Midterm #2 Flashcards
Majority Government
When the government that formed has an absolute majority. ex 26/50 seats
Minority Government
When a party wins the most seats, but not more that 1/2 of the seats in the house.
Popular Vote
A person or issue that wins the most votes (the most popular option)
Reasonable Limits
Charter Right/Freedom
(clause) that although something violates the charter, it does so within reasonable limits. –> therefore allowed to stand
Right to Privacy
Charter Right/Freedom
number of laws that protect your private information (the way it is handled by governments and organizations)
Right to Legal Counsel
Charter Right/Freedom
Defendant has a right to have the assistance of legal counsel. If they cannot afford it, the government will appoint to pay the legal fees
Advocacy Group
groups brought together to influence PUBLIC OPINION.
They seek to change policy with their influence, without ever nominating someone to run for the position
Interest Group
made of individuals or organizations, organized around shared concerns, attempting to influence PUBLIC POLICY.
Issue Oriented Interest Group
Principle concern is to improve their own (usually economic) status (ex. Canadian Federation of Students)
Charter Rights
Rights of individuals that are entrenched in the Constitution and can’t be infringed upon unless (Reasonable)
Public Interest Groups
promote causes that are seen to be for the benefit of society (ex. environmental groups)
Institutional Interest Group
closely aligned with government (ex public service union) permanent, well established. large budget and member memberships. maintain good relationships with authorities
Issue Oriented Groups
they pop up when there is an issue, then fade away when it is settled. demonstrations, media etc. They work at all levels (municipal - international) Highway extensions to foreign aid help
Lobbying
seeking to influence a politician or public official on an issue –> attempting to affect public policy through lobbying!
Head of State
Canada: Queen Elizabeth
Head of Government
The Prime Minister (J. Trudeau)
Queen
She is represented in Canada by the Governer General
Governer General
Julie Payette - represents the crown.
- Acting on the advice of the PM and Cabinet ministers to give royal assest to bills passed in the Senate and HOC
- ensures there is always a PM
Lieutenant Governor
representative in a provincial jurisdiction of the Canadian monarch (Queen E)
- on the advice of the PM, the Governer general appoints provincial Lieutenant Governors.
As the GG represents the queen vs country, the LG represents the queen vs province
Federal Cabinet
Parliamentary system of government. Ministers hold executive power. named by the PM, ministers are MPs too
Cabinet Members / Ministers
Ministers in the Cabinet are named by the PM and are also MPs
Cabinet selection
named by the PM, should be balanced to reflect constituents but usually ends up being the pm choosing people who have been loyal towards him!
Party Leader*
Process*
House of Commons
made up of elected MPs from across Canada - 338
Legislative Assembly
Provincial forums where elected MPs represent their constituencies
Ministerial responsibility
Fundamental, constitutional principle, where the ministers are responsible to the parliament in their ministry/government as a whole
Cabinet Secrecy
Important to make responsible government work - protecting opinions of ministers and the process by which cabinet arrives at a decision — the heart of responsible government (Westminster system of government)
Monarchy
The form of government where the monarch heads the government
Deputy Minister **
** https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/cabinet/deputy-ministers
Canadian Judicial Council
The federal body created under the judges act to promote efficiency, uniformity and accountability - to improve the quality of judicial services in the superior courts of Canada.
Civil Law
used in Quebec, stemming from French Civil Law.
core principles are codified into a referable system, serving as the primary source of law
Senate
With the HOC and the Monarch make up the upper house of parliament.
- the purpose is to consider and revise legislation, investigate national issues and most crucially (according to the constitution) give the regions of Canada an equal voice in parliament.
Senators
105 members that are appointed by the GG on the advice of the PM
they come from a variety of working backgrounds also ethnic, socio eco, cultural ones
The leader of the Opposition
The leader of the political party which rivals the party currently in power
ex ATM = Andrew Sheer (Conservative)
Speaker of the House
There to ensure the orderly flow of business and adherence to rules and traditions of the HOC
-elected in a secret ballot
Backbencher
an MP who holds no government offices (not a front bencher)
Government Caucus
all members of a particular political party (including senators or provincial legislature)
Committee of the house
A stage in the process of getting a bill passed, after first and second reading where a select committee scrutinized that bill. members of the committee are nominated by their parties.
Royal Assent
approval by the sovereign that a bill has passed through both houses in identical form.
the process where a bill becomes a law
Political Patronage
granting of favours, money, jobs, government contracts or appointments to individuals or corporations in exchange for political or monetary support.
Role of Government
to create a structure of rules, that refelcet society, insuring their saftey, access to resources are met.
try to change people’s actions, should be trying to change the behaviour that makes us do that action
Associational Interest Groups
long term - representing the interests of their members
Non- Associational Interest Group “latent”
unorganized groups of people with a common identity -could organize if they saw an opportunity or a threat
Public Policy
A course of action or inaction chosen by authorities to address a problem in the public realm
Public Policy outcomes
-New legislation/ or changes to existing
change in government programs / practices
-funding
Notwithstanding Clause
allows parliament of provincial legislatures to override certain portions of the charter
Policy Tools
what government does to achieve their goals
-how they achieve their goals
Evidence Informed Policy and Practices
Policy based on good information
what are some barriers for policy making?
Poor access to evidence
Organizational structure - ministry silos
Time
Lack of relative evidence
Inadequate access to training
Cultural opposition
What was introduced federally in 1874 that dramatically changed all future elections?
The Secret Ballot
Advocacy groups increase their public profile once an election is called, what is this called
3rd party advertisements
Which party had the highest public allowance in 2011?
Conservatives
what is not a factor of success or failure in a group?
leadership
what year were all women granted the right to vote?
1960
the term lobbying generally refers to
1 and 2 -An activity that is most commonly undertaken by advocacy groups / any organized attempt to influence the decision makers.
what requires redistribution after each decennial census?
based on population data: electoral districts are added, removed or otherwise changed
when was the first secret ballot introduced to a federal election?
1874
the John Howard Society is a national advocacy in which groups?
causes
when was the Canadian Federation of students created?
1981
what year was the canadian constitution created?
1867
what has been the average time between elections since 1867?
**
what is the process of redrawing constitutional boundaries?
An electoral boundary commision is appointed for each province - Independent commision
a judge appointed by the chief justice and two members appointed by the speaker of the HOC
the process of dividing the country into single member electoral districts is called:
Gerrymandering
