GOVERNMENT UNIT NEED FOR GOVERNMENT

Transcription

1 Page 1 - government affects everything we do GOVERNMENT UNIT eg. 1) water regulations 2) quality control on food 3) vehicular safety NEED FOR GOVERNMENT - If there was no government 1) who would maintain roads 2) who would deliver mail 3) who would protect us 4) who would deal with foreign countries - Government brings order into our lives - They make decisions: 1) unemployment 2) social security 3) health care 4) laws POWERS OF GOVERNMENT - Government acts in cooperation with its people. - Three parts to Canadian Government: 1) legislative powers 2) executive powers 3) judicial powers

2 Page 2 Legislative Powers - power to make laws - Federal/Municipal/Provincial governments all have this power. eg. FEDERAL PROVINCIAL MUNICIPAL - safety of toys - taxes for schools - dog licenses Executive Power - This is the power to administer the country and carry out laws: 1) collect taxes 2) enforce traffic laws 3) inspect restaurants 4) buy military equipment Judicial Power - power to decide who has broken the law and punishment - this power lies with courts WHAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT DO WE HAVE? - four ways to describe our government: 1) constitutional monarchy 2) federal system 3) party system 4) representative democracy

3 Page 3 1) Constitutional Monarchy - Canada is governed by Queen Elizabeth II along with Parliament and provincial legislatures - Governor General represents the monarch - Queen appoints Governor General on the advice of Canadian Government - Governor General reads: a) Speech from the Throne b) opens Parliament - This outlines government's plans for that session in Parliament Governor General 1) give royal assent to bills 2) appoint important officials 3) greet foreign leaders 4) give out rewards/medals - Governor General's role is symbolic - Actual governing is done by our elected representatives - The list of rules that the government runs on is called the constitution

4 Page 4 Three parts to Canadian Constitution 1) Constitution Act (1867) used to be BNA Act (1867) - describes the 1) authority 2) parts of parliament and provincial legislature 3) functions 2) Charter of Rights and Freedoms - states basic rights that we possess 3) Amending Formula - sets out ways we can change constitution HISTORY OF CANADA'S CONSTITUTION 1) 1867 = BNA Act is passed by British Parliament legally creating Canada 2) 1931 = Britain passes statute of Westminster which gives Canada legal independence 3) 1981 = Constitution is made independent of Britain 4) 1982 = BNA Act becomes Constitution Act

5 Page 5 2) FEDERAL SYSTEM - Canada needs: 1) security from attack 2) protection of property 3) to cooperate to make the most of its resources/economy - To provide for the need of Canada's diverse regions a federal system was adopted in two levels of Government = 1) Federal Parliament looks after the needs of the country. 2) Ten Provincial parliaments (called legislatures) look after regional needs. 3) Territories also have elected legislatures but because they are not provinces they operate according to the Federal rules. - The Constitution sets down the separate powers of each type of government. - Federal Parliament makes laws which affect all of Canada: 1) Defence 2) Economy 3) Postal Service 4) Criminal Law - Provinces don't have any say here. - Provincial and Federal governments share powers in 1) agriculture 2) immigration 3) certain taxes

6 Page 6 TERMS OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY - Federal Government = M.P. (Member of Parliament) - Provincial Government = M.L.A. (Member of Legislative Assembly) = M.P.P. (Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)) = M.N.A. (Member of National Assembly (Quebec)) - Local = Councillor = Alderperson = Controller THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT - Federal Parliament can pass laws in: 1) trade/commerce 2) taxation 3) postal service 4) defence 5) navigation/shipping 6) fisheries 7) currency/coins 8) banking 9) Indians/reserves 10) citizenship 11) criminal law

7 Page 7 THREE BRANCHES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 1) Executive = a) Queen (Governor General) b) Prime Minister c) Cabinet 2) Legislative = a) House of Commons b) Senate 3) Judiciary = a) Courts - Provincial Government deals with - Municipal Government deals with 1) Education 2) Municipal Government 1) Schools 2) Fire Department 3) Water Supply 4) Sewage Treatment 5) Garbage Collection 3) PARTY SYSTEM - Most people elected to government positions are members of a political party. - A Political party is a group of people with common beliefs and plans. - If enough candidates from the party are elected it may form the Government. - Three main political parties in Canada: 1) NDP 2) Conservatives 3) Liberals

8 Page 8 4) REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY - Canada is a democracy which means it is governed by the people. - In ancient democracies (Greece) each citizen voted on every law. - In Canada this is impossible. - We elect representatives to do the law-making. - Each representative is elected from a certain electoral district. - They try to convey the people's ideals in government. PARLIAMENT Executive: 1) Prime Minister = leader of the largest party in House of Commons 2) Cabinet = ministers selected by the Prime Minister from Members of Parliament of same party eg. a) Minister of Finance b) Minister of Justice c) Minister of National Defence 3) Monarch = governor general

9 Page 9 Legislature: 1) House of Commons = each constituency elects one Member of Parliament eg. a) Winnipeg South b) Yukon c) Vancouver South 2) Senate = appointed by Governor General on advice of Prime Minister 105 Senators 1) Ontario = 24 2) Quebec = 24 3) Atlantic Provinces = 30 4) Western Provinces = 24 5) Yukon = 1 6) North West Territories = 1 7) Nunavut = 1

10 Page 10 THE EXECUTIVE Prime Minister - the leader of the party with the most elected Members of Parliament becomes Prime Minister. - The Prime Minster 1) chooses cabinet members 2) asks Governor General to name new senators and judges 3) asks Governor General to call new election 4) speaks on behalf of Canadians 5) explains national concerns and goals to Canadians 6) works with provincial premiers 7) represents Canada on trips 8) acts as national spokesperson for his party 9) leads party caucus in Parliament THE CABINET - Cabinet is chosen from fellow party members who are elected to the House of Commons. - Prime Minister tries to have representatives from all over Canada. - Cabinet members should reflect some cultural groups. - Each cabinet member is responsible for a department of government. ]

11 Page 11 - Duties 1) make sure department does it's job well 2) present department budget to government 3) watches over department budget 4) draw up proposals for new laws to send to Parliament 5) speaks for department in Parliament and in Public 6) assumes responsibility for actions of department - each cabinet member supports Prime Minister and accepts decisions made by the Cabinet as a whole - if he/she disagrees with a decision he is expected to accept it in public or resign egs: 1) Minister of Finance = a) prepares federal budget b) manages our economy c) cuts or raises taxes 2) Minister of National Defence = a) supervises armed forces b) meets with NATO leaders c) presents budget requests of armed forces to Parliament 3) President of Treasury Board = a) supervises government spending THE LEGISLATURE - made up of the House of Commons and the Senate - they may 1) change laws 2) make laws 3) repeal (remove) laws - a proposal that they are considering making a law is called a bill

12 Page 12 HOUSE OF COMMONS - elections for House of Commons must occur every four years - each member (MP) represents a constituency - total number of members depends on population of Canada - Members must be: 1) Canadian Citizens 2) eighteen years old 3) not disqualified by law - House of Commons must meet at least once a year - Most bills come from the Cabinet - the ideas come from: 1) Prime Minister 2) the Cabinet 3) a senator 4) M.P. 5) public service 6) party platform 7) media 8) public THE SPEAKER - the debates in the House of Commons are controlled by the Speaker of the House - The speaker is also an M.P. who is elected by other M.P.'s - In charge of: 1) operation of the House 2) bilingual translation 3) House of Commons restaurants 4) cleaning staff - the speaker acts as Police and Judge (keeps order and enforces rules)

13 Page 13 THE OPPOSITION - In the House of Commons members sit with the party they belong to - Opposite the government party sits the opposition - The Opposition is made up of M.P.'s from the parties other than the one in power - the leader of the second largest party becomes the leader of the opposition THE SENATE - The Senate is independent of the House of Commons - appoints its own speaker and runs its own affairs - Senators must: 1) be Canadian citizens 2) be 30 years old 3) be living in province that they are appointed from 4) own $4000 worth of property 5) can serve until age 75 - Prime Minister chooses new senators when positions occur - Senate seat is usually used as reward to faithful party members - Designed to have a "sober second look at bills" passed by House of Commons - Senate must also pass bills and send them to the House for approval

14 Page 14 THE JUDICIARY - We have courts independent of Parliament - Question: Why? - Answer: So that individuals are not stepped on it they have a dispute with the government - Supreme Court is highest court in Canada 1) interprets meanings of laws and constitution 2) acts as court of last appeal 3) members are appointed by Parliament

15 Page 15 PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS Provinces decided to keep certain powers/responsibilities - Provincial governments can pass laws in: 1) direct taxation (sales, income) 2) hospitals 3) marriage 4) prisons 5) courts 6) local government 7) education 8) local public works (roads) 9) immigration/agriculture (shared with federal government) - Modelled after Federal government 1) Executive 2) Legislature 3) Judiciary EXECUTIVE FEDERAL PROVINCIAL 1) Queen (governor general 1) Queen (lieutenant governor) 2) Prime Minister 2) Premier 3) Cabinet 3) Cabinet LEGISLATURE - all ten provincial legislature are modelled after House of Commons - Only difference is that the Provincial legislature does not have a senate - Once the legislature passed a bill the lieutenant governor gives it royal assent

16 Page 16 JUDICIARY - each province has a supreme court - courts exist to settle disputes and settle with those breaking laws TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT - the Yukon and North West Territories don't have provincial governments - The Federal government has final power over these areas - They do have local governments however - local governments provide: 1) fire protection 2) sewers and water service 3) police protection 4) public libraries 5) parks/pools/arenas 6) ambulance services 7) transit 8) animal/pet control 9) snow removal MUNICIPAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT - They are similar to Federal/Provincial governments - all have an executive and legislature - head of the executive is called: 1) mayor 4) chair person 2) reeve 5) warden 3) overseer - legislative members are called: 1) councillors 2) alderpersons 3) controllers

17 Page 17 ELECTION OFFICIALS Official Agent - directs and co-ordinates the campaign of candidate Duties 1) help candidate get nomination paper signed 2) help candidate prepare speech 3) try to convince voters to support your candidate RETURNING OFFICER - responsible for organizing the election and election officials Duties 1) receive nomination papers from candidates 2) Announce results from polls and declare winner - responsible for organizing the poll - handling ballots - counting ballots Duties DEPUTY RETURNING OFFICER 1) set-up polling station 2) initial ballot and give to voter 3) show voter how to fold ballot 4) deposit marked ballot in box after checking for your initials 5) administer oath of voter to anyone not on list or challenged by scrutineer 6) if ballot is spoiled give voter another one 7) after poll closes, open ballot box and count valid ballots 8) give results of poll to returning officer

18 Page 18 POLL CLERK - helps Deputy Returning Officer at polling station by filling in poll book Duties 1) put up sign to show polling place name 2) fill in poll book as voters arrive 3) cross names off list (voter) 4) put a consecutive number by each voter 5) help with count ENUMERATOR - in charge of making voter's list Duties 1) collect names of all qualified voters in polling subdivision 2) when list is complete sign name and write "enumerator" after it 3) take three copies of lists to Returning Officer SCRUTINEER - supporters of the candidates who campaign before the vote and who are at the poll to observe that it is run fairly Duties 1) convince voters to support your candidate 2) help candidate write speech 3) take Oath of secrecy from Deputy Returning Officer 4) watch voting at the poll & challenge any voter you think shouldn't be voting 5) watch to see ballots are counted correctly

19 Page 19 CANDIDATES - running for office Duties 1) find three people to sign your nomination paper 2) give nomination paper to Returning Officer 3) give speeches SEATS IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT 308 SEATS IN PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE (MANITOBA) 57