Ch. 1 Flashcards
Define: quality of life
a measure of personal and collective well-being
Define: Rights
what individuals and
groups are allowed to do
in society, usually as
established in law
Define: Society
a social system where a group of people share a common geographic region, sense of common identity and culture, and who participate in shared political and economic institutions for a communal purpose or interest
Define: governance
the process of
governing
Define: political system
the
structure of government
Define: govern
to make decisions
as a government and put
decisions into action
Define: government
the body
with power to make
decisions for a society
What is Canada’s Constitution?
The highest law in Canada; describes Canada’s governance, and sets out the role of the Governor General, and the 3 branches of government.
What is the Executive Branch and who does it include?
the part of government responsible
for putting laws into action. It includes the Prime Minister and their Cabinet.
What is the Legislative Branch and who does it include?
the part of government that makes
laws. It includes The House of Commons (HOC), the Senate, and the Governor General
What is the alternative name for the Legislative Branch?
“Canada’s Parliament”
What 2 roles do MP’s have?
Represent their constituents and create legislation
Define: Constituent
someone who
lives in a riding and is
represented by an elected
official from that riding
Explain popular vote
The total amount of votes that were cast in an election (per person). NOT the total amount of seats won in an election.
What is the Senate and who does it include?
Includes senators that are appointed (chosen) by the Prime Minister. The senate has the power to propose and reject bills in the HOC
What is the Judicial Branch and who does it include?
The Judicial Branch includes people who are lawyers, and interpret the law to make legal judgement. The Judicial Branch is separate from all other branches. It includes the Supreme Court of Canada.
True or False: For a bill to become a law, it has to pass through both the House of Commons AND the Senate
TRUE
True or False: If a bill is “rejected” it can be passed onto the next stage
FALSE: A bill that is rejected must re-start the process from the beginning
True or False: For a bill to become a law, it needs to get “Royal Assent” from the Governor General
TRUE
Define: Lobbyists
A lobbyist is someone hired by a group to influence MPs and government officials.
What is the difference between a MAJORITY government and a MINORITY government?
A majority government happens when a political party wins the majority of the seats in the House of Commons. (Ex: 100 seats total, Party “A” wins 75/100 seats- they have the majority)
A minority government happens when a political party wins more seats than any other party, but they do not win the majority overall. (Ex: 100 seats total, Party “A” wins 40 seats, Party “B” wins 30 seats, Party “C” wins 30 seats- Party “A” wins a minority)
