GNED-1302 Politics in Canada - Week 2 Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key concepts from Week 2 notes: democracy types, rights under the Charter, emergencies measures, federalism, regionalism, class/economy mentions, and examples like the S&P 500 and carbon tax.

Democracy

A system of government where citizens have political equality, participate through voting and civil rights, and government power is constrained by laws.

Direct Democracy

Citizens vote directly on laws and policies (example: Switzerland).

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf; includes Parliamentary and Presidential democracy.

Parliamentary Democracy

A representative system where the legislature elects the executive (e.g., Prime Minister); common in Canada.

Presidential Democracy

A representative system where the president is separately elected and serves as head of state and government; separate branches of government (e.g., the USA).

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

A charter that guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms, subject to reasonable limits justified in a free and democratic society (section 1).

Section 1 – Reasonable Limits

Rights are not absolute; the government may limit them if limits are reasonable and demonstrably justified for society as a whole.

Freedom of Expression

Right to express opinions and communicate ideas, subject to law and limits to protect others.

Freedom of Assembly

Right to gather and protest peacefully.

Right to Information (Access to Information)

Right to access information necessary to participate in civic life and make informed decisions.

Freedom of Conscience and Religion

Right to hold and practice religious beliefs or lack thereof.

Right to Life, Liberty, and Security

Basic civil rights protecting individuals from arbitrary deprivation of life, freedom, and personal security.

Emergencies Act

Canadian law invoked (Feb 14, 2022) to address emergencies, allowing temporary powers such as freezing assets and restricting gatherings.

Freedom Convoy (Ottawa Protests)

Trucker and supporter protests against vaccine mandates; used as context for rights and government response debates.

Federalism

System with two levels of government (federal and provincial) and defined powers for each.

BNA Act 1867

The law that created Canada’s federal structure, establishing federal and provincial powers and a framework for governance (including Sections 91 and 92).

Provinces vs Regions

Provinces: constitutional powers under the law; Regions: cultural/identitarian areas with no separate legal powers.

Regionalism

Idea that regional identities and interests shape political behavior and governance; regions include Pacific/Mountains, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic, North.

S&P 500

A stock market index of 500 large U.S. publicly traded companies; widely used as a market performance indicator.

Canada’s Carbon Tax

Policy to reduce emissions by taxing carbon; sparked regional tensions, debates on equity vs. efficiency, and electoral polarization.