How Canadians Govern Themselves Flashcards
Pages 28-29
3 key facts about Canada’s system of government
Country with parliamentary democracy, federal state and constitutional monarchy
When were the responsibilities of the federal and provincial government defined?
1867
British North America Act (Constitution Act)
What kind of matters are responsibility of Federal government?
National AND international concern
Defence
Foreign policy
Interprovincial trade and comms
Currency
Navigation
Criminal Law
Citizenship
What are the responsibilities of the provinces?
Municipal government
Education
Health
Natural resources
Property and civil rights
Highways
What matters are shared federal and provincial jurisdiction?
Agriculture and immigration
What does Federalism mean?
Allows provinces to adopt policies tailored to their populations, flexibility to experiment with new ideas
True or false: every province has its own elected Legislative Assembly?
True
What does parliamentary democracy mean?
People elect members of the House of Commons in Ottawa, and provincial and territorial legislatures.
Representatives pass laws, approve and monitore expenditures, and keep government accountable
How can Cabinet ministers retain the “confidence of the House”?
Responsible to the elected representatives, have to resign if defeated in non-confidence vote
What are the three parts of the Parliament?
Sovereign
Senate
House of Commons
What are the parts of provincial legislatures?
Lieutenant Governor
Elected Assembly
Who selects the Cabinet ministers in the federal government?
The Prime Minister
How often are Members of Parliament (House of Commons) elected?
Every 4 years
Who appoints the Senators, until what age can they serve?
The Governor General (on Prime Minister’s advice)
75 years old
Who CONSIDER and REVIEW bills (new law proposals)?
House of Commons and Senate
What needs to happen for a bill to become law?
Passed by both chambers
Received royal assent, granted by Gov. General on behalf of Sovereign
Legislative process for a bill to become law? (7 steps)
First reading - Read for 1st time, printed
Second reading - Members debate bill’s principle
Committee Stage - Committee members study bill clause by clause
Report Stage - Members can make other amendments
Third reading - Members debate and vote on the bill
Senate - Similar process in Senate
Royal Assent - Bill receives royal assent after being passed by both Houses
What’s a right and responsibility of Canadian citizens living in a democracy?
Participate in decision-making by voting in federal, provincial or territorial and municipal elections
What’s the role of the Sovereign in the Parliament?
Part of it, playing a non-partisan role as the focus of citizenship and allegiance, during royal visits.
Examples of constitutional monarchies?
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, Japan, Jordan, Morocco
Representant of Sovereign in Canada? For how long?
Governor General, appointed on advice of Prime Minister
5 years
Representant of the Sovereign in ten provinces? Who appoints and for how long?
Lieutenant Governor
Governor General on the advice of Prime Minister
5 years
What is the role of 3 branches of government? Who forms part of each?
Work together in creative tension, help to secure rights and freedoms of Canadians
Executive - Prime Minister and Cabinet
Legislative - Senate and House of Commons
Judicial - Supreme Court of Canada (9 judges, appointed by Governor General), Federal Court of Canada and Provincial Courts
What do provincial and territorial elected legislatures do? How are their members called?
Pass provincial and territorial laws
MLA - Members of Legislative Assembly
MNA (Quebec) - Members of National Assembly
MPP (Ontario) - Members of Provincial Parliament
MHA (Newfoundland and Labrador) - Members of the House of Assembly
Equivalent of Prime Minister in provincial and territorial governments?
Premier, in provinces
Commissioner, in territories
Who do Canadians vote for? Can they be re-elected? What are other names they are known as?
Members of the House of Commons
Yes, reelection is allowed
Members of Parliament
MPs
When are Federal Elections held in Canada?
Third Monday of October every four years following the most recent election
Prime Minister may ask Governor General to call an earlier election
How many electoral districts are there in Canada? What are they? How are they also known as?
308
Ridings or Constituencies
Geographical area represented by an MP
Who can run for office in a federal election? How are they called? Can there be more than one? How do they win?
Canadian citizens 18yo or older
Candidates
Yes, there can be many candidates in an electoral district
The candidate receiving the most votes becomes MP of that district
Who is elegible to vote in a federal election/federal referendum?
Canadian citizen
18yo on voting day
On the voters’ list
How is the voters list produced?
National Register of Electors by neutral agency of Parliament: Elections Canada
Permanent database of Canadian citizens 18yo+ qualified to vote
What does Elections Canada do once election is called?
Mails voter information card to each elector in the National Register of Electors, with when and where you vote and number to call for special services
Can you still be added to the voters list any time? Even on election day? Even under what other conditions?
Yes, even on election day, and even if you choose not to be listed in NRE or didn’t receive voter information card.
Where do you go to vote on election day or at advance polls?
Polling station listed on voter information card
What happens after the polling stations close? Where are the results announced?
Election officers count the ballots
On radio, TV and newspapers, and on Elections Canada website
How is the government formed after an election?
Leader of political party with most seats in House of Commons invited by Governor General, leader becomes Prime Minister.
What is a majority and minority government?
Majority: At least half of the seats in the House of Commons
Minority: Less than half of the seats in the House of Commons
For how long will the Prime Minister and party run the government?
As long as they have CONFIDENCE (support) of the majority of MPs. When voting on major government decisions, if majority of members vote against the party in power is defeated, Prime Minister asks Governor General (on behalf of Sovereign) to call an election.
Who chooses the Cabinet ministers (ministers of the Crown)? What do they do? What are they called along with the Prime Minister?
The Prime Minister, mostly among members of House of Commons
Running federal government departments, prepare budget and propose most new laws
The Cabinet
How is the opposition party with the most members of the House of Commons known as? What’s the role of the opposition parties? Which are the political parties represented in the House of Commons?
Official Opposition or His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition
Peacefully oppose or improve government proposals
Liberal Party (157)
Conservative Party (117)
New Democratic Party (25)
Bloc Quebecois (32)
Green Party (2)
What can I do if I didn’t receive a voter information card?
Call local elections office to ensure you are on the voters’ list, or call Elections Canada (Ottawa)
Who passes by-laws and what are these? How is a council conformed? What are the responsibilities of municipalities?
Municipal governments, laws that affect only the local community
Mayor/Reeve and councillors or aldermen
Urban or regional planning, streets and roads, sanitation (garbage removal), snow removal, firefighting, ambulance, emergency services, recreation facilities, public transit, local health and social services
Who has municipal police forces?
Most major urban centres
Are the rules the same for provincial/territorial or municipal elections compared to a federal election?
No, although they are all held by secret ballot
Responsibilities of Federal government (Parliament)?
National Defence
Foreign Policy
Citizenship
Policing
Criminal Justice
International Trade
Aboriginal Affairs
Immigration (shared with Provincial/Territorial)
Agriculture (shared with Provincial/Territorial)
Environment (shared with Provincial/Territorial)
Responsibilities of Provincial/Territorial Government (Assemblies)?
Education
Health Care
Natural Resources
Highways
Policing (Ontario, Quebec)
Property and Civil Rights
Immigration (shared with Provincial/Territorial)
Agriculture (shared with Provincial/Territorial)
Environment (shared with Provincial/Territorial)
Who are band chiefs and councillors?
First Nations representatives with major responsibilities on reserves, including housing, school and other services
