Civics Test Unit 2 Flashcards
Leadership Styles
Authoritarian/Dictator, Democratic, Laissez-Faire
Authoritarian/Dictator
- No Input from people
- Power usually taken by force
- Militaristic
- Autocratic (dictatorship)
- Example? North Korea
- Strong defenses
- Decisions made quickly
- No opposition
- Dangerous to the leader
- Dangerous to the people
- Can lead to war
- One person can easily make the wrong decisions
Democratic
- Vote for your leader
- Leader can be removed in the next election
- Examples? Canada, USA
- The people have a say
- More ideas and more input
- Compromise
- Time-consuming
- Too much compromise
- Majority could ignore the minority vote
Laissez-Faire
- “Hands off”
- Little government control
- Whatever happens… happens!
- Example? Team Captain, Mr. Butters as department head, Gov not interfering with the economy
- People keep more $$$$$
- Less taxes
- Poor are left to fend for themselves
- Rich can take advantage of the poor
- No health benefits
- Possibly higher crime rates
- Pay for education
Levels of Government
Federal, Provincial, Municipal
Federal
The government controlling the country. (Canada)
Provincial
The government controlling the province. (Ontario)
Municipal
The government controlling the town/city. (Stouffville)
Responsibilities of each level
Federal:
- Control military
- Trading with other countries
Provincial:
- Control education
Municipal:
- Control trash collection
- Libraries
Where are the Houses of Parliament? Significance?
The Houses of Parliament are in Ottawa, they are significant as they are where the legislative of Canada (Federal) meets to make laws.
Where is Queen’s Park? Significance?
Queen’s Park is in Toronto, it’s significant as it’s where the legislation of Ontario (Provincial) meets to make laws.
What is the difference between a Prime Minister and a Premier?
A Prime Minister leads a country at a Federal level while a Premier leads a province at a Provincial level.
What is the difference between an MP and MPP?
An MP is who represents your riding at a Federal level while an MPP is who represents your riding at a Provincial level.
Who is your Ward Councillor?
Ward 6 - Sue Sherban
What is a “riding” or electoral district?
A representation by population, wherever there’s roughly 100,000 people, there’s a MP and a MPP.
Branches of Government
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
Legislative Branch
Represent citizens’ interests in government, debate and pass new laws, and monitor government policies and actions.
Executive Branch
Set government policy, initiate and draft new laws, and Administer, implement, and enforce laws and policies.
Judicial Branch
Interpret and apply laws through court cases and decisions, strike down laws that are unconstitutional
Who’s involved in each branch?
Legislative:
- Elected members of the House of Commons
- Appointed members of the Senate.
Executive:
- Prime Minister
- Cabinet Ministers
- Ministers and Civil Servants
Judicial:
- Judges and Courts
What is their role/duty at each branch?
Legislative: Makes Laws.
Executive: Administers Laws.
Judicial: Applies Laws.
What is Federalism?
A multilevel system of government. Each level of government has its own leader and is given the power and responsibility to meet the needs of its unique population.
What is the Senate and what does it do?
Like the House of Commons, the Senate, a group of executives, after receiving a bill from the House of Commons, debates the bill, votes on the bill, and either pass it forward to the Governor-General or sends it back to the House of Commons and/or terminates it.
What is the Governor-General’s role?
As a representative for the British Monarch, the Governor-General has the role of signing off on bills as the last step before they turn into official laws. Also, attends many social events, gives out awards, greets people, etc. (Very ceremonial)
How does someone become/get elected Prime Minister?
They have to be the leader of the political party who wins the most seats (electoral districts) and also have to win their seat in their own electoral district as a regular MP. “First among equals.”
What does “Leader of the Opposition mean?
The leader of the party with the second-most seats, debates the winning party.
Left Wing vs. Right Wing
The Left Wing embraces change for the welfare of all citizens while the Right Wing embraces tradition and handles change with caution.
Who falls under each wing on the spectrum?
Left: Democrats, Liberals, Green Party, NDP
Right: Conservatives, New Blue Party, Republicans
What are the characteristics and roles of L/R Wings, Centre?
Left Wing:
- Support change
- Government provides social services
- Law and order used for fairness
Right Wing:
- Support tradition
- Government provides small role to help business
- Law and order used to protect traditions
Centre:
- Support change/traditon if needed
- Government provides just enough of a role to improve citizens lives
- Law and order used to protect individuals.
First Past the Post
Canada is split into “electoral districts” – known as ridings, whoever gets the highest popular vote in each riding earns a seat in the Parliament, then, the party that wins the most seats is in power.
- The winner of the election (in each electoral district) takes all
- Was originally named for horse racing
- Means whoever has more votes wins, and the other votes aren’t used towards anything else
Majority & Minority
A Majority government: When one party wins more than 50% of the “seats” (has won more than half of the seats).
A Minority Government: When one party has won the most seats compared to any other party but less than 50% overall.
A Coalition Government
When there’s a minority government situation, two or more parties can officially work together to have a majority of the votes.
Ex. currently, in the Federal government, the minority Liberal has partnered with the NDP.
Proportional Representation
A system where the number of elected representatives is equal to the percentage of the overall vote each party has won.
