chapter 1 ( how effectively does Canadas federal political system govern Canada for all Canadians) Flashcards
What is the definition of govern?
To make decisions as a government and put them into action.
what is the definition of governance?
The process of governing.
What is the Definition of government?
The body with power to make decisions for a society.
What is Canadas constitution?
Law that describes governance in Canada.
The monarch of Britain:
- represented in Canada by the governor general
- Britains king or queen is the formal head or state in Canada, but does not play an active role in Canadas government
What are the three branches of government?
Legislative, judicial and executive
Executive branch:
- proposes laws
- puts laws into action
- runs day-to-day business for the government
- prime minister
- the cabinet
Legislative branch:
- make laws
- represents interests and rights of Canada’s region
- house of commons
- senate
judicial branch:
- applies and interprets laws
- supreme, provincial and federal courts
Prime Minister=?
Head of Canadas government and must be elected.
the cabinet:
- includes people with the responsibility of different departments, portfolios, and agencies
- members of cabinet=cabinet ministers
- cabinet proposes most ideas that become law
- PM and cabinet take care of day-to-day government business
House of commons:
- major law making body
- members debate study and vote on laws
- mp’s= members of parliament
Members of parliament:
-mp’s= represents voters in a district
mp’s=belong to a political party= party with majority seats wins election and forms government
-mp’s 2 key responsibilities are:
-represent they constituents
-create legislation for peace, order and good government for all Canadians
What is the popular vote?
It is the total support political parties win in during an election, regardless of whether they win ridings.
Senate:
- members of Canada’s Senate= senators
- senators are not elected the prime minister appoints them
- senators represent the interests and rights of Canada’s regions and especially Canada’s minorities
- all proceeding are in french or english
- the senate can propose law but usually just considers them passed by the house of commons
- the senate cannot propose laws that create or spend taxes
- a bill cannot become law until the senate and the house of commons approves it
- the senate has the power to reject bills
Fun fact on the judicial branch:
- this branch is separate from the other branches
Federal Accountability Act:
- more information on lobbyists activities
- responsible and accountable spending by the government
- government employees who blow the whistle on wrongdoing within Canadas civil service
- helped to respond to issues raised by the sponsorship scandal which are the ones found above
Steps of turning a bill into a law:
- first reading ( printed copies of the bill are now available )
- second reading ( debate and vote on principles of the bill )
- committee stage ( detailed study of the bill )
- report stage ( debate and vote on changes to the bill )
- third reading ( debate and vote on the final form of the bill )
house of commons -senate-royal assent
What is a bill?
It is a pre-law
British North American act?
- made first nations responsibilities of the government along with things like postal service
- Canadas constitution did not a-knowledge the rights of aboriginal peoples
- did not mention Metis or Inuit at all
Reporters:
- media=messages people create to interpret facts and how to tell the story
- if a story is repeated in the media than it effects what happens next
- effects the way we see the world
- politicians develop key messages to control what the they want Canadians to know
What are lobbyists?
- are hired by a group to influence Mp’s and government officials
- must register with a commissioner of lobbyists to tell everyone in Canada who they are and who they represent
- the federal accountability act requires lobbyists to create a document that explains which Mp’s and government officials they agree with
What is the parlimentary press?
- association of reporters who report on the decisions and actions of canadas government.
