Chapter 5 Flashcards
Representative democracies?
A democracy where citizens elect others to represent them in government.
Direct democracies?
Government in which all citizens directly participate in decision making (making laws) without representatives.
Chief electoral officer?
The officer appointed by the Canadian House of Commons to head Elections Canada and conduct elections.
Constituency?
The body of voters represented by an elected legislator or official.
Franchise?
The right to vote
Majority government?
A government formed by a political party that wins more than half the seats in a parliament or legislature.
Minority government?
A government that is elected with fewer than half the seats in the legislative body.
First past the post (FPTP)?
An electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins, even if he or she receives less than 50 percent of total votes; some times called “simple majority”.
Proportional representation (PR)?
An electoral system in which the number of seats each political party wins is in proportion to its share of the total vote.
Values?
Qualities that one considers important
Beliefs?
What one accepts as true
Diversity?
Differences and variety
Bylaws?
Laws passed by local governments
Discrimination?
Unfair treatment that is based on prejudice rather than respect for equality and individual worth.
Sexual harassment?
Unwelcome conduct, of a sexual nature, directed toward a person.
Levy?
A fee
Right-wing?
The right, or the conservative, side of the political spectrum.
Left-wing?
The left, or the liberal, side of the political spectrum.
Political spectrum?
A line showing the range of political beliefs from liberal (left) to conservatism (right).
Conservative?
A person who tends to oppose change and favours tradition and less government involvement in people’s lives.
Liberal?
A person who tends to favour social reform and more government involvement.
