poli midterm 1 defintions

Session: A period of time between the opening of Parliament and its prorogation or dissolution. One Parliament can have several sessions.
Prorogation: The formal end of a parliamentary session. It "clears the deck"—unfinished bills die and committees stop meeting until a new session starts with a new Throne Speech.
Sittings: A single day’s meeting of the House of Commons or Senate.
Throne Speech: A speech read by the Governor General (written by the PM) at the start of a new session. It outlines the government's legislative plan.
Confidence Vote: A crucial vote that tests whether the House still supports the government. If the government loses a confidence vote (like the Budget), they must resign or call an election.
Dissolution: The legal end of a Parliament, triggered by the Prime Minister asking the Governor General to call a general election.

Electoral District/Riding: The specific geographic area an MP represents. Voters in a riding elect one person to sit in the House of Commons.
Government Members: All MPs who belong to the party that is currently in power.
Private Members: Any MP who is not a Cabinet Minister. This includes backbenchers from the governing party and all opposition members.
Government MPs: Members of the party that formed the government.
Opposition MPs: Members of parties that are not in power; their job is to scrutinize and challenge the government.
Shadow Cabinet: A group of senior opposition MPs chosen by the Leader of the Opposition to lead the critique of specific government departments.
Opposition Critics: Individual members of the Shadow Cabinet (e.g., the "Finance Critic").
Front Benches: The front rows of seats. On one side sit Cabinet Ministers; on the other sit the Leader of the Opposition and their critics.
Backbenchers: MPs who are not in the Cabinet or the Shadow Cabinet. They sit in the rows behind the leaders.
Speaker: An MP elected by other MPs to act as a neutral referee, managing debates and enforcing the rules of the House.

Clerk of the House: The chief permanent officer of the House; they advise the Speaker and MPs on the rules and "script" of Parliament.
Sergeant-at-Arms: The person responsible for the security of the House and the ceremonial carrying of the Mace (the symbol of the House's authority).
Hansard: The official written record of everything said in the House of Commons and its committees.
Auditor General: An independent officer who audits government spending to ensure money is used as Parliament intended.
Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO): Provides independent economic and financial analysis to help MPs understand the true cost of government proposals.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Officer: Ensures that MPs and public officials follow rules regarding gifts, outside income, and personal interests.

Bills: A proposed law presented to Parliament for approval.
Private Members’ Bills: A bill introduced by an MP who is not a Cabinet Minister (rarely becomes law).
Government Bills: A bill introduced by a Cabinet Minister (most likely to become law).
First Reading: The formal introduction of a bill. No debate happens here; it is simply printed and numbered.
Second Reading: Debate on the principle or "big idea" of the bill. If it passes, it is sent to a committee for study.
Report Stage: After a committee finishes studying a bill, they "report" it back to the House with any suggested changes (amendments).
Third Reading: The final debate and vote on the bill in its finished form.
Royal Assent: The final step where the Governor General signs the bill on behalf of the Monarch, making it a law.
Proclamation: The specific date a law actually starts being enforced (this can be months after Royal Assent).
Resolutions: A formal expression of the House's opinion. Unlike a bill, a resolution does not become a law.

Scrutiny of Public Expenditure: The process by which Parliament reviews and questions how the government is spending taxpayer money.
Estimates: Documents provided by the government that list exactly how much money each department needs for the year.
Standing Orders: The permanent written rules that govern how the House of Commons operates day-to-day.
Closure: A procedural rule the government can use to cut off debate on a bill and force an immediate vote.
Senate Reform: The ongoing political debate about changing how the Senate works (e.g., making it elected, setting term limits, or abolishing it).