government and civics - structure of fed gov

Question 1

What is parliament?

Answer 1

collective term for all MP’s and senate members

has two parts

• house of commons for elected members
• senate for appointed positions

Question 2

How many judges do we have and how do they get there

Answer 2

we have 9 supreme court judges
they are appointed
when they turn 75 they must retire

Question 3

What is a crown corp?

Answer 3

business owned by the government

Question 4

Federal Courts in Canada

Answer 4

supreme court of canada - appeal court
citizenship court - trial
federal court - trial

Question 5

What is the house of commons and what does it do?

Answer 5

consists of everyone who was elected

any member can present a bill to be evaluated and voted on in order to pass them into laws

Question 6

What did the prime minister and what do they do

Answer 6

spokesperson for the nation
leader of the government
selects MPs to cabinet -can shuffle cabinet if MPs are failing to preform

Question 7

Powers of the Prime Minister

Answer 7

Powers of Party Leadership
-approves nominations, controls caucus
Power of Appointment
-appoints cabinet members, senators, PMO, heads of crown corps, ambassadors, senior bureaucrats, gov general
Power of Government Organization
-cabinet, who gets in, how many departments, who is in PMO, principle secretary and chief of staff
-decides privy council, who is clerk of privy council(does research for the PM)
Power of Dissolution
-decides when to end gov and call an election

Question 8

What is The Cabinet

Answer 8

runs departments of the government

PM appoints MPs to positions of power
expected to fully support the PM
approx 30 ppl to look after major issues in canada ex. foreign affairs, environment, defence

picked by patronage, expertise, national gender or ethnic representation

Question 9

What are Backbenchers

Answer 9

MPs without a specific portfolio

Question 10

What is the shadow cabinet

Answer 10

leader of the opposition organizes MOs to follow cabinet ministers and critique their work

Question 11

What is the Speaker of the House

Answer 11

MP
elected by the house to act as a referee during the sitting of the legislature
well respected by everyone
only votes when it’s a tie- usually in favour of gov
stays for term of gov

Question 12

Simple making laws

Answer 12

any MP can present a bill
for it to be a law it must be read and debated 3 times in HOC
then sent to senate

Question 13

What is a Portfolio

Answer 13

cabinet position

Question 14

What is a vote of non confidence

Answer 14

if the PM presents a bill that doesn’t pass it is said that they have lost the confidence of the government and can no longer run the country effectively

opposition will call new election and gov dissolves

happens in minority gov

Question 15

How does someone become senator

Answer 15

appointed by PM
NOT ELECTED
cannot be removed unless broken law or deemed controversial

Question 16

Purpose of senate

Answer 16

to review bills passed in HOC
all bills must pass senate before coming into law - cannot reject a bill more than once
mainly reviews language

Question 17

Issues w senate

Answer 17

usually appointed for patronage and not ability
lack qualification
uneven representation

Question 18

Triple E Senate

Answer 18

Elected- no patronage
Equal - no voting in party lines, solidarity carries into the senate
Effective - give more power

Question 19

What is a governor general

Answer 19

queens representative in canada
5 year term
appointed
recommended by PM
dissolves parliament before new election
gives throne speech at start of new parliament
signs order in council(bypass law making process)
no law can be passed w/o signature unless unconstitutional
give royal ascent(signing something to make it a law)

Question 20

What does the judicial branch of gov do

Answer 20

interprets new laws use in daily life
no party solidarity
acts as final ruling in cases appealed in provincial courts
supreme court standardizes Canadian provincial laws using constitution as a guide

Question 21

Supreme Court

Answer 21

must have 3 judges from Quebec

main issues brought up usually from interpretation of canadian charter of rights and freedoms

Question 22

What are transfer payments?

Answer 22

richer provinces share money with poorer provinces

monetary redistribution

Question 23

Federal Jurisdiction

Answer 23

foreign policy, immigration, taxation, currency, criminal law, transportation, national defence, employment insurance, aboriginal people, postal system

Question 24

Provincial Jurisdiction

Answer 24

education, health care(feds pay a portion), provincial tax, natural resources, roads and bridges, workers comp, housing

Question 25

Municipal Jurisdiction

Answer 25

libraries, local police, schools, fire dept, public transport, property tax, garbage

Question 26

Special Interest Groups influence on government policy

Answer 26

lobby groups organized and fund specialist to push specific agendas on the government
lobby groups try to sway political opinion in their favour

lobby=to go after the government to get what you want

can be paid or unpaid

Question 27

Mass Media influence in the government policy

Answer 27

all politicians must pay attention to their images

the media has the ability to shape a political issue

Question 28

Protest Groups influence on government policy

Answer 28

well organized protest can draw media and thus attention to an issue
requiring a political response

Question 29

What is Civil Disobedience and what does it require

Answer 29

• knowingly break the law
  1. law must be considered unjust
  2. actions must NOT be violent
  3. must be willing to oh the consequences for the actions taken

*once violent is considered riot/protest