vocab

Question 1

Bandwagon Effect

Answer 1

An effect created by voters who want to ensure that the winning candidate in their riding is from the party that is most likely to form the govt. Political parties and candidates trailing badly in the poll will often be written off by voters who then switch their votes to one of 2 leading parties.

This phenomenon refers to the tendency of voters to align themselves with the largest and most successful campaign. As more and more voters express support for a candidate or measure, the group grows exponentially larger.

Question 2

Lobbying

Answer 2

Lobbying is an attempt to influence government officials, elected and otherwise, to secure a favorable decision on a public policy or a political appointment.
Lobbying is done by many different types of people and organized groups, including individuals in the private sector, corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or advocacy groups (interest groups).
Often involves meeting directly with MPs or govt bureaucrats and lobbying is usually carried out by interest groups either in the open (public lobbying) by outsider groups or behind closed doors (closed-door lobbying) by insider groups.

Question 3

Five Functions of political parties

Answer 3

The 5 functions are recruitment (parties recruit people into the party as members and sometimes as candidates); fundraising (parties raise money for their organizations and election campaigns); interest aggregation (identify, represent and balance diverse interests of canadians); policy development (parties formulate and influence public policy); and education (parties educate people about political life - both members of their own party and the public at large).

Question 4

Interest Aggregation

Answer 4

Interest aggregation refers to the process by which parties identify, represent and balance the diverse interests of Canadians. This process is crucial to the healthy functioning of a liberal democracy. Canadian voters rarely have a single common interest, therefore parties must take the demands of groups and individuals and combine them into policy programs that offer a relatively fair deal to all major categories of voters.

Interest aggregation is the activity in which the political demands of groups and individuals are combined into policy programs.

• Interest aggregation = process by which the pol. demands of individuals and groups are combined into policy programs
  o Example:
  Economic policy program  farmers´desires for higher crop prices, public preferences for lower taxes, environmentalists´ demands for natural resource quality, and the interests of businesses balanced together

Question 5

Protest Parties

Answer 5

Protest parties are one of four types of political parties. These parties emerge among people who believe that the dominant forces in political life systematically ignore them and who are angry enough about it to use their vote as a way of expressing a protest. In canada, these typically have been regional in character. Ex. the Reform party was a western-based protest party.

…?

Question 6

Social Capital

Answer 6

The most prominent explanation is Robert Putnam’s thesis, that declining voter turnout is a symptom of a deeper problem, a decline in social capital. Putnam argues that the democratic process is healthy only in places where there is a good deal of social capital, that is, a strong sense of connectedness and responsibility between citizens. Social capital is developped trhough participation in clubs, societies, organizations, all of which teach people how solve problems in accordance with agreed-upon rules and procedures.
Putnam suggests that decline in voter turnout is a direct result of decline in social capital.

Question 7

Multiplicity of Interests

Answer 7

Refers to a large number of interests.
James Madison: In order to prevent a single interest from growing powerful enough to control the govt to further its own narrow and private goals, it is necessary to encourage the growth of a multiplicity of interests so that no single interest might be powerful enough to control the government.

Question 8

Human Rights Codes

Answer 8

A human rights code is a statute that protects rights in the private sphere. For ex. An HR code that prohibits racial discrimination would prevent a private individual (landlord) from discriminating against another private individual (tenant) on the basis of race. It differs from a constitutional charter of rights which protects rights from violations in the public sphere, that is, violations by govt.
- CCR - prevent govt from passing a law that is racially discriminatory.

Question 9

Hunter v. Southam

Answer 9

One of the Supreme Court’s first Charter decisions. It involved a federal statute called the “Combines Investigation Act.” … See pg. 78-79 for details

Southam Press took the Department of Justice to court and argued that the law was unconstitutional.
Section 8 of the Charter stipulates that…..

FIX

Question 10

M v. H

Answer 10

1999 case of M v H, the court hel that govts may not deny gay and lesbian couples benefits that are provided to heterosexual spouses.
M. v. H. [1999] 2 S.C.R. 3, is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of Canada on the rights of same-sex couples to equal treatment under the Constitution of Canada.
The Court held that the exclusion of same-sex couples from the definition of common-law spouse under section 29 of the Ontario Family Law Act was in violation of equality rights under section 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and could not be justified under section 1 of the Charter, which allows only “such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.”

As a remedy, the Court struck down section 29 altogether rather than read in any necessary changes, but the ruling was suspended for six months to give the province time to change it.

Question 11

Quebec v. Ford

Answer 11

1998 case of Quebec v. Ford, the Supreme Court struck down Quebec’s law prohibiting signs in languages other than French.

is a landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision in which the Court struck down part of the Charter of the French Language, commonly known as Bill 101. This law had restricted the use of commercial signs written in languages other than French. The court ruled that Bill 101 violated the freedom of expression as guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Question 12

Reading In

Answer 12

One possible remedy if the courts declare a law to be in violation of a constitutional right. Reading in refers to reading the law the way the Court thought i should have been worded rather than the way it was actually worded.

For ex. 1998 case of Vriend vs. Alberta in which the Supreme Court read the words “sexual orientation” into the text of the non-discrimination clause of Section 15 of the Charter.

Question 13

Tax Room

Answer 13

Joint occupancy of what are now the major fields of taxation requires constant negociations between the two levels of govt over “tax room.” Rather than simply transfer its own revenues to the provinces in support of provinical programs, Ottawa can relinquish some of its tax room and allow the provinces to take over the vacated “tax points”

the federal government reduced its own personal and corporate income tax rates to make tax room available to the provinces. Because taxpayers would pay the same total amount, provincial tax rates would not be risky politically.

A tax point is a permanent transfer of income tax room from the federal government to the provincial governments. The federal government reduces its basic tax rate by a specific percentage and the provinces increase theirs by an equivalent amount, thereby leaving total federal and provincial tax unaffected. Tax points can be applied to personal income tax (PIT) or to corporate income tax (CIT).

A tax point or tax room can also be defined as the fiscal compensation offered by the federal government to replace a federal cash contribution.

When the Feds cut the gist from 7 to 5, there was some tax room generated. Provinces raised PST.
If the Feds tax goes down, the provinces can take advantage of the new tax room.

Important in the sense that you can tailor the tax system so the money is generated for the level of govt that needs it most.

Ex. Transferring health care responsibilities to provinces and creating tax room to help pay for it.
ASK DAD

Question 14

Bicameralism

Answer 14

In a bicameral legislative body, power is shared by two separate chambers so that neither can act without the agreement of hte other. In Canada, our parliament includes both the House of Commons and a Senate. Responsible govt makes it impossible for two chambers to have equal power.

Representation in house = based on population
Senate = equality of regions

Ex. Us power is shared by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Question 15

Asymmetrical federalism

Answer 15

An approach to federalism in which different provinces may have somewhat different powers.

Canadian federalism is already asymmetrical in a number of respects. For example, the Constitution provides special guarntees for a number of provinces in the House and the Senate.

Not likely to solve the problems of Canadian Federalism

Question 16

Quasi-Federalism

Answer 16

The era of John A. Macdonald’s long tenure as pm was one in which the national govt was much stronger than provincial govts. Provincial legislation was frequently reserved or disallowed and most of the great initiatives were undertaken by Ottawa not the provinces.

The relationship between Canada and the provinces has changed over time, with decentralization increasing as years passed. Throughout the Macdonald era (1867–1873, 1878–1891), the Confederation was described by political scientist K.C. Wheare and historian Paul Romney as “Quasi-Federalism”.[5] This meant that the 19th century political and judicial elites read the Constitution to give the federal parliament powers that made the provinces “subordinate to Ottawa”. The structure within Canada was originally intended to be the same as that which existed between the English government and the governments of the British Empire’s North American colonies.[5] The Macdonald government’s use of disallowance and reservation reinforced federal supremacy.

In a quasi-federal system, the federal government is the dominant partner.

True federalism rests on the principle that hte two levels of govt are equally sovereign in their own jurisdictions.

Question 17

Council of the federation

Answer 17

A meeting of all Canadian premiers which for the most part serves as a vehicle for promoting the view that Ottawa should give provincial governments more money and more freedom to spend the money they receive as they wish.

The Council of the Federation comprises Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial Premiers.

The Council of the Federation’s objectives are to:

Promote interprovincial-territorial cooperation and closer ties between members of the Council, to ultimately strengthen Canada;
Foster meaningful relations between governments based on respect for the Constitution and recognition of the diversity within the federation;
Show leadership on issues important to all Canadians.

Question 18

Disallowance

Answer 18

Under Section 56, Ottawa is granted the power of disallowance by which means the federal govt can annul provincial legislation of which it disapproves. This power (along with that of reservation) actually make the provincial government subordinate to the federal government in a certain sense.

Sections 55, 56, and 57 of the Constitutional Act, 1867, provide for mechanisms and ways by which the Governor-General of Canada may, in the name of the Queen, refuse to assent or reserve bills passed by the Parliament of Canada. Section 90 extends these powers, in so far as the provinces are concerned, to the Lieutenant-Governor and the Federal Government. Since the Statute of Westminster, in 1931, the British government does not disallow federal bills anymore but the provisions permitting the disallowance of provincial acts by the federal government are still in effect, although they have fallen into disuse.

The right to disallow provincial acts by the federal government runs contrary to the true principles of federalism as it undermines the concept of the sovereignty of the provinces in their sphere of jurisdiction.

Question 19

Madate

Answer 19

The idea of party representation forms the basis of the concept of a mandate. It is assumed that voters elected MPs primarily on the basis of party affiliation, then the party that forms the govt may reasonably infer that the electorate has endorsed the general line of policy that it proposed in the election campaign. The Party can claim that it has a “democratic mandate” to carry out that line of policy.

the authority to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a candidate or party that is victorious in an election

Question 20

Returning Officer

Answer 20

The Returning Officer is appointed by the Chief Electoral Officer. There is one for each of the 308 electoral districts in Canada. The Returning Officer for each electoral district is in charge of appointing a deputy returning officer and a couple of poll clerks to run the election at each poll.

In Canada, a returning officer is responsible for the preparation and conduct of an election in a specific electoral district. Returning officers for federal elections are appointed by governor in council.

While in office, a returning officer may not knowingly engage in politically partisan conduct, and may not
make a contribution to a political candidate or political party; belong to a political party ;be an employee or hold a position in a political party.

They run the organization at the local level in each riding.
In Canada, the returning officer of an electoral district is appointed for a ten year term by the Chief Electoral Officer. The returning officer is responsible for handling the electoral process in the riding,[1] and updating the National Register of Electors with current information about voters in the electoral district to which they are appointed.[2] Before enactment of the Canada Elections Act in 2000, in the case of a tie between the two leading candidates in an election, the returning officer would cast the deciding vote.[3] Since 2000, a tie between two leading candidates automatically results in a by-election.[4]

Question 21

By-election

Answer 21

Is held in a single constituency to fill a vacated seat vacated midway through a Parliament by the death or resignation of an MP.

A by-election is an election in a single constituency to fill a seat vacated midway through a Parliament. A by-election contrasts with a general election, in which every constituency is contested.

In Canada, a by-election is an election held in a single riding or electoral district to fill a vacancy.

Question 22

Enumerators

Answer 22

Appointed by the Returning Officer (two for each poll), enumerators are tasked with preparing the official voters’ list for the poll.
During enumeration an election official (called an enumerator) goes door to door, visiting or contacting each home and determining whether or not there are eligible voters resident within. Enumerators record every eligible voters name, address, and other information on a list which is then transformed into a province wide Voters’ List. These lists are used by poll officials to ensure that ONLY qualified electors vote. Political parties and candidates also utilzet the lists.

Question 23

Polls

Answer 23

Electoral districts are divided into smaller units called polls each of which has about 250 voters

In Canadian elections, electoral districts are divided into smaller geographic sections called polling divisions. A list of electors and a polling station is set up for each polling division.

Question 24

Section 92

Answer 24

Section 92 of CA 1867 establishes the exclusive legislative jurisdictions of the provinces. The legislatures of the provinces are to have jurisdiction over “all matters of strictly local or private nature,” including hospitals, property and civil rights, and municipal institutions. Section 92 also limits the provinces’ powers to raise revenue to direction taxation and shop, saloon and other licences.
These sections deal with the specific responsibilities of
the federal and provincial governments.
This section defines and outlines the specific
powers given to the provincial governments in
which the federal government may not interfere:

Important because Section 91 and 92 entrench the division of powers between feds and provinces so each level of govt is aware of its responsibilities.