Our Country, Our Parliament - Governance and Rights

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing essential concepts, structures, processes, and roles in Canadian parliamentary governance and democratic institutions.

Constitution

The highest law in Canada that lays down the basic principles of the country's system of government.

Representative Democracy

A system where citizens elect people to Parliament to make decisions on their behalf.

Federalism

A structure where provinces and territories have their own governments, while also sharing a overarching federal government.

Division of Powers

The division of law-making responsibilities among different orders of government: federal, provincial, territorial, Indigenous, and municipal.

Indigenous Self-Government

The ability of Indigenous communities to make their own decisions about issues affecting them, drawing on distinct governing traditions maintained for thousands of years.

Parliament

The legislative branch of the federal government, composed of three parts: the Monarch, the Senate, and the House of Commons.

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two distinct chambers: the Senate and the House of Commons.

Constituency

A defined electoral district or riding structured and apportioned based on population.

Responsible Government

A foundational democratic principle requiring the executive government to maintain the support of the majority of Members of Parliament (MPs); if it loses that support, it must resign.

Political Platform

A formal list of goals, policies, and ideas published by a political party during an election.

Legislative Process

The formal parliamentary procedure used to transform an idea into a bill or proposed law.

Amendment

Official changes or modifications made to a law or legal text.

Caucus

A regular meeting composed of politicians belonging to the same political party.

Electoral Process

The sequential procedure and rules followed by citizens to vote and elect their representatives and leaders.

Dissolving Parliament

The action that brings a Parliament to an end, occurring when the Prime Minister formally requests the Governor General to dissolve it.

Campaign

An organized effort to convince people to vote for candidates by posting signs, delivering speeches, conducting interviews, and publicizing party platforms.

Patriation

The constitutional milestone that recognized the rights of Indigenous peoples and enacted the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982.

Autonomy

Self-determination, self-governance, or independence.

Census

An official, periodic count of the population living within a country.

Governor General

The representative of the Head of State in Canada whose executive powers are constrained and defined by the Constitution.

Prime Minister

The Head of Government responsible for guiding government policy, deciding which bills to present to Parliament, and appointing members of the Cabinet.

Cabinet Minister

A politician selected by the Prime Minister to oversee and lead a specific government department or portfolio.

Member of Parliament (MP)

An elected representative who serves as a liaison between the Cabinet and the House of Commons, and fulfills duties on behalf of ministers when they are unavailable.

Senator

An appointed member of the upper chamber of Parliament whose primary constitutional role is to review and pass bills.

Constituents

The residents and voters living within the specific geographic area represented by an elected official.