week 5: Parliament Flashcards
parliament
Types of legislatures
Arena legislatures: policy initiatives come from outside and legislative serve primarily as a vehicle of representation and debate
Transformative legislatures: policy is created within the legilsature
Functions of Parliament
Legislative: they pass bills that originate typically in cabinet
Representation
Government oversight
Legitimation
Service representation
A big part of the job of any MP is to act as a representative of their constituents in interactions with the government
Involved helping their constituents navigate the
government bureaucracy
MPs get large budget for the management of a constiuency office for this purpose
42% of MP time devoted to constituency work
Constituency Representation
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 US
Symbolic Representation
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
Policy Representation
Policy representation can mean different things
Party interests
Ideological interests
Special interests
Constituency interests
Party discipline ensures representation is dominated by partisan interests
Government oversight
Parliament serves as a crucial venue for debate
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
Question period: provides a critical venue to hold the government to account, which has a major influence on news coverage (45 minutes)
Committees can serve as a venue to ask deeper questions about legislation and provide an avenue for amendments
Opposition days allow opposition parties the ability to set the agenda
Perhaps most important are the politically independent officers of parliament
Auditor general
Ethics commissioner
Public sector integrity
commissioner
Parliamentary budget officer
Privacy commissioner
Information Commissioner
Legitimation
The procedures of parliament to provide openness, transparency, and accountability contribute to the democratic legitimization
Bills are given the opportunity for debate and passage by a democratically-elected body
Mobilization of consent
Structure
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 (single members districts, plurality winner) rep by pop
Senate: senators appointed by PM; equal regional representation
Legislative Process: How Bills Become Law
- First reading: introducing the bill
- Second reading: debating the idea
- Committee stage: discussion and hearing witnesses
- Report stage: back to the chamber
- Third reading: debate and vote
- Sent to another chamber
- Royal assent: becoming a law
FISH SEASONING CAN REALLY TURN SEAWEED RED
Significance:
How Bills Become Laws significant due to their constitutional purpose of maintaining order
It is effective due to the number of steps
Question of confidence
Promotes transparency
The parliamentary session
A few key moments in every parliamentary session (historically these last a year)
Speech from the throne: 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
A new session can be called through 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
The Parliamentary Day
Most time is reserved for government business (ex: debates on bills)
5 hours per week on private members business
Oral questions or question period the most prominent part of the day (45 min) focus on media ettention
Question period is well attended, but the rest of the parliamentary day, not so much
Parliamentary Roles (Speaker)
The speaker is the presiding officer
Enforces the written rules of the commons, the standing orders and unwritten conventions
Historically chosen by PM, now by a secret ballot in commons
Tasked with breaking ties (very rare)
Other parliamentary roles
House leaders are selected by parties to manage parliamentary business in consultation with other parties
Speak for leader when they are absent
Party Whips are in charge of ensuring everyone votes and votes correctly
They implement party discipline by assigning offices, committee assignments, and speaking time
Committees
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