Socials 10- Government in Canada

democracy

democracy

people control and may participate in their government，

voting is based on the candidate’s political ideology, monarch can be democracies/republics, constitutional monarchy is the most prosperous, most brutal dictators come from republics

Canadian constitution

8 of the 10 provinces and territories must agree, British North America Act (1867), Canadian Constitution (1982), Charter of Rights and Freedom (1982)

fundamental freedoms

conscience and religion; thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication (excluding hate speech and defamation); peaceful assembly; association

The crown

constitutional monarchy, Dominion of Canada was formal title, British monarch is Canada’s head of state and gives laws legal power, strictly ceremonial, reigns but does not rule

location of federal gov.

Ottawa, parliament hill

FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITIES: under Section 91

national security, international affairs: embassies (Business with other countries) set in Ottawa, immigration and citizenship, currency, crime, indigenous peoples, the territories

The governor general

5-year terms, strictly Ceremonial, represents the crown, official residence and workplace is rideau hall in ottawa

pm

head of government, runs the country daily, manages foreign and domestic policy, official residence is 24 sussex drive

cabinet

picked and led by the pm, main committee of the executive branch, heads of government departments, “ministers of the crown”, advise the prime minister, set the federal government's policies and priorities for the country

privy council

elites of civil service, non-partisan advice to politicians, hired for their expertise

LEGISLATIVE (Parliament) location

parliament hill west block

the house of commons

members of parliament, one seat for every 100,000 people, area represented by an mp called a riding, 338 seats/riding, caucus: members of one party

WHAT DO MPS DO

black rod starts the speeches, speaker is the chairperson, party whip makes sure parliament votes along party lines

the opposition

party with second most number of seats, criticize government policies in question period, pokes holes in arguments, conservative leader pierre poilievre, official residence is the stornoway

senate

105 Senators, permanent until 75, appointed by pm, sworn in by governor general, not democratic, patronage, based on regions, not population: ontario, quebec, the west, the maritimes, looks into political matters

HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW

1st reading: a formality (to introduce bill), 2nd reading: principles are debated (sent to committee), 3rd reading: the commons votes to accept or reject bill, opposition can find issues to try to shut it down, sent to royal assent when passed by senate, bill is resent back into the house of commons for adjustments otherwise, proclamation date, ministries draft regulations

order in council

gives a prime minister or premier the power to draft a bill and send it up for royal assent without going through the legislative process, governor general must sign the bill at the provincial and federal levels, power will be questioned if seen abusive

provincial government branches

executive: lieutenant governor, premier, cabinet, civil service, legislative: legislative assembly, judicial: court of appeal/court of king’s bench: largest in each province, 3 judges, cases of issues include constitutional rights, supreme court: can change laws, family/youth care, traffic control, small claims under $25, 000, minor criminal issues

provincial vs federal gov.

no senate, called the legislature, no upper or lower house(called parliament together), mla: member of legislative assembly (not mp), 87 seats/ridings in bc, governor general is called the lieutenant governor, lives in buckingham house (victoria)

provincial responsibilities

provincial education systems, highways, bridge between provinces, healthcare(shared with federal), transportation, municipalities

municipal gov.

legislative: city council, executive: mayor, judicial: provincial court, city departments

municipal responsibilities

water and sewer, roads and streets, garbage collection, parks and recreation, planning, police, fire

school district

93 in total, elects a school board, hires a superintendent and staff, federals pay for french immersion, all education is free except for independent and post-secondary education

indigenous self gov.

15% strongly support, 62% support, 18% oppose, 4% strongly appose, indigenous self-government refers to proposals for Indigenous peoples of Canada to have greater powers of self-government, municipal/provincial/federal,

back history of indigenous gov.

before 1883, indigenous people and canadian colonizers “shared” land through treaties. In 1883, a famine caused the indgenous people to ask the canadian government for aid. However, the indigenous people would lose legal citizenship status(indian act).

past indigenous gov.

tribal chiefdoms(hereditary), multinational confederacies, representative democracies

what happened to indigenous self gov.

ignored/suppressed by canada, assimilated, the indian act of 1876 established the band system, could vote for band leaders but controlled by minister of indian affairs, aboriginals became “registered indians”

indigenous governments: changing attitudes

right to self-government based on: prior occupation, we all have a “god-given” right to chose

white paper

1969, proposed dissolving the indian act, recognizing indigenous as fully equal citizens, rejected becuase it’s another form of assimilation where culture will be lost as a minority

the red paper

1970, response to white paper by aboriginal association of alberta, preserve indian culture through status rights, lands & traditions, enforce Indian legislative powers, recognize indigenous ownership of land, improve indigenous legal status, revoke the 1883 “famine rights removal”

towards indigenous self gov.

1995: ottawa recognized self government was an inherent right but under the crown, cannot separate from canada, indigenous people wants an independent education system where indigenous culture is taught, 1996: royal commission recommended status equal to the federal and provincial governments, negotiations happening, indigenous people want free will on how they live

some examples of indigenous self gov.

some indigenous groups are no longer under the indian act, ottawa agreed to self government, ontario’s nipissing first nation declared independence in 2014, they feel that they are no longer dependent on the canadian government

judicial

supreme: highest, federal: legal disputes between provinces, taxation, citizenship