The Federal System Lecture POLS2300 Monday September 25th

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Federal system

A system of governing in which authority is divided and shared between the central government and provincial governments, with each deriving its authority from the constitution.

Unitary system

A form of government in which the power and authority to govern is centralized in one government.

Confederation

A system where the regional or subnational governments are supreme, and the national authority is entirely their creation and servant.

Delegation

The power of the national government can be given or taken away, but in a federal system, this cannot happen because power comes from the provincial government/constitution.

Centralization

Where the power resides, in the center government. In a federal system, the central government has more power than the subcentral units.

Constitution

Every federal system needs a constitution.

Regional representation in center

A body that operates in the central government whose job is to represent the subnational, state governments.

Umpire

Someone who rules on disputes between governments in a federal system.

Amending formula

Every federal system needs a formula that makes it clear that subnational units (provinces) play a role in constitutional change.

Intergovernmental relations

The process of communication and resolving conflicts within a federation.

Parliament

The federal or central government, consisting of the House of Commons and the Senate.

Provincial legislatures

The legislative bodies of the provinces in Canada.

Constitution Act 1867

The division of powers between the federal and provincial governments in Canada.

Municipalities

Local governments that are "creatures of the province" and not constitutionally recognized.

Territories

Governments that have delegated authority from the federal government and do not derive their power from the constitution.

Senate of Canada

Represents the regional interests of the provinces in the federal government.

Umpire

Ruling on disputes between levels of government on the divisions of powers, often done through judicial review.

Judicial review

The power of the courts to review and interpret laws and determine their constitutionality.

Amending formula

Mechanisms for the provinces to be allowed in the process of changing the constitution.

Intergovernmental relations

The process for resolving conflicts within a federation, which can happen through executive federalism, functional federalism, or interstate federalism.

Quasi-federalism

A form of federalism where both orders of government are the same size, with no hierarchy or overlap.

Classical federalism

A form of federalism where both orders of government are the same size, with no hierarchy or overlap.

Cooperative federalism

A form of federalism where both orders of government are relatively the same size, but there is an overlap and a slight hierarchy for the federal government.

Collaborative federalism

A form of federalism where both orders of government are at the same level and overlapping.

Fiscal federalism

A system of funding that redistributes revenue between the federal government and the provinces.

Fiscal imbalance

The view that the provincial governments do not have a proper share of revenue to carry out their responsibilities.

Vertical imbalance

Imbalance between the federal and provincial governments.

Horizontal imbalance

Imbalance between provinces.

Conditional grants

Grants given by the federal government to provincial governments for specific programs that have to meet conditions set by the Canadian government.

Canada Assistance Plan (CAP)

A shared cost-program where the federal government gives half of the grant and the province gives the other half, but the province must follow the federal government's conditions.

EPF (1977) (block grant)

A lump sum of money given by the federal government for specific programs, where the province can spend it as they want, without the need for equal distribution.

CHST (1996)

Replaced EPF and CAP, deals with health and social welfare, and consists of Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and Canada Social Transfer (CST).

Federal spending power

The capacity of the federal government to spend its available funds, even on areas that fall outside its constitutional jurisdiction.

Equalization

Unconditional grants from the Canadian government to the governments of the poorer provinces to bring their revenue-raising capabilities up to a national standard.

Horizontal fiscal imbalance

Imbalance between provinces in terms of revenue-raising capabilities.