Civics

• How are Laws Passed in Canada

  1. House of Commons

  2. The Senate

  3. Royal Assent
• House of Commons


  1. Bill is proposed

  2. Created by the Governing party

  3. First Reading

  4. Second Reading

  5. Committees

  6. Third Reading
• First Reading


  Bill is read and printed, no debates, vote (PURPOSE: Formal public notice)
• Second Reading


  MP's debate bill, discuss overall ideas, vote (PURPOSE: General strengths vs weaknesses)
• Committees


  Study / change wordings and details, interview witnesses, vote (PURPOSE: fix details)
• Third Reading


  Bill read with all changes, debate final details, pass law if more changes aren't needed (PURPOSE: Discuss final form of bills)
• The Senate


  1. Same process happens

  2. Can end it or send it back to House of Commons to fix it

  3. Can approve
• Royal Assent


  1. Governor general gives Royal Assent

  2. Bill is now a Law
• Civics


  The rights and responsibilities of citizens, how decisions are made and who makes them, ways that we can act for the common good
• Democracy


  • Citizens hold the political power
  • Representative: Citizens elect leaders
  • Direct: No leader - Citizens have to be involved in day to day work
• Types of Decision Making

  • Democratic
  • Authoritarian
  • Consensus
• Democratic decision making


  A vote is held to make decisions, everyone's opinions are heard, slow
• Democratic decision making


  • Canada - Justin Trudeau
• Authoritarian decision making


  1 person makes the decision for everyone, voices aren't heard, fast
• Authoritarian decision making


  • North Korea
• Consensus decision making


  Everyone has to agree
• Consensus decision making


  • Court Systems
• Right


  Something a person is legally entitled to
• Responsibility


  Something a person is accountable for
• Why Governments Exist


  • Ensure agriculture production
  • Oversee social needs
  • Maintain Law and Order
  • Develop Education
• Common Good


  The greatest good for the greatest number of people
• How Common Good can be applied to society

  • Volunteering
  • Purchasing Goods from a small business
• Individual rights


  What's good for yourself
• Common Good


  What's good for everyone
• 7 Rights and Freedoms Canadians Have

  • Fundamental Freedoms (Freedom of Religion, Thought, and peaceful gatherings)
  • Equality (Equal treatment before and under the law)
  • Democratic (The right to participate in political activities (vote and be elected))
  • Legal (The right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty)
  • Mobility (The right to enter and leave Canada and to move or live in any province)
  • Language (The right to use either English or French)
  • Minority Language Education (The Right to be educated in French or English)
• Civil Disobedience


  Refusal to obey a law on the grounds that it is immoral or unjust in itself, appeals to the majority's sense of justice, willing to take punishment, goal: call attention to an unjust law
• Civil Disobedience


  • Thoreau (Jailed in 1840s for refusing to pay a poll tax)
  • Gandhi (Led India's struggle for independence against Britain)
  • King Jr. (Goal to bring racism to the national agenda)
• Civil disobedience


  Bringing attention to an issue peacefully
• Terrorism


  Bringing attention to an issue non peacefully
• 3 Levels of Government in Canada

  • Federal (Prime Minister, Responsible for Postal Service and Currency)
  • Provincial (Premier, Responsible for Education and Health Care)
  • Municipal (Mayor, Responsible for Public Transit and Police service)
• 3 Branches of Government in Canada

  • Legislative (Creates Laws)
  • Executive (Executes Laws, Includes Queens Rep (Governor General))
  • Judicial (Interprets Laws and Creates Penalties, Includes Court System and Supreme Court of Canada (9 Judges))
• Types of Government and Decision Making

  • Autocracy (Monarchy: King or Queen rules, Dictatorship: 1 person has absolute power)
  • Democracy (Representative: Citizens elect leaders, Direct: Citizens are involved in day to day work no leader)
  • Theocracy (Uses God or divine being as ultimate authority)
  • Anarchy (No one is in control, Everyone looks out for themselves)
• Civil Action is a noncriminal lawsuit that begins with a complaint
• 4 Major Political Parties in Canada

  • Liberals
  • Conservatives
  • NDP
  • Bloc Quebecois
• Minor Parties in Canada

  • People's Party of Canada
  • Green Party
  • Rhinoceros Party
• Major Parts of An Election in Canada

  • Every 4 calendar years
  • 18+ on election day
  • Canadian Citizen
  • Can prove identity and address
  • Need to be Registered (Elections.ca / Polling Station / Elections Office)
• How are Laws Passed in Canada

  1. House of Commons (Bill is proposed, First Reading, Second Reading, Committees, Third Reading)

  2. The Senate (Same process happens, Can end it or send it back to House of Commons to fix it, Can approve)

  3. Royal Assent (Governor general gives Royal Assent, Bill is now a Law)
• Global Citizen

  Someone who is aware and understands the wider world and their place in it