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THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN ONTARIO. THE PROVINICAL GOVERNMENT. The Provincial Government can be divided into two branches: Legislative – Creates new laws, is composed of the legislative assembly.
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THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN ONTARIO
THE PROVINICAL GOVERNMENT • The Provincial Government can be divided into two branches: • Legislative – Creates new laws, is composed of the legislative assembly. • Executive – Executes laws and makes important policy decisions, is composed of the Cabinet and Civil Service.
The Legislative Assembly • The Legislative Branch of the Provincial Government is composed of the Legislative Assembly, which is housed in Queen’s Park.
The Legislative Assembly • The Legislative Assembly is comprised of elected representatives known as Members of Provincial Parliament. • Members of Provincial Parliament are elected from ridings across Ontario. • A Riding is an electoral district (an area of land with a specific population). • One Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP for short) is elected from each riding.
The Legislative Assembly • Currently there are 107 ridings and therefore 107 Members of Provincial Parliament.
The Legislative Assembly • Members of Provincial Parliament usually belong to a political party. • After an election the leader of the political party that has the most seats is asked by the Lieutenant Governor to form the government. • The leader of that political party becomes Premier.
The Legislative Assembly • Similar to the House of Commons in the Federal Government, the Legislative Assembly in the Provincial Government can have either majority or minority governments, though in Provincial Government it is more likely to be a majority. • The same differences between Minority and Majority Governments apply in the Legislative Assembly.
The Legislative Assembly • An election must be called after a non-confidence vote is defeated with a minority government and otherwise every five years for a majority or minority government.
The Legislative Assembly • The Premier is the leader of the political party that forms the government. • The Premier selects members of the cabinet and gets to speak often in the Legislative Assembly.
The Legislative Assembly • The Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and Whips have the same role as their counterparts do in the House of Commons. • Backbenchers and pages also have the same role as their counterparts do in the House of Commons.
The Legislative Assembly • Debate occurs in the Legislative Assembly as it does in the House of Commons. • Similar to the House of Commons, the cabinet, and the committees of the cabinet have a significant influence on legislation.
Cabinet • The Executive Branch of the Provincial Government is composed of the Premier, Cabinet and Civil Service. • The Executive Branch executes laws and makes important policy decisions.
Cabinet • The Cabinet is selected by the Premier from the MPP’s in his/her political party. • It is an honour for an MPP to be named to the Cabinet. • The Premier can promote or demote MPP’s to and from the Cabinet at any time.
Cabinet • Most committees are composed of Cabinet members. • The Cabinet has a significant impact on legislation.