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Socials10 > Government Definitions Ch1 > Flashcards

Government Definitions Ch1 Flashcards

1
Q

democracy

A
  • “rule by the people”
  • gov ppl rule themselves
  • introduced by ancient greeks
  • political system where power is controled by citizens
  • give ppl sense of power and freedom/prevents one from becoming too powerful
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2
Q

constitution

A
  • set of rules that represent the ideas and values of the nation that both the gov and public must follow
  • helps to ensure gov does not abuse power/helps establish gov
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3
Q

suffrage

A

universal suffrage (the right to vote) is practiced meaning all adults can vote

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4
Q

capitalism

A
  • economic system/defines canadian economy
  • individuals or companies are free to compete to produce goods and services for profit
  • gov does not interfere much/ppl free to buy and sell what they want
  • classes of people (rich, middle, poor)
  • citizens allowed control and manage wealth of nation: free market economy
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5
Q

communism

A
  • economic system based on community ownership of all property and means of production
  • no ppl classes (rich, middle, poor)
  • economic equality-freedom doesnt exist/everyone has approx same wealth
  • individuals cant pursue business how they want
  • cant own anything/everything owned by gov and divided
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6
Q

socialism

A
  • gov runs some aspects of economy while free enterprise (capitilism) still functions
  • gov own/operate public services/utilities
  • ppl allowed to own many things
  • mild form of communism
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7
Q

facism

A
  • belief in action over thought/rules out any decision making based moral convictions of principles
  • belief in extreme nationalism
  • purpose of individuals to serve the state
  • economic and intellectual resources of state to be directed to building proud, united country w/ strong military
  • first introduced by benito mussolini
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8
Q

governor general

A
  • chosen by PM and appointed by Queen
  • announes formal gov decisions and only signs bills/gives formal assent to bill before it becomes law
  • little power/cant interfere with politcal procedure
  • represents king/queen-governs for five years
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9
Q

prime minister

A
  • head of government/political party
  • political leader of gov of canada
  • responsible to govern country
  • controls cabinet and HC
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10
Q

parliament

A

-name given to group of representatives who govern the country

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11
Q

member of parliament

A
  • member elected to represent each riding in HC (lower house)
  • debate and passing legislation/look after needs of those who elected them
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12
Q

riding

A
  • area containing approx 100,000 people represented by each member of HC
  • 338 ridings
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13
Q

house of commons

A
  • all members of parliament including PM and cabinet
  • checks and approves/vetos bills-no money cannot be spent without HC approval
  • members include: MPs, governing party (PM/cabinet), opposition party
  • focal point in gov
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14
Q

senate

A
  • 105 men/women appointed by GG by recommendation of PM
  • appointed as reward for loyalty and support
  • role to vote/investigate on bills based by HC
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15
Q

executive branch

A
  • power to make and apply gov decisions
  • power to administer and carry out laws
  • consists of GG and PM at fed level
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16
Q

legislative branch

A
  • power to make and amend laws
  • determines how gov will spend money collected by ppl
  • consists of HC, senate and GG at fed level
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17
Q

cabinet

A
  • called cabinet ministers/responsible for iniatiing new laws
  • selected by PM from among other MPs who are from the party that won the election
  • approx 30 members
  • each member responsible for gov department (finiance, defence, transportation etc)
  • must show cabinet solidarity to PM/members once decision is made public
  • iniates new laws and administers gov policy
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18
Q

direct democracy

A
  • all citizens participate by directly speaking and voting on all decisions affecting society
  • used in ancient greek
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19
Q

representative democracy

A
  • citizens elect representatives to act on their behalf to voice the views and wishes of the voters
  • ability to elect new gov if unhappy
  • representatives must respond to interests of the ppl
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20
Q

constitutional monarch

A
  • queen/king is head of state
  • GG is queen representative
  • has constitution and ruler (sovereign)
  • represents historic relationship
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21
Q

federal system

A
  • gov divided in three levels each level having authority over different areas of gov
  • federal, provincial, and municipal governments
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22
Q

vote of non-confidence

A
  • when PM loses support of a majority amount of parliament members therefore losing office
  • occurance 1: HC defeats bill introduced by PM party
  • occurance 2: members introduce formal vote of NC
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23
Q

caucus

A

-private meetings held by political parties where they can voice their views and opinions of constituents

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24
Q

backbencher

A
  • members of governing party who are not apart of the cabinet
  • support members by keeping in mind wishes of public
25
Q

party whip

A

-someone who disciplines members if they speak out agianst their party

26
Q

shadow cabinet

A
  • opposite of cabinet

- MPs from official opposition chosen to shadow a specific minister from the cabinet

27
Q

bill

A

-proposed laws that may or may not be passed and become law

28
Q

speaker of the house

A
  • elected by MPs from among own members to run daytoday business in HC
  • maintains order, referee, controls debate
29
Q

sergeant at arms

A
  • works for speaker of the house

- performs ceremonial activities and is responsible for security of HC and parliament buildings

30
Q

leader of the opposition

A

-leader of the second largest party

31
Q

patronage

A
  • PM filling senate seats with supporters of their party

- act of rewarding a party member for loyalty and support

32
Q

judicial system

A

-power to decide who has broken the law and to set out penalties

33
Q

supreme court

A
  • highest court in the country/final court of appeal in can
  • consists of 9 judges appointed by GG
  • major role in ruling human rights issues
34
Q

legistlative assembly

A

-name of parliament/HC at prov level

35
Q

lieutenant governor

A

-queens representative at prov level

36
Q

mayor

A

-head of municipal council made up of elected representatives called aldermen or councillors

37
Q

by laws

A

-laws that apply only to a particular municipality

38
Q

band council

A
  • group of respected members of community

- special form of local gov used by indigenous communities

39
Q

chief

A

-leader of band council elected by ppl

40
Q

british north america act

A
  • new rules of how the new country would be run

- when BNA colonies joined together (nova scotia, new brunswick, province of canada) in 1867

41
Q

constitution act 1867

A
  • the BNA act renamed

- colonies made into provinces (nova scotia, new brunswick, ontario, quebec) and became dominion of canada july 1 1867

42
Q

statue of westminster

A

-act that gave canada power to make its own laws, independent of BR 1931

43
Q

patriation

A
  • change in canada’s constitution from BNA act to constitution act
  • under BR control to independent
44
Q

notwithstanding clause

A
  • included in charter
  • is an “escape”/allowed both fed and prov govs possibility of opting out of clauses in the charter/pass a law that violates law in charter
  • gives some power back to gov
  • gov could suspend certain rights in charter for up to five years and must seek renewal after
  • “loophole” that convinced prov premiers to accept the charter
45
Q

regionalism

A

-differences in wishes/needs that exist between eastern, central and western regions of can

46
Q

universal franchise

A

-right to vote for all citizens over 18 years of age

47
Q

voter apathy

A
  • reluctance to participate in elections

- prominent among younger citizens

48
Q

majority government

A

-political party wins more than half the seats in HC in election

49
Q

minority government

A
  • party that wins most seats in election/no party wins majority
  • party elects more MPs than any other party but not more than all the other parties combined
50
Q

coalition government

A
  • no party has a majority of seats in parliament

- 2 or more parties join tgt to form gov

51
Q

first past the post system

A

-candidate with most number of votes in each riding wins

52
Q

proportional representation

A
  • voters elect a candidate on basis of party they represent
  • number of votes entire party receives determines the amount of seats they will have
  • party will put forward a list of its candidates
53
Q

interest groups

A
  • those who try to influence gov policies and decisions

- formed when many individuals share a group of ideas and have the same common goal

54
Q

civil disobediance

A
  • act of intentionally disobeying a law that one thinks is unjust
  • usually done to get attention from gov
55
Q

universal declaration of human rights

A

-first international statement to recognize all human beings have specific rights and freedoms

56
Q

canadian charter of rights and freedoms

A
  • made civil rights and liberties apart of the constituion
  • the protection of canada’s civil rights/rights and freedoms that are essental to keep canada a democratic and free country
  • forms part of constitution
  • ensures that gov or anyone does not take away the rights and freedoms unreasonably
57
Q

convention on the rights of the child

A
  • convention to protect basic rights of children

- rights to identity, education, shelter, safety, special protection in times of war

58
Q

BC human rights code

A
  • protection of human rights
  • a legislation which replaces all other legislations except for the charter
  • prohibits descrimination/protection against discrimination and harassment
59
Q

BC human rights commission

A

-investigate and mediate and resolve human rights complaints

Socials10 (18 decks)

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