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