Canadian Government and Politics Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering executive, legislative, and judicial structures, constitutional developments, federalism, and the history of Canadian governance.

Privy Council Office

A non-partisan, politically neutral central agency that ensures constitutional rules are not broken and upholds the Prime Minister's prior promises.

Department of Finance

A central agency that provides financial advice to the Cabinet and reports directly to the Minister of Finance.

Treasury Board Secretariat

A central agency responsible for creating budgets, overseeing government spending, and managing labor relations.

Prime Minister's Office (PMO)

A partisan agency strictly loyal to the Prime Minister and the governing political party, managing public relations, media, travel, speeches, and public opinion shaping.

Judicial Independence

The principle that judges must remain autonomous from political pressure and outside influence to guarantee a fair and impartial trial.

Section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights

The reasonable limits clause that guarantees rights and freedoms subject only to limits prescribed by law.

Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights

The section of the Charter that guarantees fundamental freedoms, including freedom of peaceful assembly, language, religion, and belief.

Frank v. Canada

An important court case that addressed and affirmed voting rights for non-resident citizens.

Sauvé v. Canada

A landmark court ruling affirming that citizens with cognitive disabilities have the right to vote.

Section 6 of the Canadian Charter of Rights

Guarantees mobility rights, allowing citizens to enter, remain in, or leave Canada, and granting citizens and permanent residents the right to live and work in any province.

Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights

The equality rights section establishing that every individual is equal before and under the law regardless of factors such as race or gender.

Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights

Guarantees minority language educational rights to children if their parents' first language or elementary education matches the official minority language of the province.

Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights

The overriding clause allowing governments to temporarily override Sections 2, 7, and 15, excluding fundamental sections like democratic rights, requiring renewal every 5 years.

Quiet Revolution of 1960

A period in Quebec marked by rapid, peaceful modernization and secularization away from the Catholic Church, where the provincial government took control over major industries to build its own economy.

Victoria Charter of 1971

A constitutional proposal led by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to patriate the founding document; it failed after Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa rejected it over concerns regarding provincial social policy control.

Meech Lake Accord (1987-1990)

An agreement aimed at obtaining Quebec's signature on the Constitution by recognizing it as a 'distinct society'; it failed after an Indigenous Manitoba politician voted no because Indigenous peoples were not consulted.

Charlottetown Accord of 1992

A broad constitutional package proposing 'distinct society' status for Quebec and self-government for Indigenous peoples; it failed due to opposition from English Canada and Quebec.

Judicial Review

The power of the courts to examine and overturn legislation or executive actions that violate the constitution.

Judicial Restraint

A legal philosophy where judges refrain from interfering with laws passed by elected politicians unless they explicitly violate the constitution.

Judicial Activism

A philosophy treating the constitution as a 'living' document that adapts to societal changes, allowing judges to protect minority and basic rights even if it alters social policies.

Dialogue Thesis

The interactive model between courts and the legislature where parliament passes laws, the judiciary reviews and potentially strikes them down, and the government amends them to protect rights.

Constitution Act of 1867

The founding statute uniting four British North American colonies—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario—into the country of Canada.

Statute of Westminster of 1931

A British statute granting former colonies autonomy and full legislative independence from the British Parliament, effectively declaring Canada's independence except regarding constitutional amendments.

Organic Canadian Statute

A foundational statute governing government operations that carries special constitutional significance and cannot be easily amended or repealed, such as the Supreme Court Act.

Constitutional Conventions

Unwritten practices and fundamental principles that guide government operations, such as Cabinet solidarity in publicly supporting decisions despite internal debate.

Residual Power

The principle under Section 91 of the Constitution Act of 1867 assigning any legislative power not explicitly allocated to the provinces automatically to the federal government.

Intrastate Federalism

The structural arrangement of how regional and provincial interests are represented within the central federal government.

Fiscal Federalism

The framework governing how financial resources, taxing powers, and monetary transfers are managed between the federal government and regional units.

Contract Theory of Federalism

The view that federalism functions as a partnership between distinct groups where one party cannot alter the terms without the agreement of the other.

Compact Theory of Federalism

The view that the federation is bound by the Constitution Act of 1867 as a legally enforceable, binding contract where all parties are equal under the law.

Laboratories of Democracy

The benefit of federalism wherein provincial or regional governments can experiment with innovative policies on a small scale without exposing the entire country to risk.

Race to the Bottom

A drawback of federalism where subnational units aggressively compete to cut taxes, lessen regulations, or slash social spending to attract business, which can deplete public revenue.

Regime

The form of a government and the core political principles that establish its legitimate authority.

Royal Proclamation of 1763

A British declaration establishing the colony of Quebec, halting American westward expansion onto Native lands, and recognizing Indigenous land rights through treaty protocols.

Quebec Act of 1774

A British statute that restored rich fur trading lands and permitted Roman Catholics to hold government posts and practice their faith, enacted to appease the French population and deter rebellion.

Constitutional Act of 1791

Legislation dividing Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada and establishing early representative government, though the elected assembly held no real legislative or financial power against the governor's veto.

Responsible Government

The constitutional principle stipulating that the Prime Minister and Cabinet must maintain the confidence of the elected House of Commons in order to remain in power.