Unit 3 Canadian studies test

Citizenship

membership in a nation or sovereign state, with all the attendant rights and responsibilities.

What are some of the best-known rights?

The right to apply for a passport, leave and return freely to the country, run in elections, and vote in elections.

What is a “passive” approach to citizenship?

Living in Canada, obeying its laws, paying taxes, and sometimes voting in elections.

Some Canadians believe that citizenship includes much more than just being passive. Explain.

They think about what is right or wrong, good or bad, about social and political life. They think beyond themselves. They want to ask questions and address issues that matter in their community, their province, or canada. They want to have better schools, better parks, safer neighborhoods, for example. They find working with others gives them more influence.

What is meant by the term “spectrum”? Explain how it applies to such issues as

1. Voting preferences: “Your vote doesn't count anyway. So why bother voting?” “People should vote in federal elections at least. The others are not that important.” “People should vote in all elections, if possible: federal, provincial, and municipal.

2. Interest and knowledge of current events:

“It is important to keep up with the news.” “People should follow the news and public affairs by watching television and reading newspapers.” “It is important to use a number of sources for current events including television, newspapers, magazines, and the internet to get a variety of viewpoints.” 

3. Participation in the community: “ It's not important for people to be involved in the political or social affairs of their community.” “People should join one or two community groups.” People should volunteer a lot of their time to develop interest and serve their community.”

4. Joining a political party youth group: “Young people should leave politics to older people and politicians.” “Young people should join the youth wing of a political party.” “Young people should join a youth wing, get on the executive, and aim at running for public office someday.”

Permanent resident

In Canada, immigrants who have been granted the right to live and work in the country but who have not yet qualified or have not yet applied for citizenship status. These people were formerly known as “landed immigrants.”

Naturalization

the admittance of a person of foreign birth to citizenship.

Dual Citizenship

when more or one country recognizes you as its citizen

Give examples of how the Canadian immigration system was inequitable (unfair).

If a Canadian man was married to a non-canadian woman and the couple's children were born in a foreign country, the children automatically become Canadian citizens. However if a Canadian woman was married to a non-canadian man, her foreign-born children were not eligible for Canadian citizenship.

What are the conditions by which a person can apply to be a Canadian citizen? What are the conditions that would make someone ineligible to be a Canadian citizen?

1. At least eighteen years old, a legal permanent resident of canada, has lived in canada for three of the previous 4 years, has satisfactory knowledge of canada, including the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, can adequately communicate in french or english

2. Is in prison, on parole, or on probation, has been charged with an indictable offence, is under a deportation order.

 What are your “citizen responsibilities”?

To obey Canada's laws, to vote in elections, to eliminate discrimination and injustice, to  care for Canada's heritage, to help others in the community.

Ideology

The set of beliefs that forms the basis for a political system.

Majority

a party holding most of the seats in parliament is said to have a majority and thus forms government.

Minority

if no party has more than half the seats in the house, then the governor general may call on the party with the most elected members to form the government.

Coalition

a government that is formed by two or more parties that together hold more seats in the house of commons than any other single party or coalition.

Franchise

in politics, the right to vote.

What are two of the most important rights of Canadian citizens?

Voting in elections and running for public office

how often must federal and provincial elections be held? Municipal elections?

At least once every 4 years for both federal and provincial. Municipal elections occur usually every 4 years.

Who may not vote in Canadian elections?

The chief electoral officer, mentally handicap people, under the age of 18

Pressure groups

groups that seek to influence government policies

Lobbyists

a person who is hired by a group or organization to influence legislators on the group's behalf through persistent attention and persuasion.

Special interest groups

A pressure group that concentrates on short-term concerns, special interest groups are found most commonly at the local level and are formed in response to a particular event or issue, such as an unwanted tax increase. 

between elections, how can individuals and groups influence the government?

They can inform their members of parliament, provincial representatives, and municipal representatives of their opinions. They can also communicate with public servants, who conduct the daily business of the government.

what methods can pressure groups use to influence the government?

Collect funds, organize plans of action and communicate their ideas in order to achieve their common goals.