How Canadians Govern Themselves Flashcards
What are the 4 different types of government in Canada?
Federal
Provincial
Territorial
Municipal
Where were the responsibilities of the Federal and Provincial governments defined?
The British North America Act 1867
What are some of the responsibilities of the Federal government?
Matters of national and international concern
What are some responsibilities of the provincial government?
Municipal government, education, health, natural resources, property and civil rights, and highways
What does Federalism allow to happen?
Federalism allows for different provinces to adopt their own set of policies, tailored to their own populations.
Who are the Federal representatives of the people in Canada?
Members are elected to the House of Commons by the people of Canada.
What are the 3 parts of Canadian Parliament?
The Sovereign
The Senate
The House of Commons.
Who selects cabinet ministers, and is responsible for the operations and policy of the Federal government?
The Prime Minister
What is the House of Commons?
The house of commons is the representative chamber, made up of members of Parliament elected by the people
What is the role of the The Senate?
The Senate, in addition to the House of Commons, consider and review Bills prior to the Governor General granting Royal Ascension.
How do Bills become law in Canada?
For a Bill to become law, it has to pass through both the House of Commons and The Senate, before receiving Royal Assent.
Describe the steps involved for a Bill becoming a Law
Step 1 - First Reading - The bill is considered read for the first time and is printed
Step 2 - Second Reading - Members debate the bill’s principle
Step 3 - Committee Stage - Committee members study the bill clause by clause
Step 4 - Report Stage - Members can make other amendments
Step 5 - Third Reading - Members debate and vote on enacting the bill
Step 6 - Senate - the bill follows a similar process in the senate
Step 7 - Royal Assent - the bill receives royal assent after being passed by both houses.
At what age can Canadian Citizens vote in Federal, Provincial, or Territorial elections?
18 Years Old
Who is Canada’s ‘Head Of State’?
The Sovereign
Who is the ‘Sovereign’?
The Queen or King.
What is the role of ‘The Sovereign’ in Canadian Parliament?
The Sovereign plays an important, non-partisan role as the focus of citizenship and allegiance.
Who is the ‘Head of Government’?
The Prime Minister
Who represents ‘The Sovereign’ in Canada?
The Governor General
Who are the subordinates of the Governor General, whom are located in each Province and Territory?
Lieutenant Governors
What are the three branches of government in Canada?
The executive branch
The Legislative branch
The Judicial branch
Who appoints judges for the Canadian Supreme Court?
The Governor General
What are the many different names for the members of an elected legislature in each province or territory?
Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)
Members of the National Assembly (MNA)
Members of the Provincial Parliament (MPP)
Members of the House of Assembly (MHA)
What is the role of ‘The Premier’ in each province or territory of Canada?
The Premier has a role similar to The Prime Minister, except instead of being for the Federal Government, it is for the Provincial or Territorial Government where they are located.
When should a Federal election be held, according to legislation?
Federal elections take place on the 3rd Monday in October, every 4 years.
How many electoral districts is Canada divided into?
Canada is divided into 308 electoral districts.
Can citizens run for political office?
Yes
What 3 criteria must be met before you can vote in a federal election, or cast a ballot in a federal referendum?
You must be a Canadian Citizen
You must be 18 years of age on the day of voting
You must be on the voters’ list
What happens when an election is called?
Elections Canada mails a voter information card to each elector whose name is in the National register of electors
How does someone vote in an election or referendum?
To vote on election day, or at advance polls, citizens can go to a polling station listed on your voter information card.
What is the right to a ‘secret ballot’ mean?
Having the right to a secret ballot means that no one can watch you cast your vote, and no one can look at how you voted. You may choose to discuss how you voted with others after you have voted. However, no one - including family members, your employer, or union representative, has the right to insist that you tell them how you voted.
What typically happens after an election has taken place?
Under ordinary circumstances, the leader of the political party with the most seats in the house of commons is invited by the Governor General to form the government.
What is the name of the type of government when the party in power holds at least half of the seats in the house of commons?
A Majority Government
Under what conditions can the Prime minister and the party in power continue to run the government?
They can continue to run the government as long as they have, and maintain the support or confidence of the majority of the MP’s in the house of commons.
what happens when the majority of the house of commons vote against a major government decision, such as a matter of confidence?
If the majority of the house of commons vote against a major government decision, the party in power is defeated and the decision does not happen.
Who chooses the ‘ministers of the crown’
The Prime Minister
What are some duties of the cabinet as a whole?
The cabinet makes important decisions about how Canada as a country is governed.
They prepare the budget
They propose most new laws.
What are the 3 most major political parties in Canada?
The Conservative Party (Tories)
The New Democratic Party (NDP)
The Liberal Party (Liberals)
What happens to the other political parties should they not win the election and become the party in power?
They become opposition parties
What is the role of the official opposition, or her majesty’s loyal opposition?
The official opposition’s role is to peacefully oppose or try to improve government proposals.
What is the British North America Act 1867 act known as today?
The Constitution Act 1867
Name some of the responsibilities of the Federal government.
National defense Foreign Policy Interprovincial trade & communications Currency Navigation Criminal Law Citizenship
What are the areas where the Provincial and Federal governments share responsibility?
Agriculture
Immigration.
What are some of the benefits of adopting Federalism?
Federalism gives each of the Provinces and Territories the ability to experiment with new ideas and policies.
Where is the House of Commons located?
Ottawa, Ontario.
What additional parts form the Provincial / Territorial legislatures?
The Lieutenant Governor
The elected Assembly.
How long is a term for a member of the House of Commons?
Four years
How are members of The Senate appointed?
Senators are appointed by the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister
How long do members of The Senate serve for?
Senators serve until they reach the age of 75
Who grants Royal Assent to a Bill that has been passed through the House of Commons and the Senate
The Governor General grants Royal Assent
Who is the Governor General granting Royal Assent to a Bill on behalf of?
On behalf of the Sovereign (the Queen or King)
What is ‘The Sovereign’ a symbol of?
The Sovereign is a symbol of Canadian Sovereignty, a guardian of constitutional freedoms and a reflection of Canadian history
What connects ‘The Sovereign’, Canada, and the Commonwealth together?
The Sovereign is the head of the Commonwealth, which links Canada with 53 other nations that cooperate to advance social, economic, and cultural progress.
What is the role of the ‘Head of Government’
The ‘Head of Government’ directs the governing of the country.
How is the Governor General appointed?
The Governor General is appointed by The Sovereign, on the advice of the Prime Minister.
How long is a term for the Governor General?
5 years
How are the Lieutenant Governors appointed?
the Lieutenant Governors are appointed by the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime minister
How long is the term for a Lieutenant Governor?
5 years
Who operates in each of the three branches of government in Canada?
Executive branch - The Prime Minister and Cabinet
Legislative branch - House of Commons & The Senate
Judicial branch - Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Governments all handle different tiers of the Judicial System.
How many Supreme Court Judges are there?
Nine
Where are the different names for an elected legislature used within Canada?
MLA - Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island.
MNA - Quebec
MPP - Ontario
MHA - Newfoundland & Labrador
What is the role of ‘The Commissioner’ in a Territorial assembly?
The Commissioner represents the federal government within a territorial assembly, and plays a ceremonial role.
Who can request an earlier Federal election, and who approves the request?
The Prime Minister may ask the Governor General to call an earlier election.
What other names are used for an electoral district?
Ridings, or Constituencies.
What IS an electoral district?
An electoral district is a geographical area represented by a Member of Parliament (MP).
How is the representative of an electoral district appointed?
The citizens in each electoral district elect one MP who sits in the House of Commons to represent them, as well as all Canadians.
What is the name of a citizen running for political office?
an electoral Candidate
How old must this citizen be to run for political office?
18 years of age.
What is the voters’ list?
The voters’ list is produced from the National Register of Electors, by a neutral agency of Parliament called Elections Canada. It is a permanent database of Canadian citizens 18 years of age or older whom are qualified to vote in federal elections and/or referendums.
When can you be added to the voters’ list?
You can be added to the voters’ list at any time, even on election day.
What is the right to a ‘secret ballot’ protected by?
Canadian law protects a citizen’s right to a secret ballot.
What happens to the party leader of the party with the most seats in the house of commons after an election?
The party leader becomes the Prime minister, after the party is appointed by the Governor General.
What is the name of the type of government when the party in power holds less than half of the seats in the house of commons?
A Minority Government
How does a Minority Government form?
A Minority Government can form when there is a party with the most seats in the house of commons out of all political parties, yet their number of seats is still less than half of the total seats in the house of commons.
What is ‘a matter of confidence’ when it comes to running a government
When the house of commons votes on a major issue or topic, such as the budget, it is considered ‘a matter of confidence’
what is a typical end result after the majority of the House of Commons votes against a major government decision and stops the decision from taking place?
Typically, the Prime Minister asks the Governor General, on behalf of The Sovereign, to call an election.
From where do most of the ministers of the crown come from?
The house of commons
What is another name for the Prime minister and the ministers of the crown?
They are known as ‘the cabinet’
What is the role of a cabinet minister?
A cabinet minister is responsible for running a specific department within the federal government, for example - the minister of health runs the federal governments healthcare department.
Who can question the decisions of the cabinet?
All members of the house of commons can question the cabinets decisions.
What happens to the opposition party with the most members in the house of commons?
They become the ‘official opposition’ or ‘her majesty’s loyal opposition’
Where is the House of Commons located?
Ottawa, Ontario.
