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POL214 > Week 5 - Parliament > Flashcards

Week 5 - Parliament Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 functions of parliament

A

•Legislative – they pass bills that originate typically in Cabinet
•Representation
•Government oversight
•Legitimation

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2
Q

What is service representation

A

•A big part of the job of any MP is to act as a representative of their constituents in interactions with the government
•Involves helping their constituents navigate the government bureaucracy (e.g., EI, housing, immigration)
•MPs get large budget for the management of a constituency office for this purpose
•42% of MP time devoted to constituency work

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3
Q

What is constituency representation

A

•Expectation that politicians deliver benefits to their constituency
•Money bills often feature pork barrel benefits to attract votes for individual MPs and aid their re-election bids
•This feature of representation is less apparent in Canada than in the United States

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4
Q

What is symbolic representation

A

•Legislatures also have a role in symbolically representing social groups
•15% visible minority; 29% women in the House of Commons
•Lawyers and business owner heavily represented

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5
Q

What are the 4 aspects of policy representation. What does policy representation ensure

A

Policy representation can mean different things:
•Party interests
•Ideological interests
•Special interests
•Constituency interests
Party discipline ensures representation is dominated by partisan interests

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6
Q

Why is parliament a crucial venue for debate

A

•Can spark changes in media coverage and public opinion that may get governments to change course
•Also reinforce the open and competitive qualities of Canadian democracy
•It institutionalizes doubt by forcing governments to respond to opposition

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7
Q

What is the importance of the question period

A

•Question Period provides a critical venue to hold government to account, which has a major influence on news coverage

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8
Q

What is the importance of the committees

A

•Committees can serve as a venue to ask deeper questions about legislation and provide an avenue for amendments

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9
Q

What is the importance of Opposition days

A

•Opposition Days allow opposition parties the ability to set the agenda

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10
Q

Who comprises the politically independent Officers of parliament

A

•Auditor General
•Ethics Commissioner
•Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
•Parliamentary Budget Officer
•Privacy Commissioner
•Information Commissioner

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11
Q

What are contributors of democratic legitimization

A

•The procedures of Parliament to provide openness, transparency, and accountability contribute to the democratic legitimization
•Bills are given opportunity for debate and passage by a democratically-elected body
•“mobilization of consent”
- basically cabinet proposals are debated in the House in front of the public so that they can gain public approval

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12
Q

What is the structure of parliament (Bills, House of Commons, Senate)

A

Bills must be passed by two co-equal (on paper) chambers of Parliament, but by convention Senate can only delay passage or recommend minor revisions

House of Commons: MPs elected by voters using a First-Past-the-Post electoral system (i.e., single member districts, plurality winner); rep-by-pop

Senate: Senators appointed by Prime Minister; equal regional representation

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13
Q

What are few key moments in every Parliamentary session (historically these last a year)

All three are _____?

A

•Speech from the Thone: outlines government priorities
•Budget: overview of government spending and tax changes
•Main estimates: annual spending plans for departments
•All three are automatic votes of confidence

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14
Q

•A new session can be called though the _____________
- New _______ and _______ occurs

•Parliament is ___________ and elections are called ____________
•Both acts terminate _________________

A

•A new session can be called though the power of prorogation
•New throne speech and budget occurs
•Parliament is terminated and elections are called via dissolution
•Both acts terminate existing bills that have not secured royal assent

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15
Q

Outline the main aspects of the parliamentary day
(How much time allotted to what events)

A

•Most time reserved for government business (e.g., debates on bills)
•5 hours per week on private members business
•Oral questions or Question Period the most prominent part of the day (45 minutes) – focus of media attention
•Question Period is well attended, but the rest of the Parliamentary day, not so much

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16
Q

What are the roles of the speaker

A

•The Speaker is the presiding officer
•Enforces the written rules of the Commons – the Standing Orders – and unwritten conventions
•Who can speak? What motions are in order? Did an MP breach decorum rules?
•Historically chosen by PM – now by a secret ballot in Commons
•Tasked with breaking ties (very rare)

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17
Q

What is the role of the house leaders

A

•House Leaders are selected by parties to manage parliamentary business in consultation with other parties
•Speak for leader when they are absent

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18
Q

What is the role of the whips

A

•Whips are in charge of ensuring everyone votes and votes correctly
•They implement party discipling by assigning offices, committee assignments, and speaking time

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19
Q

What do the committees do? (4)

A

•Offer the best opportunity for MPs to influence policy
•Reforms to the Committee system have allowed for smaller, more stable membership
•Permanent Standing Committees can scrutinize their related government department
•Furnished with non-partisan staff from the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament

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20
Q

What are the limits of committees? (5)

A

•Majority governments still control majority of seats
•In minority governments, powerlessness can follow
•Committees can offer amendments to improve legislation, call expert witnesses to testify
•Amendments are usually minor
•Unlike U.S. congressional committees, they don’t kill legislation

21
Q

What is the function of the senate?

A

Created as a compromise at the time of Confederation for…

➢Protection of minorities and the rich from the masses
➢Regional representation (24 per region, 6 for NL and 3 for the territories)
➢Chamber of “sober second thought”

22
Q

What are the powers of the senate?

•Has almost _______ power to the House of Commons
•Can ______ and _______ legislation
•_________ cannot originate in the Senate
•____________ cannot increase expenditure

A

•Has almost identical power to the House of Commons
•Can veto and amend legislation
•Money bills cannot originate in the Senate
•Amendments cannot increase expenditure

23
Q

Prime ministers have historically made partisan appointments. What does this mean and what are the implications

A

•Prime Ministers have historically made partisan appointments
•Rewarded party loyalists and fundraisers – “party hacks”
•Many had close ties to big business
•Not a great look
•PM Trudeau’s change to non-partisan recommendations for appointments has changed Senate complexion

24
Q

What does the senate in practice look like?

•Powers usually _____ _________ – lack of _________ __________
•Senators don’t see their job as __________ _______________
•Chamber focused on ______ _________ __________ ___ ________
•Often launch ________ ______________ that the Commons doesn’t have time for

A

•Powers usually aren’t exercised – lack of democratic legitimacy
•Senators don’t see their job as regional representation
•Chamber focused on making technical improvements to bills
•Often launch social investigations that the Commons doesn’t have time for

25
Q

Describe Senate-Commons conflict
Give an example

A

•Sometimes the Senate flexes its muscles when its partisan balance is different than the Commons
•Peak between 1984 and 1991: altered Meech Lake Accord, held up the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, and the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
•Deadlock only broken when Mulroney used constitutional power to appoint extra Senators
•PC controlled Senate caused headaches for Chretien Liberals after 1993

26
Q

What were the factors of senate reform?

A

•NDP favours abolition due to class-bias in chamber
•Western populists have argued for a “EEE” Senate featured in the Charlottetown Accord
•Conservative PM Harper pushed for term limits and provincial consultative elections through ordinary legislation
•In a reference decision, the Court ruled these bills were unconstitutional – needed a constitutional amendment

27
Q

What was the outcome of senate reform?

A

•PM Trudeau sought a middle ground
➢Expelled Liberal Senators from caucus
➢Set up an Independent Advisory Board to consider candidates on the basis of merit and diversity
•Senate is now more active in amending legislation – led by the “Independent Senators Group”
•But other research has found “Independent” Senators to be just as partisan as expelled former Liberal Senators

28
Q

Tremendous concentration of power in the hands of the Prime Minister, but this came at the expense of cabinet: Parliament as always been weak. Why? (4)

A

•Lack of resources
•Limits of private members
•Senate
•Party unity and party discipline

29
Q

What are the four reasons for limited resources

A

•Unlike American Congress, individual Parliamentarians have limited to no staff available for policy-related matters
•Staff time is monopolized by constituency service and parliamentary obligations
•MPs are also policy generalists
•Limited time or ability to push back against bills or estimates provided by cabinet

30
Q

What are the 3 reasons for limits on private members

A

•Government time monopolizes the Parliamentary calendar, time for private members business has fallen over time (i.e., motions, bills)
•Private member bills, for their part, cannot involve money, which dramatically limits their scope
•Major parties given first dibs on speaking time, independents are hugely disadvantaged

31
Q

Other countries have strong upper houses of the legislature (e.g., U.S. Senate). Canadian Senate is unelected, limited by convention to rejecting legislation passed by the House, what is the senate dominated by mostly, and how does this limit it?

A

•Canadian Senate is unelected, limited by convention to rejecting legislation passed by the House
•Typically dominated by partisans of governing party
•Usually limited to making small amendments to legislation

32
Q

The observable fact that MPs rarely vote against their party (i.e., party unity) dramatically limits the power of Parliament. How?

A

•Majority governments automatically uphold confidence convention (responsible government)
•Parliamentary committees rubber stamp government bills
•Government backbenchers almost never challenge cabinet in Question Period

33
Q

What is party cohesion and party discipline?

A

•Some of this party unity could be the fact MPs of the same party just happen to agree with one another (i.e., party cohesion)
•But some of it is due to positive or negative incentives for toeing the line, known as party discipline

34
Q

What are the 5 major rewards for party unity (voting for your party)

A

1) cabinet or critic positions;
2) projects for local constituencies;
3) party brand and electoral support;
4) plum committee assignments;
5) access to PM or party leader

35
Q

What are the 4 major punishments for breaking party unity (voting against the party)

A

1) losing committee, cabinet, or critic positions;
2) damaging party brand and electoral support;
3) being removed as a candidate for next election;
4) expulsion from caucus

36
Q

Canada has by far the highest level of party unity compared to the UK or Australia. Why?

A
  • Party leadership races and American influence
  • Weak party organization
  • Size of cabinet relative to Parliament
  • Presidentialization of politics
  • Electoral system
37
Q

Sporadic efforts at reform have been met with mixed success
(6 main aspects of this)

A

•Increasing time for private members business
•Removing party leader control over nominations
•Allow MPs to review and remove party leaders (The Reform Act)
•Require caucus vote to remove colleagues (The Reform Act)
•Allow more free votes in parliament
•Elected Senate? Independent Senate

38
Q

What are the 4 main critiques of reform

A

•Some argue that there isn’t a problem: Canadian Parliament is simply not intended to be a serious policymaker like U.S. Congress
•Reform efforts may undermine foundations of Canadian system and limit clarity of responsibility
•Most voters vote based on party and leader, not the local MP
•Weakness of Parliament maybe overstated: a lot of MP influence on policy is found behind the scenes

39
Q

Why is allocative representation less important in Canada than in the United States? Please select all that apply
1. Party unity lessens the need to use funds to buy votes of MPs
2. The are strong norms against funding projects that benefit local constituencies
3. The electoral success of individual MPs is far more tied to party performance than their own personal bran
4. There are laws in place that prevent funding from being targeting towards specific ridings

A

1, 3

40
Q

Fill in the Blanks

  1. Parliament theoretically provides oversight to the executive branch. __________ provides a venue for opposition MPs to directly confront the government, while __________ are periods where opposition parties can set the parliamentary agenda.
A

Question period, opposition days

41
Q

True or false: Most of an MP’s time is monopolized by legislative business in Parliament

A

False

42
Q

True or false: Speakers of the House of Commons are sometimes members of an opposition party

A

True

43
Q

Which of the following are automatic votes of confidence? Please select all that apply

  1. Budget
  2. Main estimates
  3. Bill on an important government initiative
  4. All of the above
A

1, 2

44
Q

Which parliamentary figure is in charge of meting out discipline for MPs who don’t toe the line?

  1. Party leader
  2. House leader
  3. Whip
  4. Speaker
A

Whip

45
Q

How many Senate seats are held by the four Atlantic provinces?
1. 30
2. 24
3. 18
4. 4

A

30

46
Q

What amending formula needs to be used for comprehensive Senate reform (but not abolition)?

  1. Passage by Parliament alone
  2. Unanimity (All provinces)
  3. General (7 provinces with 50% of the population)
  4. No need for a constitutional amendment
A

3

47
Q

Which of the following are benefits to MPs of maintaining party unity? Please select all that apply

  1. Electoral support via the party brand
  2. Appointments to cabinet or critic positions
  3. Committee assignments
  4. Access to the PM or party leader
  5. More news media exposure
A

1, 2, 3, 4

48
Q

Which of the following is NOT an important limitation on the power of private members?

  1. Canadian public opinion doesn’t support more power for private members
  2. Private members bills must not involve money
  3. Time allocated to private members has fallen considerably - government business dominates
  4. Limited resources for individual MPs
A

1

POL214 (11 decks)

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