Unit 3 Government, Law, & Politics
Chapter 9 – Lesson 1
Topics: Purpose of Government, Powers of Government, What kind of Government do we have?
The Purpose of Government
- Government – is the ruling body that runs the affairs of the country, province, city, town or district
- Is involved in almost every aspect of your daily life.
- Like many other countries, Canadians need a system of organized decision making that give a nation a sense of order and security.
- Governments in Canada must also give people a sense of individualism.
- The Canadian government operates based on cooperation not force.
Role of Government in Canada-
1) Decision making power (health care, defense)
2) Excise Power- (making of laws & carrying them out)
3) Maintenance of Freedom
The Powers of Government
- Power is given to government by citizens; this power of making decisions is shared by citizens & the government.
- E.g. if you don’t like a decision the government did, vote for a new one.
Powers of government are divided into three branches:
1) Legislative Power:
- the power to make laws
- Federal, Provincial, Municipal government all have the power to make and amend laws.
Eg. -Federal make decisions on budget for military
- Provincial government established tax rate from education
- Municipal government determine how to dispose of local garbage
2) Executive Power
- Power to administer the country and carry out laws
- Eg. purchase of tanks
3) Judicial Power
- Power to decide who has broken the law & what penalties they will be given.
The Constitution
- It is the set rules for various levels of government to follow in decision making
- Originally passed in 1867, (Dominion of Canada) passed by British Parliament
- Based on the British Model
- Set out powers of elected representatives , the Federal and Provincial Governments and the Monarch
- has written part and unwritten part
Written has 3 sections:
1) Constitution Act of 1867- describes authority, parts & functions of Parliament and Provincial Legislature.
2) Charter of Rights and Freedom (1982)- states basic rights & some responsibility that all Cdn’s posses
3) Amending Formula- sets out ways the constitution can be changed. Federal + 7 out of the 10 Prov. Agree; 7 provinces must make up ½ pop.
Unwritten part is made up from traditions, from the past
- most based on the British pattern of parliamentary government
- Recognition of the Monarch as head of state,
- office of the Prime Minister, the Political Parties
* The written & unwritten parts form the foundation of the government of Canada
Fig. 9-2 & 9-3 p. 242-243
What kind of government do we have?
“Canada is based on British, Roman and Ancient Greek Models.” Our government can be described in 4 ways…
1) Constitutional Monarchy
– Canada recognizes the king or queen as head as our state. (Queen Elizabeth II)
– The Queen does not rule Canada nor the other 16 commonwealth directly.
– She has very little power
- The governor-general is the queen’s rep in Canada
- Appointed by monarch on the advice of the Canadian government
- Perform ceremonial acts such as;
- A) opening parliament and reads speech from throne.
- B) royal assent to bills (approval given to legislation by monarchy)
- C) appoints officials
- D) Greeting of foreign leaders and dignitaries
- E) awards medals
2) Federal System
- created by the fathers of confederation in 1867
- two levels of government
- 1) Federal Government – make decisions on behalf of all citizens of Canada
- 2) Provincial Government – decisions made on behalf of the people of a province
- Federal Government holds more power because so many issues require a consistent national policy (national security, postal services, ect)
- Provincial Government have power with decisions but handled locally
- These governments are known as legislatures except PQ (National Assembly)
- E.G. hospitals, education
* Federal Government law prevails when Provincial and Federal have a conflict
- Municipal Government is a third level of government created by the Provincial government.
- Eg. City of Winnipeg (Mayor and his caucus)
3) Party System
- most representatives of any level of government belong to a political party
- Political Party: group of people who have common beliefs, ideas and plans
- About the best way to govern (ideology)
- E.G. Liberals, PC, NDP, Bloc Quebecois, Green Party
Representative Democracy
- democracy means that the people govern the nation (after direct democracy in ancient Greece)
- citizens give power to elected officials who act on their behalf, ‘known as…
- representative democracy
Assignment
p. 239 # 2 (A), 3
p. 242 # 4-6 (all)
p.248 #8,9