health of Canadians at risk — for example, they have tuberculosis.
* They have a condition that could endanger public safety — for example, a mental disorder.
* Their health could put an “excessive demand on Canada’s health services — for example, HIV/AIDS.
How are Canada’s immigration laws today
different than in the past?
Much less discriminatory
What is Canada’s policy towards refugees?
Objectives for Canada’s refugee program:
* Save lives and offer protection to people who are displaced and persecuted.
* Fulfill and affirm Canada’s international commitments to protect refugees.
* Grant fair consideration to people who claim to be persecuted, as an expression of Canada’s humanitarian ideals.
* Offer refuge to people facing persecution because of race, religion, political opinion or membership in a social group, and to people who face torture, or cruel and unusual treatment or punishment.
Case study: How has immigration policy changed
in response to security concerns?
Immigration Act 1976
19. No person shall be granted admission who is a member of any of the following classes:
* persons who have engaged in… acts of espionage or subversion against democratic government, institutions or processes, as they are understood in Canada…
* persons who there are reasonable grounds to believe will, while in Canada, engage in or instigate the subversion by force of any government…
9/11 happened
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, 2002
34. A permanent resident or a foreign national is inadmissible on security grounds for:
(a) engaging in an act of espionage or an act of subversion against a democratic government, institution or process as they are understood in Canada;
(b) engaging in or instigating the subversion by force of any government;
(c) engaging in terrorism;
(d) being a danger to the security of Canada;
(e) engaging in acts of violence that would or might endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada; or
(f) being a member of an organization that there are reasonable grounds to believe engages, has engaged or will engage in acts referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c).
What is the Singh decision?
The Facts
* Satnam Singh came to Canada from India seeking refugee status. Canada’s government rejected his case under the Immigration Act, 1976.
* The Immigration Act, 1976, did not allow Mr. Singh to state his case in person or to appeal the government’s decision on his case.
* The Supreme Court said this violated section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which says: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person, and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.
* The Supreme Court said everyone in the Charter means everyone — every person physically present in Canada.
The Result
* People claiming refugee status in Canada have the right to a hearing, which they attend in person.
* Canada established the Immigration and Refugee Board to provide quick and fair hearings.
* Canada’s government provides people seeking refugee status with the necessities of life while they wait for a hearing.
How does immigration involve the
collective rights of Aboriginal peoples?
THEM JUST COMPLAINING AND NOT WORKING TO ACTUALLY GET A JOB however it is true that they have less opportunities due to their isolation
What challenges and opportunities does
immigration pose for Franco-Albertan communities?
In 2006, Canada established a five-year plan to help Francophone
communities in minority settings attract French-speaking immigrants. This was a huge challenge before.
In what ways can provinces influence and
implement immigration policies?
Provincial Nomination Program
* Under the Provincial Nomination Program, provinces can
“nominate” a percentage of the immigrants Canada selects each
year. This means, for example, that Alberta can specify that it
needs immigrants with particular skills.
* The program also allows some provinces to set up their own
immigration offices in foreign countries.
* Governments in Canada can’t require immigrants to settle in
particular places or work in particular jobs. The Provincial
Nomination Program increases the likelihood that immigrants will
settle in the provinces whose labor needs match their skills.
What workers does Alberta need?
THEM MIN WAGE
What percentage of immigration to Canada
does Alberta receive?
around 8%
Canada-Québec Accord
- The Canada-Québec Accord is a specific agreement with Québec.
- Under the accord, Québec can nominate the percentage of
immigrants to Canada that corresponds to its population
within Canada. - The accord also allows Québec to require immigrants who settle
in Québec to send their children to French-language schools. - Under the Canada-Québec Accord, Québec seeks immigrants
whose first language is French. Every year, about 75 percent of
French-speaking immigrants to Canada settle in Québec. Overall,
more non-Francophone immigrants settle in Québec than
Francophone immigrants.
Chapter 6:
To what extent do different
economic systems affect quality
of life?
Your Presentation
You need to examine the underlying values that guide economic
decision making in Canada and the U.S., and views and
perspectives on the best economic system to meet the needs of
citizens. Your paper should:
* Analyze the benefits and disadvantages of mixed and market
economies in Canada and the U.S., including different views
and perspectives.
* Describe your ideas on how much government should be
involved in economic decision making and why.
* State your position on the question, supported by evidence
that makes clear connections to views and perspectives.
* Communicate your ideas persuasively taking particular
purposes and audiences into consideration, including the
Minister of Finance.
What’s scarcity?
In economics, the idea that resources are limited but wants are not is called scarcity.
The basic questions of economics are about how to solve scarcity:
* What is needed or wanted?
* How will it be produced?
* Who will get it?
What creates scarcity?
Land
Land consists of all the materials found in the natural environment needed to produce goods and services, such as renewable resources (e.g., trees, raspberries) and non-renewable resources (e.g., oil, gold).
Labor
Labor consists of the physical and mental effort needed to
produce goods and services (e.g., agricultural workers to
produce foods, servers to staff restaurants).
Capital
Consists of the money that people own or borrow, used to purchase equipment, tools and other resources to produce goods and services.
What’s an economic system?
An economic system is a way to solve the basic problem of scarcity
3 types:
See image 8
Case study: Canadian Economic History versus U.S. Economic History
Canada’s Economy
Founding principle: “peace, order and good government.”
* The founding principle of Canada reflects the idea of cooperation. It connects to an agreement between Francophones and Anglophones that established Canada
* The idea of cooperation affects Canada’s economic system. For example, government plays an important role in the economy, making decisions on behalf of everyone.
* Canada is said to have a mixed economy because of the role
government plays, and because individuals still own private property.
* Canada’s position on the economic continuum is not static.
It shifts left and shifts right depending on the political party that forms the government.
The U.S. Economy
Founding principle: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
* The founding principle of the U.S. reflects the idea of individualism. It connects to the roots of the U.S. as a colony of Britain from the 1600s until 1776, and in fighting to become independent of Britain from 1776 to 1783.
* The idea of individualism influences the economic system of the U.S. For example, the U.S. generally values individual economic decision making, with little involvement of the government.
* The U.S. is often said to have a market economy, because of its
emphasis on the role of the individual, versus the government, in
economic decision making.
* The position of the U.S. on the economic continuum shifts right and
left, depending on the political party that forms the government.
Competition
Competition is about producers striving to get consumers to buy
their products.
Supply and Demand
Supply is about producing things people want. It involves
producers.
Demand is about what people want. It involves consumers.
When demand goes up, supply goes down, price goes up.
When price goes up, demand goes down, supply goes up
When supply goes up, price goes down, demand goes up
REPEAT or EQUILIBRIUM
What’s a Crown corporation?
A Crown corporation is a company owned by Canada’s government to provide products and services to Canadians. The reasons for government to create Crown corporations include:
* To provide essential services.
* To promote economic development.
* To support Canadian culture and identity
How do market economies work?
Purely supply and demand
Monopolies
A monopoly happens when one producer controls all supply of a
product or service. Governments sometimes create monopolies as
a way to provide essential services that require expensive
infrastructure, such as water lines or sewer lines.
Why do governments get involved
in market economics?
Encourage recycling(tire tax), stop unfair business practices, etc.
Case study: Canadian Filmmaker
Sometimes, governments will give grants to private companies to promote important things like the environment, culture, etc. Crown corporations, such as Telefilm Canada, will help sponsor filmmakers to promote the things. Issue stems from some people believing that government grants will only help increase mediocre movies and not promote filmmakers to make the best film for society
Case study: Hershey’s
When the Hershey’s plant in Smith Falls, Ontario closed, the town nearly immediately got destroyed due to the massive loss of jobs and tourism. Issue stems on whether government intervention is necessary
Case study: Strike
When healthcare workers at a Regina hospital went on strike, many surgeries were delayed. Issue stems from whether back-to-work legislation has to be put in place. For example, in the Winnipeg general strike, the police had to come in fear of the power of unions
Chapter 7:
What role should consumerism
play in our economy?
Create a media message
communicating how marketing
affects consumer behaviour.
What guides your behavior as a consumer?
- How will your identity — who you are, what you believe in and
value, where you live, the groups you belong to, your way of
seeing the world — come into play? - How much will you consider your health? Safety? Security?
- How does choosing a product affect the jobs people have?
- How important to you are the environmental impacts of
products and services? - How will marketing affect what you buy?
- Do you really need to buy anything at all?
What guides your behavior as a consumer?
Factor: Identity
The idea of conformity is very powerful and can pressure people to buy brand names. However, it is the opposite in others and can have some people want to stand out and buy different things
What guides your behavior as a consumer?
Factor: Health and safety
Obvious.
Textbook ex: Edmonton banning sale of junk food in schools
Textbook ex: Calgary banning trans fats in everything
Legislation about Consumer Health and Safety
Consumer health and safety is the focus of legislation in both
Canada and the U.S. — or the focus of debates about it. For
example:
* Both Canada and the U.S. have product-labelling laws
that require producers to list the ingredients in food and
cosmetics.
* The U.S. has laws making airbags mandatory in cars,
along with seat belts. In 2007, Canada’s laws made only
seat belts mandatory.
* In 2007, neither Canada nor the U.S. had legislation to
limit trans fats in foods. Canada had considered it,
however. In 2004, Canada’s government established a
task force to investigate the issue, but decided to ask food
companies to reduce trans fats voluntarily.
Consumer Spending and Economic Growth
Consumer spending plays an important role in both mixed and
market economies. For example, in Canada in 2006, consumers
spent more than $400 billion on products and services. In the U.S.,
consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity.
Consumer spending affects economic growth in Canada and the
U.S. Economic growth is the degree to which a country’s wealth
increases over a period of time, usually a year. Measures of
economic growth include:
* How much profit a country’s economy makes from the goods
and services it produces.
* How many people have jobs and are making an income.
If profits fall, or fewer people have jobs, this indicates that an
economy is shrinking rather than growing. In both Canada and the
U.S., governments watch consumer spending closely. Through tax
breaks and other measures, they sometimes encourage consumer
spending to keep their economies growing.
What guides your behavior as a consumer?
Factor: Jobs
When buying a product, you keep the people making your product employed
What guides your behavior as a consumer?
Factor: Environment
The environment is affected when you buy something due to its future effects
Legislation about Consumerism and the Environment
Canada and the U.S. have laws and programs related to
consumer behaviour and the environment. For example:
* Both governments have banned leaded gasoline,
because of the harmful effects of lead on human health
and the environment.
* Consumers shopping for new appliances in both Canada
and the U.S. can identify energy-efficient options
because of government programs that label these
appliances.
In both Canada and the U.S., producers and consumers
have also taken environmental action on their own. Many
green products on the market today — such as organic foods
and environmentally friendly household cleaners — don’t
come from legislation. They come from consumer demand.
What guides your behavior as a consumer?
Factor: Marketing
Obviously if you see ads, you might be more inclined to buy something
How to analyze advertisements
Bandwagon Effect
* Encourages you to buy a product or service because everyone
else is.
Emotional Appeal
* Uses strong emotional language that connects with your fears
and desires.
Glittering Generalities
* Relates the product or service to words or images that promise
everything, but deliver little or nothing.
Plain Folks Appeal
* Relates a product or service to the experience of ordinary folks.
Testimonials
* Uses celebrities or experts to speak for a product.
Scientific Appeal
* Uses statistics or scientific data to persuade consumers to buy a
product or service.
Why might views on consumerism differ
regionally in North America?
Different regions have different GDP per capita, therefore financial restrictions affecting views on consumerism
How can consumerism empower groups?
Boycotts exist to run things out of business if they cause too much trouble
Case studies: Boycotts
Les patriotes, the French Canadiens who were living in Lower Canada, boycotted British goods as a way to bring about change. Lubicon First Nation also boycotted as a way to get a large lumber company off of their land
Chapter 8:
To what extent should Canadians
support social programs and
taxation?
Design an economic policy for
social programs in Canada.
What are social programs?
Social programs are services provided by government and paid for
by taxes. They aim to reduce economic inequalities in society and
promote the well-being of all citizens. The big 3 are senior pensions, income assistance and public health care. The others are education, affordable housing, child protection services, employment insurance, and child care
A Snapshot of Social Programs in
Canada, 2007
See image 9
The Canada Health Act
The Canada Health Act is a federal law that sets out five principles
for health care in Canada. The act says that, in every province and
territory, health care must be:
* Publicly administered: run by government for no profit.
* Comprehensive: for care provided by hospitals, physicians
and surgeons.
* Universal: available to everyone.
* Portable: available everywhere in Canada, no matter where
you make your home in Canada.
* Accessible: available within reasonable time and distance.
A Snapshot of Social Programs in the U.S.,
2007
See image 10
Public or Private Health care?
Big issue based on ethics, good health care, and problems with existing systems (See images 17, 18)
What’s the connection between taxation
and social programs?
- Government collects taxes to pay for the services it provides to
citizens, such as social programs. - In Canada, both the federal and provincial governments collect
taxes. The federal government transfers some of the taxes it
collects to the provinces. For social programs, these transfers
include the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social
Transfer. - Individual Canadian citizens pay two kinds of tax to the federal
government and to their provincial government: income tax and
sales tax. - Income tax is based on what you earn: the more money you earn,
the more tax you pay. - Sales taxes are based on what you spend on products and services:
the more you spend, the more tax you pay. The federal Goods and
Services Tax (GST) is a sales tax that everybody in Canada pays.
What do taxes pay for in Canada?
See image 11
What is a taxation model?
A taxation model is a policy about taxation that describes what to
tax, how much to tax and how to spend taxes.
What is the black market?
A section of our economy that works without paying taxes. Some people think this isn’t too bad, while others and the government strictly forbid it
What’s a political platform?
- A political platform describes the official policies of a
political party. It reflects a variety of issues, including those
linked to social programs and taxation models. - Political parties create platforms to reflect the values of
their members. Parties also consult constituents in electoral
ridings to learn more about issues that concern voters. - Parties add and remove policies as issues become more or
less important to their members and to voters. Issues can
change in response to local, national and world events.
What’s the connection between values,
policies and the economic continuum?
See image 12
What are some examples of political parties
and their economic policies connected to
social programs?
See image 13
Requirements for joining a political party
✓ Resident of Canada.
✓ At least 14 years old.
✓ Endorse the principles of the party.
✓ Not a member of any other political party. For example, if you are
joining a federal political party, you cannot be a member of another
federal political party (most parties require this). It’s possible,
however, to be a member of both a federal political party and a
provincial political party
Requirements for forming a political party
✓ Have the endorsement of at least 250 eligible voters in Canada.
✓ Have a name.
✓ Run at least one candidate during a federal election.
How should governments in
Canada respond to political
and economic issues?
Make a presentation about
responding to environmental
issues.
What’s an environmental issue?
Any case of humans harming the natural world
Views and perspectives on environmental issues:
See image 1
How are governance, economics and
environmental issues connected?
If the world would cease to exist, that would be a very big problem.
What’s climate change?
- Climate change refers to a rise in the average temperature of Earth
due to a build-up of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.
An international panel of scientists — the United Nations’
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — predicts that
climate change will have extensive and mostly negative impacts
around the globe. These impacts include rising sea levels, more
severe weather, and disruption of ecosystems and freshwater
supplies. - GHGs primarily come from burning fossil fuels, such as natural
gas, gasoline, coal and oil. Most economies in the world rely on
fossil fuels to produce resources, such as metals and foods, and to
manufacture and transport goods and services. Individual
consumers also use fossil fuels — for example, to heat their homes
and drive their cars. - GHGs in the atmosphere affect the whole world. A region or
country that emits more GHGs will not experience “worse” global
warming. Different regions, however, will experience different
impacts. For example, low-lying land — such as New Orleans,
and the country of Bangladesh — face severe impacts from rising
sea levels.
What does the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predict in North America?
- Decline in abundance of fresh water (lakes and rivers).
- Loss of wildlife species overall. Some species will adapt to
warmer temperatures. - More extreme weather events, such as storms and droughts.
- Longer growing seasons, possibly resulting in higher crop
yields and increased forest growth in some regions. - Flooding along coastlines.
Regions and impacts
See image 14
Regions and emissions
See image 15
How does climate change shape industries?
- Political and economic decision making helps shape the industries
and plants that Alberta and Ontario have. For example: - Laws and policies set standards for pollution control, including
GHG emissions. - Demand for energy and for products influences the number of
industrial plants in operation. - Reducing GHG emissions from industry is one way to respond to
climate change — a way many governments and people around
the world recommend.
What is USA’s stance on climate change?
- The U.S. has faced pressure from countries around the world to
reduce its GHG emissions. In 2007, the U.S. had not agreed to join international negotiations or agreements concerning climate change, such as the Kyoto Protocol. - International negotiations on climate change focus on reducing
the GHG emissions of developed countries, such as the U.S. and
Canada. Developing countries, such as Mexico, do not face the
same GHG restrictions. This is because GHG restrictions can slow
the economy of a country, which goes against the needs and
interests of developing countries. It is also because developed
countries have a higher GHG output than developing countries —
so they contribute more to climate change. - The U.S. took a stand against international negotiations on
climate change partly because President George W. Bush did not
believe human actions were causing climate change. President
Bush also believed that international agreements on climate
change should not exempt developing countries from taking
action. - In 2008, in the State of the Union address, President George Bush
said the U.S. would take action on its own to reduce its GHG
emissions, without entering into international agreements. He also
said actions on climate change had to respect the American belief
in “the power of individuals” and in the “ability of free peoples to
make wise decisions.”
What’s the Kyoto Protocol?
Climate change involves the whole world — so it involves countries
of the world in negotiations about how to take action. Canada and
the U.S. are part of these negotiations.
The Kyoto Protocol was the first climate-change plan the countries
of the world negotiated. The U.S. did not agree to the plan. Canada
at first agreed, but its position has changed depending on the
political party in power.
* In December 2007, an international meeting in Bali, Indonesia,
launched new international negotiations on an agreement to fight
climate change after 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol expires.
Canada and the U.S. agreed to take part in these negotiations.
Case study: Plugging into solar
A Grade 12 student and a friend installed solar panels into their school and raised awareness on the announcements, school newsletter, and all around the community while fundraising for the panels
Case study: Oil Sands
Environment or Economy?
Diary of an environmentalist
Educate the public, notify organizations, hear all sides of the story and find levers to make yourself heard
What are levers?
Ways to apply pressure and get people to act, including markets, laws and international agreements
