Civics ch 1, 2, 3 review Flashcards
What is civics and citizenship
- The rights and responsibilities of citizens
- How decisions are made and who makes them
- Ways that we can act for the common good in our communities at the local, national and global level
why do we study civics
-To find out how our government works
-Identify your personal beliefs and values about how we participate in society
-Practice basic citizenship skills
government
a system by which a group of people makes the laws (principles and regulations) that are enforced to guide the affairs of a community
rights
privileges recognized and protected by law
responsibilities
tasks or duties that an individual has
common good
the well being of people in a community or society in terms of justice, fairness, prosperity, and respect for human rights and the environment.
citizen
a person who lives in a city, town or country and who is legally allowed to have the rights and freedoms of the place in which he or she lives.
What are 3 things people can do if they disagree with the government
-Contact government representatives
-Gather support from other citizens
-Form or join organizations that oppose a law or action
What is the Rule of Law?
The principle that government and all people must obey the law
Direct vs representative democracy
Direct Democracy: government in which all citizens directly participate in decision making without representatives
Representative Democracy is: a democracy in which citizens periodically elect others to represent them in government
what is the idle no more movement
-The Idle No More movement started in 2012 by four women from Saskatchewan: Jessica Gordon, Sylvia McAdam, Sheelah McLean, and Nina Wilson
-For women were concerned that Canada’s legislation would cause the government to diminish the authority and rights of Indigenous communities
-The law would also make it easier for the federal government to extract resources from indigenous territories without consent, nor environmental assessment
-The movement gained supporters across Canada, in Manitoba, Alberta, and Saskatchewan
what did idle no more movement do for the aboriginal communities
-encourage Aboriginal communities to become more involved
in addressing social and economic issues
-increase awareness about Aboriginal peoples and
environmental laws
-demonstrate how social media can be used as a powerful tool
for civic action
community can be defined as
-fosters a sense of belonging and is based on something in common
-includes a sense of safety, support, and responsibility to others
-involves a shared identity
-creates a sense of common place
3 benefits of a community
-Unite members and provide a feeling of belonging
-Can connect its members to a diversity of cultures, traditions, values, and perspectives
-Provide better quality of life when communities are well designed for walkability, housing, and more.
civic action + why is it important
when people come together to work towards creating a positive change in their community through actions.
important because: it strengthens community, makes communities more supportive, solves problems and prevents harm
political significance
is the effect that a policy, issue, or event has on people’s lives.
democracy
-gives everyone a say, but it is not perfect.
-from a government in which laws are made by direct vote of the citizens by a vote of the elected representative of the citizens
-the rule of people
common elements in democracies
-The right to vote
-Everyone deserves equitable treatment
-Everyone is equal under the law
-Elections are free from violence
-Everyone has freedom, belief, thought, and expression
-Everyone’s vote counts the same amount
-Everyone has the right to dignity and privacy
-The government listens to its citizens
-Citizens have the right to criticize government
-Citizens have the responsibility to be informed, active participants
ways a young person can be an active citizen
-volunteering
-writing a letter to a government official
-peacefully protesting
methods of action
-online discussions (ex. Spreading information through social media)
-offline discussion (ex. Making a public speech)
-activism (ex. Sign a petition)
-community involvement (ex. Volunteer time and effort)
-political involvement (ex. Contacted an elected official about an issue)
Who is Sarah Khalid and what did she do? How did she display active citizenship?
Sarah established the Young Suburban Growers program, which is where youth turn yard space into teaching gardens.
backyard organic vegetable gardens help:
-develop a sense of community
-give people a deeper relationship to nature
-teach people how to grow healthy local food
Who is Anika Tabovaradan and what did she do that was so inspiring?
Anika is a teenager from Scarborough, who publicly spoke at court to keep public libraries open, in fear that nearby closing branches will cause her branch to become over-crowded and she wont be able to complete her school work in order to get a good job one day.
common areas of responsibility in municipalities
-water & sewer
-garbage & recycling
-parks
-emergency services
-zoos
-public transportation
-road maintenance
-building permits & zoning
-animal control
-libraries
3 careers in municipal government or services
-paramedic
-police officer
-firefighter
criteria necessary to vote in municipal elections are:
-you must be a Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old
-you must live in, or own property in the municipality
-you must show identification prior to obtaining a ballot
deputation
a speech given to a governing body or the act of appointing a group of people to represent others
mayor
the head of a municipal council who represents their municipalities alongside the municipal council to manage their municipality
local (municipal) councilor
elective official who deals with the residents’ concerns and passing municipal laws. Many establish committees whose recommendations are based on to the council for final decisions.
school trustee
elected person to represent the interests of the student, family and community in decisions about local education policies and schools
the roles of elected officials in municipal government
-representing interests of residents
-communicating with residents
-addressing residents’ concerns
-making decisions about laws, policies, and budget
-working for the well being of their municipality
by-law
are legal rules created by local officials in order to address the needs of residents and uphold the common good in your community. Ex. noise by-laws, animal by-laws.
why are by-law’s necessary
They improve the quality of lives for all citizens. For example, they handle concerns affecting the public, create orderly communities, set safety standards to protect citizens and regulate growth for our municipalities.
where are Canadian rights defined
in the legal document called the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
what does it mean when we see that there are “reasonable limits” to our rights
Your rights are not absolute because they extend as far as someone else’s. Ex. you have the right to protest, but you can not inflict violence on others while doing so - one’s right to protest can be removed if they violate others right to security.
rights examples of:
-fundamental freedoms
-democratic rights
-mobility rights
-equality rights
-legal rights
-language rights and minority language
-aboriginal rights
F- freedom of belief, thought, and expression
D- right to vote and run for an election
M- right to enter, remain in, and leave Canada
E- everyone is equal before and under the law
L- life, liberty, and security of a person
LM- right to communicate in French or English in federal offices
A- right to protect treaty rights and help preserve Aboriginal cultures, traditions, and languages
formal responsibilities
-obeying the law
-paying income tax
-serving on juries
-voting in elections
-governments must be accountable to their citizens
informal responsibilities
-being informed
-expressing opinions
-respecting different perspective
-treating people equitably
-contribute to communities
-protecting rights
how can you be a good digital citizen
Be freely expressive as a user in an online environment while also being responsible. You must abide by the rules and responsibilities inherent to the internet.
Such as:
-behaving well with others
-making good decisions
-making sure digital communities are inclusive
why is Pardeep Singh Nagra important
Pardeep was banned from competing as a boxer because he refused to shave his beard. He argued a case in court that he should be allowed to keep his beard because it is an important religious practice for Sikhs. The court ruled that he is allowed to compete with his beard, and now he is a rights activist, speaker, teacher, and consultant specializing in equity and diversity.
Ontario Human Rights Code
Prohibits actions that discriminate against people based on protected grounds in protected social areas (protected social areas: employment, housing, services, and contractions) (protected grounds age, disability, race etc.)
what is the final court of appeal in canada
The Supreme Court - decisions are final and must be followed by all other Canadian courts
criminal law
-crimes or acts that cause intentional harm to another person or their property
-CANADA’S CRIMINAL CODE, lists all crimes, and their respective sentences
civil law
-Exists to resolve disputes between private parties
-Is more about compensation (ex. fines) than punishment
trial
an examination of facts and legal issues related to a dispute between two parties.
inquest
a court investigation ordered by a medical examiner in cases when a person dies under questionable circumstances.
public inquiry
Explores the causes and facts of an issue and then makes recommendations to the government.
what is rule of law
The principle that government and all people must obey the law
