POLI 100 - Presidential and Parliamentary Systems

Cabinet

the body of ministerial advisors that sets the federal government's policies and priorities for the country.

Cabinet Secrecy

the convention that the views expressed in Cabinet remain secret to enable full and frank discussion and maintain Cabinet solidarity.

Cabinet solidarity

the convention in a parliamentary system that each member of the Cabinet is expected to fully support and defend the decisions and actions that Cabinet takes

house of commons

the elected chamber of Parliament, with each member representing a particular electoral district.

central agency

ensure the coordination of government policy

line department

provide services to the general public

closure

a procedure in a legislative body that cuts off debate if approved by a majority vote.

coalition government

a government in which two or more political parties jointly govern, sharing the Cabinet positions.

collective responsibility

the convention that the Cabinet as a group will defend, explain, and take responsibility for the actions of the government in Parliament.

dissolution

the termination of Parliament in preparation for an election

executive dominance

a system that places considerable power in the hands of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,

filibusters

the use of various delaying tactics by those opposed to the passage of a particular piece of legislation.

governor general

representative of the monarch in Canada

head of government

the prime minister

head of state

the governor general / monarch

house of commons committees

committees composed of government and opposition party members in proportion to their party’s strength in the House of Commons; they provide detailed examination of proposed legislation and often suggest modifications to that legislation.

lieutenant governor

provincial representatives of the crown

majority government

one party has a majority of members of the House of Commons.

minority government

a single party governs with less than a minority of the House of Commons. A minority government usually needs to gain the support of one or more parties to pass legislation and stay in office.

non-confidence motion

a motion put forward by opposition members in a legislature expressing a lack of confidence in the government. If passed, the Prime Minister is expected to either resign or request that an election be held.

official opposition

the party with the second highest number of seats in the House

parliamentary system

A system of governing in which there is a close interrelationship between the legislative body (Parliament) and the political executive (the Prime Minister and the Cabinet). The executive is generally composed of members of the House of Commons and must maintain the support of the House of COmmons.

party discipline

the expectation that members of each party will vote in accordance with the position that the party has adopted in caucus.

prerogative powers

powers that the governor general reserves the right to use;

The power to appoint the Prime Minister\\

The power to dismiss a Prime Minister who attempts to govern without the confidence of the House of Commons

The power to prorogue or dissolve Parliament and call elections

prime ministers’ office

the office that provides support and political advice to the Prime Minister.

prime ministerial government

suggests that power has been concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister and that the Prime Minister is the dominant figure in the governmental system.

private members

ordinary members of the House of Commons who are not in the Cabinet.

privy council office

an administrative structure that is directly responsible to the Canadian Prime Minister an dhas a central role in organising the Cabinet, coordinating the activities of government, and provide policy advice to the Prime Minister.

prorogation

the suspension of Parliament at the request of the Prime Minister; ends a session of Parliament

responsible government

A governing system in which the political executive is accountable to Parliament for its actions and must retain the support of the elected members of Parliament to remain in office.

canadian senate

the upper chamber of Parliament, appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister

treasury board

a permanent Cabinet committee with its own staff and minister that plays a major role in governing in Canada because of its responsibility for the expenditure and management practices of government.

westminster system

A governing system that developed in Britain featuring single party majority rule, the executive dominance of Parliament, and an adversarial relationship between the governing party and the opposition.

checks and balances

a basic principle of the presidential system in which each of the branches of government is able to check the actions of the others and prevent any one branch of government or individual from becoming too powerful.

cohabitation

a system of divided government that occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France, whenever the president is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament.

congress

the legislative body of the United States

house of representatives

the lower chamber of Congress, elected every two years from districts of approximately equal population size.

impeachment

a process by which a president and other public officials may be removed from office after being accused of criminal behaviour and convicted by a legislative body.

political gridlock

a situation where necessary legislation is unable to be passed particularly because of tension between the president and one or both Houses of Congress controlled by an opposing political party.

presidential system

a system of governing featuring a president and Congress (legislative body) who separately derive their authority from being elected by the people and have a fixed term of office.

presidential veto

the ability of the president to prevent the passage of a bill.

semi-presidential system

A semi-presidential system generally features an elected president sharing executive power with a prime minister and Cabinet who are collectively responsible to an elected legislature.

american senate

the upper chamber of Congress, composed of senators elected for six-year terms on a two-per-state basis

separation of powers

an arrangement in which the executive, legislature, and judiciary are given distinct but complementary sets of powers, such that neither can govern alone and that all should, ideally, govern together.