Social Studies: Federal Political System

• Federal System:

  • a Constitutional Monarchy
  • a Federation
  • a Representative Democracy
• Federalism is a system in which the power to govern is shared between three levels of government:

  1. Federal Governments
  2. Provincial Government
  3. Municipal Government
• The rules for Federalism are set out in a constitution.

  Important roles defined in the Canadian Federal system include the Charter of Rights.

  And the three branches of government:

  1. Executive
  2. Legislative
  3. Judicial
• Executive Branch

  Includes:

  • The Prime Minister
  • The Cabinet
  • The monarch and (Queen + Governor General)
  • The bureaucracy (Civil Service)

  These positions have the job (or role) of:

  • Proposing the most laws
  • Puts laws into action
  • Running the day-to-day business aspects of the government
• Legislative Branch

  Includes:

  • The House of Commons (HoC) [MPs or Members of Parliament]
  • The Senate
  • The Governor General
  • The Prime Minister and Cabinet (in their roles as MPs)

  These positions have the job (or role) of:

  • Debating and approving laws
  • Representing the interests of the people of Canada
• Judicial Branch

  Includes:

  • Canada's Court of Law (supreme and federal courts)
  • Supreme Court judges

  These positions have the job (or role) of:

  • apply and interpret laws

  Important Aspects of the Court:

  9 (odd number of votes) people from different Provinces
• How a Bill becomes a Law:

  1. First Reading: Introduction and Explanation of the Bill (no debate)
  2. Second Reading: First debate and vote
  3. Committee/Report Stage: Research if there is any benefit/past/history/amendments (has it been done before).
  4. Third Reading: Final debate/vote
  5. Then it goes to the Royal Assent
• Bill: a proposed new law
• Royal Assent: approval by the monarch or his/her representative
• Amendment: changes made to a bill up for debate
• Filibuster: delaying/preventing a vote or decision by a particular group when they can not win
• House of Commons:

  338 MPs (Members of Parliament) and the Speaker of the House (referee)

  • represent both their party + constituents

  Constituents: people who live in a particular region known as a "riding"

  Riding: a place where the population is represented by an elected representation (aka. electoral district, constituency)
• Voting

  electorate: anyone who can vote in a particular district

  To vote in Canada you must:

  • be a Canadian citizen
  • be over the age of 18
  • be registered to vote in your riding
  • have resided in Canada within 5 consecutive years (can vote if living in another country)
• Popular Vote: total votes for a particular candidate
• First-Past-the-Post (this is what we use): "Winner takes all" approach in ridings (no sharing seats).
• Party with the most seats in Parliament:

  • wins election and forms next executive branch (government)
  • Leader of party becomes PM
  • He/she appoints Cabinet + Judges + Senators and other positions (including Governor General)
  • Also can determine when next election is (within 5 years of last one)
• Party with the Second most seats in Parliament:

  • becomes Official Opposition
  • Leader of party is "Leader of Official Opposition"
  • Appoints "Shadow Cabinet" (cabinet in reverse, tattletale) - critique the official cabinet during debates
• Majority:

  • have more than 50% of the seats in parliament
  • easier to pass laws
  • choose to ignore opposing views
• Minority:

  • less than 50% may not stay in power (any major vote defeated means a new election)
  • can form a "coalition" or alliance with another party (unstable)
• The Senate

  Senators:

  • only 105 compared to 338 of the members of parliament
  • appointed by the Governor General (but instructed y the PM)
  • MUST be at least 30 and no older than 75
  • MUST live in the province they represent

  Duties:

  • "Sober second thought"
  • their job to act as an editor for the House of commons (MPs)
  • debate and propose laws (but rarely comes up with their own)

  Issues?

  • spending money (cost?)
  • undemocratic
  • diversity of senators
  • repetition of the HoC
• Supreme court = Santa clothes
• The left side of the political spectrum:

  • favour higher taxes
  • more government help for citizens
  • more government control
  • common good over individual freedom
  • more open to social change
• The right side of the political spectrum:

  • favour lower taxes
  • citizens more responsible for themselves
  • less government control
  • individual freedom over common good
  • traditional socially and want to return to previous ways of doing things
• Lobbyists:

  also known as Special Interest or Advocacy Groups

  
  

  They seek to influence government policy through direct interaction with the government and/or the public.

  
  

  Can be financed by businesses or concerned citizens.

  
  

  Also Federal based or Provincially based depending on the issue they are concerned with. (eg. madd - mothers against drunk driving).
• Major Concerns regarding Lobby Groups?

  Money influences politicians more than the concerns of the public.

  To address some of these concerns:

  Watch Dogs are in place: group that monitors the Lobbyists to make sure they do not do anything illegal. (eg. supreme court, media, shadow cabinet, and citizen).
• Important Questions for a Lobby Group to be successful:

  1. How will this benefit the government and citizens?
  2. Who would oppose it and why?
• Parliament Press Gallery:

  An association of reporters who cover the decisions and actions of Canada's Government. Includes about 350 reports from various outlets.

  They also act as a watchdog, monitoring those in government and informing the public of any unethical behaviour.

  Why do we Need Them?

  • most people don't have the time to find out all the facts for themselves
  • a lot of people don't care enough

  What are the Dangers?

  • being misled by false information
  • not trusting ANYTHING
• Subjective: based on feelings or opinions
• Objective: based on factual information
• Bias: personal and sometimes unreasoned judgement
• Bias through Selection and Omission:

  • choosing to omit or leaving out information

  Guiding Question: Have they left out important details?
• Bias through Placement:

  • where a story is placed or shown can influence the reader/viewer

  Guiding Question: Where have they placed the information?
• Bias through Headline:

  • they can summarize as well as present carefully hidden bias and perjuries

  Guiding Question: Does the Headline express an opinion?
• Bias through Word Choice and Tone:

  • the use of words with a positive or negative connotation can strongly influence the reader or viewer

  Guiding Question: Does the tone of the source imply approval or disapproval?
• Bias through Image Choice:

  • the choice of which visuals to display is extremely important

  Guiding Question: Are pictures/videos manipulated or imply something?
• Bias through Source Control:

  • always consider where a news item "comes from"

  Guiding Question: Who gets to speak and are they qualified?