CHP 5 - Parliament

Question 1

Session

Answer 1

The period during which the House meets to conduct its business is called a session
No set length and will only end when government decides it should be ended
Usually around a year (so we usually have about 4)

Question 2

Prorogation

Answer 2

The formal process of ending session from the GG with the advice of the PM

Question 3

Sittings

Answer 3

A division of the sessions in Parliament

Usually take the form of meetings with ranges of times

Question 4

Throne Speech

Answer 4

The beginning and introduction to session, delivered by members of both the House and the Senate plus select dignitaries. It is read out by the GG

Question 5

Confidence Vote

Answer 5

The vote on the throne, and a vote that the government must win in order to maintain the confidence of the House and stay in Office.

Question 6

Dissolution

Answer 6

A request from the PM to the GG to end Parliament and will automatically entail the holding of general elections to select another Parliament (usually when non-confidence or the PM resigns)

Question 7

Bills

Answer 7

Legislative proposals

Question 8

First Reading

Answer 8

Introduces legislation (bill) and to give its members a chance to acquaint themselves with its provisions

Question 9

Second Reading

Answer 9

Commons endorses basic purpose of the bill

Question 10

Report Stage

Answer 10

Goes to committee and presents the House with the results of the study and usually includes proposals for amending some of the bill’s provisions
- The proposals are voted on by the House

Question 11

Third Reading

Answer 11

Final version for the House

Question 12

Shadow Cabinet

Answer 12

Composed of members of the main opposition party, Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, and is responsible for holding the Government to account and for developing and disseminating the party’s policy positions.

Question 13

Opposition Critics

Answer 13

Members of the Shadow Cabinet, and will have the time and resources to be more focused on a particular ministry and thereby be better prepared to help their party keep the government to account on file.

Question 14

Front Benchers

Answer 14

Composed of the Cabinet and the Shadow Cabinet. They occupy the first few rows

Question 15

Backbenchers

Answer 15

MP’s who are not in Cabinet or Shadow Cabinet

Question 16

Speaker

Answer 16

An MP elected by the House at the beginning of each Parliament to preside over its debates and to take responsibility for its administration.
Usually an MP from the governing party

Question 17

Clerk of the House

Answer 17

Takes responsibility for doing the official paperwork of the House and provides procedural advice to the Speaker when this is necessary

Question 18

Sergeant-at-arms

Answer 18

Usually a military figure, responsible for the security of the House

Question 19

Hansard

Answer 19

The official record of the proceedings of Parliament

Taken by secretaries in charge of keeping an official record of its debates

Question 20

Auditor General

Answer 20

Responsible for reviewing government spending

Question 21

Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO)

Answer 21

Created in 2006
Provides Parliament with independent assessments of the government’s financial position, of its budget estimates and of broader economic trends that may impact the government’s finances

Question 22

Conflict of Interest and Ethics Officer

Answer 22

Reports to the Speaker to deal with conflicts of interest that may arise between member’s private interests as citizens and their public duties as MPs

Question 23

Proclaimation

Answer 23

A notice which is generally published in the relevant government gazette proclaiming the date(s) on which the Act, or a part of it, comes into operation

Question 24

Estimates

Answer 24

It’s proposed expenditures for the coming year

Question 25

Standing Orders

Answer 25

Rules concerning the organization of its business and the conduct of its debates in a body of rules

Question 26

Closure

Answer 26

Permits the government to cut off debate if it decides that the opposition is taking too much time
Not used very often

Question 27

Senate Reform

Answer 27

Ideas about changing the way one becomes a senator, the character of provincial representation, revising the powers of the Senate and re-conceiving the relationship between the Senate and the House of Commons