Types of Government Flashcards
What are the 3 types of government in Canada?
- Constitutional Monarchy
- Federal System
- Representative Democracy
What is the Monarch in a Constitutional Monarchy?
Monarch/Crown is the “Head of State” NOT of government
How is a Monarch’s power limited in a Constitutional Monarchy?
Monarch’s power is limited by the rules in the Constitution; therefore they, cannot have absolute or arbitrary power
Who are the Crown’s representatives in a Constitutional Monarchy?
- Governor General
- Lieutenant Governor
What does the Governor General represent?
Ottowa
What does the Lieutenant Governor represent?
Province
Who is the current Governor General?
Julie Payette
Who is the Current Albertan Lieutenant Governer?
Lois Mitchell
How are representatives of a Monarchy chosen?
They are “appointed” by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister and Parliament
How does the Head of State in the Monarchy affect Canada?
They are non-partisan ( no political
party); therefore, are not be biased
How does the Governor General in the Monarchy affect Canada?
They add stability. If the PM dies then the Governor General will appoint a successor.
What is a positive of the Monarchy towards the PM?
They rarely oppose the wishes of the elected. They are just figurative power.
What are the 2 levels of government? (Federalism)
- Federal
- Provincial and territorial
What does the federal government focus on? (Federalism)
“National” issues in Ottawa
What does the provincial/Territorial government focus on? (Federalism)
“Regional” issues
What is the power to legislate shared by? (Federalism)
The 2 levels of government. Federal and provincial
What does Parliment mean? (Federalism)
Federal law making
What does Legislature mean? (Federalism)
Provincial law making
What is the legislature called in Quebec? (Federalism)
The National Assembly
How does federal and provincial powers affect Canada? (Federalism)
Unity and diversity is balance
What type of disputes arise in federalism?
Disputes over jurisdiction/control often arise, e.g. who controls and pays for the services we receive such as Health Care and Education
What tends to increase as a result of federalism?
Bureaucracy
What is representative democracy?
Elected candidates/appointed representatives speak for voters/constituents on their behalf becoming responsible to the electorate.
Who are the representatives in the federal portion?
MP’s (Members of Parliament) and Senators
Who are the representatives in the provincial portion?
MLA’s (Members of the Legislative Assembly)
What does Quebec call their representatives?
MNA’s (Members of the National Assembly)
Who are the Municipal (city) representatives?
Councilors (or Aldermen and Alderwomen)
How often are federal elections?
Federal every five (5) years
How often are provincial elections?
Provincial every four (4) years*
When can elections be called?
Sooner, but not later
How do representatives affect Democracy in Canada?
- Sometimes they speak for the voter constituent and sometimes they speak for themselves
- Representatives do not consult enough with voters
What can interfere with voter wishes in representative democracy?
Partly discipline/solidarity
How is rep-by-pop controversial?
Can lead to unequal representation since some regions have higher populations than others
What are the 3 branches of government?
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
Judicial Branch
What are the 3 groups in the Executive Branch?
Prime Minister
Governor General
Cabinet Ministers
How does the Prime Minister become the
Prime Minister?
He is the leader of the party with the most MPs
How do Cabinet Ministers become Cabinet Ministers?
They are elected to the House of Commons and appointed to be a Cabinet Minister by the Prime Minister
How does the Governor general become Governor general?
They are appointed by the queen by recommendation of the prime minister
What groups are a part of the Legislative branch?
- House of Commons
- Senate
How many people are in the House of Commons?
338
How many people are in the Senate?
105
Which party is the party in power in the House of Commons?
The
What does the party with the fewer seats in the House of Commons form?
The Opposition
How are people put into the Senate?
Members are appointed by Gov. Gen. on the advice of the Prime Minister
What does the Senate do?
Represent regional and minority interests across Canada
How do people join the judicial branch?
Qualified lawyers are appointed
Why are judges not apart of the Parliment?
Because they do not make laws
What do judges do?
They interpret laws to determine:
o Has the law been followed?
o Are the laws Constitutional?
What is a political party?
A group of people with common beliefs and plans or goals for a country or province
What is a party’s platform?
A party’s beliefs
What is a Majority government?
If a party’s number of elected candidates is more than half of the total number of candidates
What is a Minority Government?
If a party’s number of elected candidates is less than half of the total number of candidates but more than any other party’s numbers,
What is a Coalition government?
If no party elects enough candidates to form a government, two (or more) parties can choose to work together in the Executive branch (cabinet).
Who is to the left of the political spectrum?
NDP and Liberal
Who is to the right of the political spectrum?
Conservative and wild rose
Which government level is the Bloc Quebecois running at?
The federal level in Quebec
What do left-wing parties believe?
Government power should be used to create economic, political, and social equality
What do right-wing parties want?
To want to limit government involvement in the economy and society, and instead promote individual freedom (particularly to accumulate wealth)
What are the hopes of a centre party?
They hope to blend the best of the left and the right in order to avoid the extremes of both.
Who gives Royal Assent?
The governor general Julie Payette
What does Julie Payette do for the parliament?
Summons, prorogues, and dissolves Parliament
Who delivers the speech from the throne?
The governor general Julie Payette
Who is commander-in-chief of the Canadian armed forces?
The governor general Julie Payette
What are the emergency powers of the crown?
May choose a new PM in the event of the PM’s death or resignation
May call a new election if the election is deemed to have been won by fraud, corruption, or terrorism
May dismiss a PM if the PM behaves unconstitutionally
May refuse a request by the PM to dissolve Parliament and call an election
What is the PM the head of?
Canada’s federal government
Where should the powers of the PM be mentioned?
It is not mentioned in the constitution but it should be
What are patronage appointments?
Appointments made to loyal party members as a reward for past service and for future support wherever possible
Who does the PM appoint?
Cabinet Ministers, Senators, the Governor General, Lieutenant Governors, judges, and senior civil servants
What is each cabinet minister given?
A portfolio
Who represents the most powerful political decision making body in the country?
The Cabinet
What is party solidarity?
When a decision on an issue has been made by the PM, ALL Cabinet and other members of the party must publicly support that decision and vote accordingly.
What is Party discipline?
When if Cabinet members do not follow the party line and side with the PM they may be prevented from oppurtunities.
What are the requirements of a senator?
o Must be at least 30 years of age
o Must own property worth $4,000.00
o Must retire at age 75
o Must live in the province they represent
What is the upper house of the legislative assembly?
The Senate
What is the lower house of the legislative assembly?
House of Commons
What are the intents of the Senate?
Intended to protect “regional, provincial, and minority interests, property rights and human rights”
What is another name for the Senate?
“House Of Sober Second Thought”
What can the Senate not do?
May NOT introduce legislation involving government spending or raising taxes
What is the Mace?
A symbol of parliament’s authority to govern. The House cannot legally sit without the mace being placed on the table in front of the Speaker
Where does the power government and the opposition sit?
The government party sits on the Speaker’s right with the opposition on the left
Where does the PM and the Leader of opposition sit?
They sit directly across from each other in the centre
What do clerks and table officers do?
Keep the official record of business and advise the Speaker and MPs
What do Hansard reporter do?
Record debates and proceedings and make them available to the public
What do pages do?
Carry messages, run errands, and distribute materials for the MPs
