Other stuff in Chapter 1

Question 1

Who is in the Executive Branch of government?

Answer 1

• Prime minister

- Cabinet

Question 2

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Executive Branch?

Answer 2

• proposes most laws
• puts laws into actions
• runs the day - to - day business of governments

Question 3

Who is in the Legislative Branch of government?

Answer 3

• senate

- house of commons

Question 4

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Legislative Branch?

Answer 4

• makes laws

- represents the interests and rights of canada’s regions

Question 5

Who is in the Judicial Branch of government?

Answer 5

Canada’s court of law

Question 6

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of the Judicial Branch?

Answer 6

applies and interprets laws

Question 7

What is an MP?

Answer 7

Member of Parliament

Question 8

What does the Constitution Act include?

Answer 8

From 1867-1982, the British North America Act was our ‘rule book.’ This was a British law and could only be amended through British government.

The constitution Act of 1982 released our constitution from British law, and included various amendments, notably the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Question 9

How do you become a prime minister? (PM)

Answer 9

To become the PM, you must:

• Be elected as leader of a political party (see bottom of pg. 24)
• Be elected as a member of parliament
• Your party must win the most seats in the House of Commons (pg. 27)

Question 10

How do you make it into the cabinet?

Answer 10

The cabinet is appointed by the PM.
Cabinet ministers (those part of the cabinet) are given portfolios (responsibilities) by the PM.

Question 11

How long can the Governor General serve?

Answer 11

The Governor General usually serves five years.

Question 12

What does the Governor General do?

Answer 12

The duties of the Governor General include the following:

• summoning, opening and ending sessions of Parliament
• reading the Speech from the Throne
• giving royal assent to bills
• signing state documents
• dissolving Parliament for an election.

Question 13

What is the The House of Commons? What do they do?

Answer 13

Is the major law-making body in Canada’s federal political system.
Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected by voters.
MPs represent the voters of one riding, or electoral district (constituency).
MPs are usually members of a political party.
Representation in the House of Commons is based on population (see electoral map).

Question 14

What does MLA stand for?

Answer 14

Member of legislative assembly

Question 15

REMEMBER THIS!

Answer 15

MP - FERDERAL

MLA - PROVINCIAL

Question 16

What does a MP do?

Answer 16

Member of Parliament responsibilities include:

1. Represent their constituents:
   A constituent is someone who lives in an electoral district (or riding) and is represented by an elected official from that riding.
2. Create/Pass legislation suggested by Cabinet:
   The members of the House of Commons debate, study and vote on laws proposed for Canada.

Read “How do MPs see their role” on pg 29. How are MPs elected?

A candidate must win the most votes.
They DO not need the majority of votes (50% or more)

Question 17

How are seats awarded/MPs elected?

Answer 17

A candidate must win the most votes in their electoral district. They DO not need the majority of votes (50% or more) just the most votes. System called “first past the post”. (fptp)
Popular vote refers to the total votes (%) won in an election as opposed to the total seats won in an election by a political party. They are sometimes different (+ or -).
Because Canada uses a ‘first past the post’ (winner takes all) electoral system, the percentage of seats awarded in the House of Commons after an election is often different than the percentage of the total vote (%) won by a party (popular vote).
Awarding seats based on popular vote is called ‘proportional representation’ (PR) because the seats awarded are in proportion to the number of votes received (e.g. Israel and many others).

Question 18

What is the difference between a majority government and a minority government?

Answer 18

Majority is when you have more than 50% (170 SEATS) of the seats, minority is when you have less than 50%

Question 19

What is the role of the ‘Official Opposition? (the party NOT in power)

Answer 19

The opposition keeps the government ‘accountable’

During the question period, the opposition questions the PM and cabinet regarding government decisions.

Question 20

What is a Shadow cabinet?

Answer 20

they create debate, act as a “watchdog” and speak for the different views and perspectives of canadians

Question 21

What is the purpose of a Senate?

Answer 21

The purpose of a Senate is fairness: to protect minority views in the legislative process.

e. g. problem created by the ‘fairness’ of rep by pop in the House of Commons.
- The Senate can propose laws, but cannot propose laws which create or spend taxes.
- The Senate can reject laws from the House of Commons, although the Senate rarely uses this power.

Question 22

Why is the senate important?

Answer 22

Represents the interests and rights of Canada’s regions. Helps ensure that minorities still have a strong voice within Canada (equal and effective?)
Provides “sober second thought” (careful reconsideration) of all proposed legislation. i.e. further study and debate on laws.

Question 23

How is the Canadian Senate different from the US Senate?

Answer 23

The senators in the usa are elected

The U.S. senators have more people per senator

Canada = representation in each REGION

USA = representation in each STATE

Question 24

How does a law become a law?

Answer 24

First Reading: copies of bill are made available to MP’s.

Second Reading: debate & vote on basic principal of bill.

Committee Stage: detailed study of the bill.

Report Stage: debate & vote on changes to the bill.

Third Reading: debate & vote on final form of the bill.

The law making path in Canada is:

1st House of Commons
2nd Senate
3rd Royal Assent…

After the Governor General gives final approval or “Royal Assent” the bill officially becomes law. This last step is mostly ceremonial.

Question 25

What is the media’s role in Canada’s political system?

Answer 25

• The media provides ways for citizens to voice their needs/concerns about political issues.
• The media does not purely inform, it also influences. A current affair reported by the media can be influenced by media coverage.
• Politicians develop key messages for the media. They use the media to control how they are represented and to communicate to Canadians.
• Access to media helps them communicate their ideas to Canadians. They often use quotes or slogans.
• Journalists have influence because they decide the news stories and perspectives they will cover.

Question 26

What is a Editorial?

Answer 26

Editorial is opinion piece

Question 27

What is a Slogan?

Answer 27

Slogan – a phrase used repeatedly by a politician or advertiser to present an idea.