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Canadian Democracy. Your Queen. Vocabulary. Self reliance Compassion and Collective Responsibility Education Democracy Freedom and Tolerance Equality Fiscal Responsibility. Multi – Party Constitutional Monarchy. Registered Political Parties
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Vocabulary • Self reliance • Compassion and Collective Responsibility • Education • Democracy • Freedom and Tolerance • Equality • Fiscal Responsibility
Multi – Party Constitutional Monarchy Registered Political Parties Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada Bloc Québécois Canadian Action Party Christian Heritage Party of Canada Communist Party of Canada Conservative Party of Canada First Peoples National Party of Canada Green Party of Canada Liberal Party of Canada Libertarian Party of Canada Marijuana Party Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada New Democratic Party Newfoundland and Labrador First Party People's Political Power Party of Canada Progressive Canadian Party Rhinoceros Party Western Block Party Work Less Party
NDP Tom Mulcair • Proponents of Social Democracy, believing that society is collectively organize by the state for the general good. • Desire comprehensive social welfare system with government regulation. • Supported by intellectuals, working poor and unionized labour.
Bloc Quebecois Daniel Paillé • Formed in 1990 • Sovereignty of Quebec primary purpose of the party • Proponents of social welfare • Advocate for Quebec within the Federal government
Liberals • Purpose of government is to assist the poor and disadvantaged group in society • Desire to develop the social welfare system • Proponents of less government regulation in business • larger role for the Federal government in promoting national unity • call for self-reliance by individuals Bob Rae
Conservatives Stephen Harper • promote a social welfare system based on the individuals right to freedom of choice • reduce government involvement in all aspects of society • call for greater self-reliance of Canadians, being more competitive and individualistic • call for balanced budgets, eliminating the debt, equality of all the provinces – CURRENTLY how are they doing?
Green Elizabeth May Reduced payroll and income taxes Increased taxes on polluters Income splitting for families A national childcare plan Proportional representation Regulation and taxation of cannabis Cutting subsidies for industries that pollute Subsidy for public transit and environmentally friendly technology Mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered (GE) foods and food ingredients Maintain the ban on GE wheat and oppose GE alfalfa. Establishment of a National Pharmacareprogramme Significant shift to investment in renewable energy Expansion of the ecoEnergy retrofit program Reduce employee and employer contributions to EI and CPP by 1/3 Ending the logging tax credit Scaling military spending back to 2005 levels, and reorient toward peacekeeping
Executive Branch -power to enforce and administer laws Canada is a constitutional monarchy Executive power officially lies in the British Monarchy represented by the Governor General in Canada as the Head of State (symbolic power, figurehead). The Privy Council is the official term for those members of parliament who hold the executive power in the Canadian Government, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. They are “appointed” by the Governor General (unwritten practice). The Prime Minister and his Cabinet (Selection process)bear the responsibility of proposing and putting into practice the policies that guide our nation
Legislative Branch – power to make laws House of Commons The power to make laws rests in parliament which consists of the Senate and the house of Commons (the Governor General is also included but only to give royal assent to bills).
Senate (part of Legislative Branch) • Senate (Upper House) – acts as sober second thought for the House of Commons. Members are appointed by the Prime Minister. • Senators must be 30 years of age and serve until 75 generally without being subject to review (always?). Representation in the Senate is according to region.
Senate Composition he Senate usually has 105 members: 24 from the Maritime provinces (10 from Nova Scotia, 10 from New Brunswick, 4 from Prince Edward Island); 24 from Quebec; 24 from Ontario; 24 from the Western provinces (six each from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia); six from Newfoundland and Labrador; and one each from the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. What is the logic of this arrangement?
Senate Senator Romeo Dellair • “Triple E” Senate has been suggested as well as the abolition of the Senate. • Elected • Effective • Equal
House of Commons (legislative) • House of Commons (Lower House) Elected members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons are responsible for the legislation introduced in parliament. Representation by population allows for each MP to represent roughly 100,000 Canadians. Power in the House of Commons is a result of the party system in Canada. Members of Parliament represent political parties and the party with the greatest number of seats has the right to form the government. If this party has over 50% of the seats in the house it forms a majority government. A minority government exists when the government has less than 50% of the seats and must therefore recruit the support of other parties in the house to pass legislation. • Strong party discipline
Members of Parliament How do you become a Member of Parliament? (Harper and Crockatt)
Judicial Branch – power to interpret laws The fundamental principle of the role of the judiciary is independence from the executive and legislative branches of government. Supreme Court Judges are appointed by the Prime Minister but are subject to review and can be removed CONTROVERSY – role?
Executive Branch Responsible Government, loosely used to mean a government responsible to the people, as popular rule is naturally conceived to be. Properly, however, as used by those who gained it in Canada, it meant a government responsible to the representatives of the people, ie, an executive or Cabinet collectively dependent on the votes of a majority in the elected legislature. This key principle of responsibility, whereby a government needed the confidence of Parliament, originated in established British practice.
Electoral System First Past the Post Plurality System
Alberta Federal Ridings Edmonton and Calgary are to the right
First Past the Post Electoral System Strengths Weaknesses
If We Had Proportional Representation in 2008 Conservatives 116 seats Liberals 73 New Democrats 56 Bloc Quebecois 31 Green Party 21 Christian Heritage 1
Proportional Representation Strengths Weaknesses
What is the cartoonist saying about the last election? Election 2008 cartoon
History of the Vote First Nations: Diefenbaker and the native vote Mental Health Patients: http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/rights_freedoms/clips/9559/ Homeless: Voters without addresses Inmates: All inmates can vote
Accountability in Canada – Responsible Gov’t Paul Martin's Liberal government faced two confidence votes during his minority government after the June 2004 election. A confidence vote was held on Nov. 28. This time, the Martin government was defeated 171 to 133. http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081129/OTT_web_extra_government_crises_081129/20081129/?hub=OttawaHome
Accountability - continued Responsible Government - government responsible to the representatives of the people, ie, an executive or Cabinet collectively dependent on the votes of a majority in the House of Commons
Political Accountability – Watchdogs of Government Auditor General The press Privacy Commissioner Information Commissioner Citizen groups eg. Democracy Watch, Citizens Action Commission, etc http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1821b14b-8c6d-40d1-b24a-ec0d8b290aee&k=18722
Alberta Votes http://alberta.studentvote.ca/