unit 1 FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM (3 BRANCHES) Flashcards
FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM (3 BRANCHES)
- Judicial (judges)
- Executive
- Legislative (LAWS)
- Judicial Branch:
a. Power to interoperate and administer the law
b. They decide who has broken the law and set penalties
c. Government’s do not hold this power directly
d. Separate from legislative and executive branch
- Judicial Branch Contains:
i. Courts
ii. Judges
- Executive Branch includes:
- prime minister
- governor general
- cabinet
- civil/public servants
- backbenchers
- Executive Branch:
i. Prime Minister (and cabinet sit on the left side)
- Head of the government
- Political leader of Canada
- Governs the country
- Represents the country to other nations
- Term is limited by support in the House of Commons
- Can be voted out by the House of Commons
- Executive Branch:
ii. Governor general
- 5 year term
- Represents the Queen
- Head of state (no political power)
- Symbolic position
- Cuts ribbons
- Sign bills
- Makes sure the government abides the law
- Executive Branch:
iii. Cabinet
- Made up of elected party members chosen by the PM
- Supposedly diverse
- Speak on behalf of their ministry
a. Ex: minister of Education
- Executive Branch:
iii. Cabinet - Party Discipline
- Party Discipline
a. The control of the party leaders over their own MP (members of parliament
- Executive Branch:
iii. Cabinet - Free Vote
- Free Vote
a. Each member is free to vote according to their consciences and personal opinions
- Executive Branch:
iii. Cabinet - Cabinet solidarity
- Cabinet solidarity = full support of the leader
a. There are private meetings where they may speak freely
- Executive Branch:
iii. Cabinet - Party whip
- Party whip
a. Ensures all members are present in Parliament
b. Discipline members who are not behaving well
- Executive Branch:
iv. Civil/Public Servants
- Also referred to as Bureaucracy
- The permanent employees who perform the ongoing business of government
a. Ex: gather stats, write details for new laws, collect taxes, mailmen
- Executive Branch:
v. Back Benchers
- Members of the governing party who are not in the cabinet
- Sit behind cabinet ministers
- Support their party
- Keep in mind the wishes of the public
- May vote against their party or resign
- Legislative Branch:
a. Must meet at least once a year in a “session” where they:
i. Pass new Laws
ii. Amend or remove Laws
iii. Debate issues of concern of Canadians
- Legislative Branch:
b. House of Commons aka Lower House
i. Lower in power than the Senate
ii. Only part of the Legislative branch that has elected members
iii. Debate issues of concern of Canadians, bills and laws
iv. 300+ members (which represent the ridings across Canada)
v. Laws originate in the House of Commons
- Legislative Branch:
b. House of Commons aka Lower House - Ridings/Constituencies
a. Areas that obtain the approx population
b. Increase in population results in the increase of Parliament
c. Voters in each riding elect one candidate to represent them in Parliament