Ideology and Citizensip

Assumptions of a Citizen:

lives and is a member of a country
votes
has certain responsibilities
- obeying the law
- paying taxes
has certain rights
- protection from arbitrary arrest
- freedom of speech

What is Citizenship?

Canadians → pledge allegiance to the Monarch when becoming a citizen of Canada
national definition of Metis states → must be a part of the “Historic Metis nation” living on Metis land and territory and distinctly different from other Indigenous peoples and settlers
Burma’s constitution → “the council of state may decide whether any ethnic group is national or not”
Israel → gives citizenship based on Jewish identity or ancestry but can also provide citizenship to Palestinian Arabs living in Israel, but can take it away if they aren’t living in and contribution to the “common good”

Legal and Political Understanding:

→ from a legal perspective, citizenship is based on two key principles

jus soli (right of the soil)
- determined by place of birth
jus sanguinis (right of blood)
- citizenship and nationality of child is same as the parents, no matter where the child is born
others use the idea of naturalization → the process of applying for citizenship

Views on Civic Participation

liberals/individualistic
- citizenship is a status
- individuals must have civic responsibilities rather than rely on the government
communitarian
- citizenship is a practice
- work together for the common good
- individual identity is created through relations with others
civil republican
- citizenship is a practice
- shaped by common public culture and a sense of belonging to a particular nation state
- reciprocal relationship between the individual and the state

Elements of Citizenship

sense of membership or identity with some wider community (local to global)
set of rights and freedoms
corresponding set of duties or responsibilities
set of virtues and capacities that enable a citizen to effectively engage in and reflect upon questions and concerns of civic interests

Policies Aimed at Citizenship

Gradual Civilization Act
Enfranchisement Act
Indian Act (+ amendments)
British North American Act
residential schools
treaties (numbered and others)
The White Paper

Indigenous Concept of Citizenship

idea of activism and civic action → form of citizenship practice consisting of collective initiatives Aimed at implementing rights or empowering citizens
- social change within communities
- participating in local, state, and federal institutions to shift public discourse & advocate for policies and practices of Indigenous rights

Textbook Reading → Pg. 460 - 472

two main types of rights
1. negative human rights → obliging inaction, including liberties that the government may not infringe upon
  - freedoms found in the CCRF
2. positive human rights → obliging action, including entitlements that the government is required to provide
  - education + healthcare

The Rights, Roles, and Responsibilities of Citizens

rights and freedoms
- legal rights
- equality rights mobility rights
- Aboriginal peoples’ rights
- freedom of thought freedom of speech
- freedom of religion
- right to peaceful assembly
responsibilities
- obey Canada’s laws
- express opinions freely while respecting the rights and freedoms of others
- help others in the community
- care for and protect our heritage and environment
- eliminate discrimination

→ some Aboriginal peoples do not regard Canadian citizenship in the same way as other Canadians

Philanthropy - concern and effort to improve the state of humankind

Call To War

Pacifism - the commitment to peace and opposition to war → practiced in a variety of ways

include members of many diverse, non-religious peace groups + religious groups that have traditions of opposing war (Mennonites, Amish)
vary in how they interpret and act on their pacifism
- some in an absolute sense → rejecting violence of all sorts
- specifically anti-war → against all/a certain war
  - Albert Einstein
  - Bertrand Russell
in times of conflict, the government might call upon citizens to participate in the war effort
- those opposed may declare themselves pacifist and be prepared to accept the consequences → going to jail

Conscientious Objection - the refusal on moral or religious grounds

United Nations supports
some countries (such as Finland, Germany, and Israel) require military service but offer alternative service options

Study Guide Notes

Citizenship in Canada

citizenship
- legal status and relation between an individual and a state that entails specific legal rights and duties
general rights and responsibilities
- legal rights
- equality rights
- mobility rights
- Aboriginal peoples’ rights
- freedom of thought, speech, religion
- right to peaceful assembly
- obey Canada’s laws
- express opinions freely while respecting the rights and freedoms of others
- help others in the community
- care for and protect our heritage and environment
- eliminate discrimination
how citizenship is granted in Canada
- jus soli
  - citizenship granted based on where the child is born
- jus sanguinis
  - citizenship is based on that of the parents, no matter where the child is born
- immigrants
  - must reside in Canada for a certain period of time then apply for citizenship
not eligible for citizenship
- anyone under review for immigration or fraud reasons
citizenship criteria was discriminatory before 1977 (Canada)
- special treatment for British nationals
- discrimination between men and women
- Metis marriage issue
  - Metis woman marries non-indigenous man = loss of status
requirements to apply for Canadian citizenship
- be a permanent resident
- live in Canada for at least 3 of the last 5 years
- filed their taxes
- pass citizenship test
- provide language skills in English or French
- take the oath of citizenship

Voting And Elections In Canada

universal suffrage
- ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by government law as possible
  - exclusion of the young and non-citizens
- “one person, one vote”
eligibility criteria at time of Confederation
- only men with property assets of certain value
- Catholics were prevented from voting
suffragette
- Emmeline Pankhurst
  - founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) → known for employing militant tactics in their struggle for equality

Canada’s Main Political Parties

leaders of parties
- Conservative
  - Erin O’Toole
- NDP
  - Jagmeet Singh
- Green
  - Elizabeth May
- Liberal
  - Justin Trudeau
- Quebecois
  - Yves-Francois Blanchet
ideology
- Conservative
  - fiscal accountability
  - upholding individual rights and freedoms
  - constitutional monarchy
- NDP
  - the New Left
  - advocates issues such as LGBTQIA+ rights, international peace, and environmental stewardship
  - mixed economy
  - broader welfare
  - left-wing, democratic socialist
- Green
  - ecological wisdom
  - non-violence
  - social injustice
  - sustainability
  - participatory democracy
  - respect for diversity
- Quebecois
  - political secession of Quebec from Canada
  - campaigns exclusively within the province during federal elections
  - social democratic and separatist
Influencing Politicians
- ways an individual can communicate with their elected representative
  - email
  - letter
  - set up meeting
- why pressure groups are more effective than individuals at influencing politicians
  - success in numbers
- methods pressure groups use to influence politicians
  - letter writing
  - lobbying
  - correspondents
  - publcity
  - propaganda
  - petitions
  - public debate
  - maintain contact with the legislators

The Role of The Media

main types of media