Ch. 2 Flashcards
What are the 3 statements that run through Canadian Politics?
- Canadian politics is defined by cleavage of geography, demography, & Ideology
- The institutions of Canadian democracy are Anglo-American Hybrids
- Understanding Canadian politics requires some understanding of Canadian history
When was the Treaty of Ultrecht and what did it do?
1713
- Britain gain control over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland
When was the Treaty of Paris and what did it do?
1763
- Marked the end of the Seven Years War and France ceded control of Canada to Britain
When was the Royal Proclamation and what did it do?
1763
- First constitutional document
- Carved out the colony of Quebec and provided protection for Indigenous Peoples
When was the Quebec Act and what did it do?
1774
- Established new political institutions in Quebec
What political institutions were established from the Quebec Act of 1774?
- Appointed Council
Who was granted religious freedom and rights from the Quebec Act in 1774?
Roman Catholics
What did the judicial system do following the Quebec Act in 1774?
- Guaranteed civil law (based on French Civil Law)
When was the Constitution Act and what did it do?
1791
- An Act of the British Parliament
- Create Upper and Lower Canada
What did the Constitution Act of 1791 do for both Upper and Lower Canada?
Gave both Upper and Lower Canada:
- A Governor
- An Appointed Executive Council
- An Appointed Legislative Council
- A locally elected legislative assembly
Why was the locally elected legislative assembly that was introduced through the Constitution Act of 1791 important?
- It brought representative government to Canada
What was the problem with the newly formed representative government following the Constitutions Act of 1791?
- Elected Assembly did not have much power
- Had no control over executive council
- Executive council was not responsible to elected assembly
Who was Lord Durham?
- Sent to Canada to settle the tension between ‘two warring nations’ (French and English)
What did the Durham Report, 1839, recommend?
- Responsible Government
What would the recommended responsible government from the Durham Report, 1839, do?
- Give elected assembly power
- Executive branch (governor & council) only remains in power with the confidence of a majority of members, 50+1, in the elected assembly
When was responsible government implemented into Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Colony of Canada?
- 1848
Who implemented the Act of Union in 1840 and what did it do?
Lord Durham
- Joined the Two Colonies into a single colony of Canada (upper and lower)
What was the Act of Union in 1840 meant to do?
- Ease cultural tensions between the French and the English
When was the British North American Act, and what did it do?
1867
- Joined Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec & Ontario
What did the British North American Act of 1867 provide?
- Institutional details of Canada’s political system
Why was the British North American Act of 1867 put into place?
- Confederation was encouraged by economic, political, and military factors
What lead Canada towards Sovereignty?
- Constitution Act, 1867
- Statute of Westminster, 1931
- Suez Crisis, 1956
- Constitution Act, 1982
What did the Constitution Act of 1982 do?
- Patriate Canada’s Constitution
- Domestic Amending Formula
- Entrenches Charter of Rights and Freedoms
What does Canada’s parliamentary system feature?
Aspects of both:
- British Parliamentary system
- US federal system
What did Canada’s parliamentary system borrow from the British Parliamentary System?
- Westminster Model
- Fusion of Powers
- Representative Government
- Responsible Government
- Appointed Senate
- Constitutional Monarchy
- Judicial Independence
What did the Canada’s Parliamentary System borrow from the US Federal System?
- Federalism
- Division of Powers
How did Canada’s political institutions borrow the federal principle from the US?
- Divides power between the central government and the regional government
(provinces)
