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Ethics > Structure of Government in Canada > Flashcards

Structure of Government in Canada Flashcards

1
Q

What is politics?

A

A process of conflict resolution in which support is mobilized and maintained for collective action.

“who gets what when, and how”

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2
Q

What is government?

A

A specialized group of individuals, institutions, and agencies that make and enforce public decisions.

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3
Q

What is Federalism?

A

Sharing of powers by 2 levels of the government which is established by the constitution.

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4
Q

What is a democracy?

A

Democracy means that the parliament and the legislature are elected by citizens.

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5
Q

what is constitutionalism, and the rule of law?

A

Constitution is the supreme law, everyone including governments is subject to that law.

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6
Q

In Canada, which is a federal state, WHO can enact laws?

A

Both the federal government and the 10 provincial legislatures can enact laws.

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7
Q

What does Parliament have the power to do?

A

“To make laws for the peace, order and good government of Canada.”

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8
Q

Which laws do the provincial legislature make?

A

Make laws regarding hospitals, education and other areas of local concern.

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9
Q

Is there any overlap in law making?

A

Yes, some overlap in powers held by federal and provincial levels.

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10
Q

Legislative (Lawmaking power) is distributed between federal parliament and 10 provincial legislatures, as set out in the constitution, and interpreted by the courts. T or F

A

True.

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11
Q

Federal & Provincial processes are very similar. T or F

A

True

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12
Q

Are the courts (including the supreme court) independent or dependent of the government?

A

independent.

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13
Q

Courts

A

1) Interpret the meaning of law, as applied to specific cases.
2) Decide if laws are within the jurisdiction of the parl/legis that passed the laws.
3) Decide whether or not the law conflicts with the Charter .

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14
Q

Federal Level hierarchy

A
  1. Queen is represented by Governor General
  2. House of commons
  3. Senate
  4. Prime Minister
  5. Members of parliament elected to commons
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15
Q

Provincial BC Hierarchy

A
  1. Queen is represented by lieutenant Governor
  2. Legislature (Legislative assembly)
  3. No Senate
  4. Premier
  5. Members of Legislative assembly ( elected to legislature)
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16
Q

Legislative Branch of Government

A

Passes laws, authorizes taxes, authorizes spending for government programs)

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17
Q

Executive branch of government

A

Implements laws, collects taxes, and SPENDS funds authorized by legislative branch

( Includes: PM and cabinet, plus public service.(bureaucrats in government departments).

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18
Q

Judicial branch of government

A

(In dealing with cases brought before them) Courts interpret the meaning of laws and review laws, to test them for their constitutionality.

ie. with correct jurisdiction? in violation of the charter?

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19
Q

3 parts of the federal government

A

1) House of Commons
2) Senate
3) Queen

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20
Q

House of Commons

A

Passes or rejects bills, approves taxes and spending, is composed of all elected MP’s of various political parties.

21
Q

Senate

A

Usually but not always passes all bills that have been passed by the commons.

Senators are appointed on PM recommendation.

22
Q

Queen

A

Represented by governor general

Governor general gives royal assent to all bills passed by house of commons, and senate.

23
Q

Order of Parliament

A
  1. Queen
  2. senate (appointed by PM recommendation)
  3. House of commons (government members, opposition, all elected by voters)
2 branches
Executive branch (Prime Minister and Cabinet)
Legislative branch (connect from queen to house of commons).
24
Q

Order of Judiciary

A
  1. Supreme court of Canada (9 judges appointed by governor general)
  2. Federal court of canada and provincial court of canada.
25
Q

Political Parties in the House of Commons

A

Government Party

Opposition Parties

26
Q

Government Party

A

Inludes Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, & some backbench MP’s all from the same party. (Liberals)

27
Q

Opposition Parties

A

Usually smaller parties that didn’t elect enough MP’s to form government. ( bloc Quebecois, NDP, Conservatives,Green Party)

28
Q

Roles of the House of Commons

A
  1. Representative Role
  2. Watchdog Role
  3. Lawmaking Role
29
Q

Representative Role

A

Each MP represents the public in a geographic area (constituency/riding)

Representative government: The democratic principle that citizens elect their MP’s

30
Q

Watchdog Role

A

Each MP monitors actions of the government (PM & other cabinets)

Votes for or against authorizing funds for proposed spending on gov programs

31
Q

Lawmaking Role

A

Each MP debates and votes for or against bills

32
Q

3 approaches to representation by the MP’s

A
  1. Trustee
  2. Delegate
  3. Party Member
33
Q

Trustee

A

MP’s use their own personal judgement when speaking & voting in Parliament

only occurs in rare free votes, and confidential party caucus meetings.

34
Q

Delegate

A

MP’s subordinate their own views to those of their constituents and act as instructed by them.

Public opinion of the riding is represented

(this is attractive to voters, but not practical)

35
Q

Party Member

A

MP’s vote and act as loyal members of their political party , following the instruction of party leaders.

voters know what they can expect from the party

(Most accurate description of what actually occurs in parliament)

36
Q

Prime Minister

A

Head of Federal Government
Leader of the Cabinet
Must be (or soon become) an elected MP
Gains position by having the support of the House of Commons.

37
Q

Cabinet

A

A group of MP’s chosen by the Prime Minister to lead & coordinate government activities.

Collectively responsible TO the house of commons
Advises the Governor General
Divided into several committees
ie. (economic growth, social diversity, etc)

38
Q

Cabinet Minister

A

A member of cabinet politically responsible (to the commons) for one Government department. for ex. Finance.

Assisted by a Deputy Minister (an appointed Senior Bureaucrat) who provides policy expertise to the minister and administers the department.

Deputy Minister is appointed by the PM not by the cabinet minister.

39
Q

Civil Service (Public Service)

A

1.Government employees (Bureaucrats) who provide policy advice to cabinet ministers through deputy ministers

  1. implement govt. decisions
  2. Administer Laws
  3. Deliver programs & services
  4. Handle routine govt operations.
40
Q

What is Responsible Government?

A

A principle that states that the Executive Branch is responsible to and must be supported by the legislative branch.

41
Q

T or F PM can only govern if 51% or more of elected members of house of commons support the PM/Cabinet on important votes. Such as (votes of confidence, govt budgets, govt speeches from the throne)

A

True

42
Q

Parliamentary system

A

Citizens elect Legislative, Legislative selects executive

43
Q

Presidential System

A

Citizens elect legislative and executive

44
Q

How do Cabinets have dominance over House of Commons?

A
  1. Cabinet usually has a majority of MP’s in the house of commons supporting it.
  2. Cabinets have bureaucrats providing expertise
  3. Acts/statutes passed by parliament are general in nature (the legal skeleton)
  4. Acts delegate to the cabinet, the authority to make specific regulations based on the more general acts (muscles & tendons)
45
Q

4 steps to become a cabinet minister

A
  1. Join a political Party
  2. Win nomination of party & become candidate for that party in riding
  3. win election (be elected by the voting public)
  4. You are now an elected MP
  • if your party forms the government the PM (your party leader) may choose you to join cabinet.
46
Q

Power of Prime Minister/ Provincial Premier

A
  1. Leader of the governing party
  2. decides who shall serve in cabinet
  3. Chairs cabinet meetings
  4. Sets cabinet agendas
  5. determines when cabinet reaches consensus
  6. has large number of expert bureaucrats
  7. Assisted by key officials in PMO and PCO.
47
Q

Senior Bureaucrats

A
  1. Senior Policy advisor to PM & entire cabinet
  2. deputy ministers of govt departments
  3. other senior policy advisors to individual cabinet ministers
  4. senior govt. administrators
48
Q

Politicians

A
  1. Prime Minister
  2. Cabinet Minister
  3. Leaders of opposition parties
  4. other MP’s
  5. Senators (who are not elected)

Ethics (2 decks)

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