Canadian Citizenship Preparation

CourseWeek 4

▪ Canadian Discoveries▪ How Canadian govern themselves▪ The responsibilities of the governments▪ How a bill becomes law▪ Canada’s system of government

Topics

▪ How Canadian govern themselves

KEY facts about the Canada’s System of Government

Canada is a ….

▪ Federal State▪ Parliamentary Democracy ▪ Constitutional Monarchy

KEY facts about the Canada’s System of Government

▪ Parliamentary Democracy: or cabinet government a) The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are top executives, but they are Members of Parliament.b) The Head of the government and the state are different people. c) The Prime Minister is the leader of a political party that has won the majority of seats during an election. d) The House of Commons represent Canadian voters, as they are elected members. e) Senators are appointed.

KEY facts about the Canada’s System of Government

▪ Constitutional Monarchy a) Has a constitution.b) A constitution is a basic set of laws by which people are governed.c) Canada’s Constitution called the “Canada Act” became law in 1982.

A) Federal State

▪ Three levels of government:

-federal, -provincial OR territorial, and -municipal as per the 1867 British North America Act (known as

The Constitution Act)

▪ Federal government

a) responsible for national and internal affairs:-defence-foreign policy-interprovincial trade & communications-currency-navigation-criminal law -……………………..???

▪ Provincial or Territorial government

a) responsible for:-municipal-education-health-natural resources-property & civil rights-highways

b) the Federal government gives the P& T gov. flexibility to experiment new pol. within the law.

▪ Provincial or Territorial government

a) responsible for:-municipal-education-health-natural resources-property & civil rights-highways

b) the Federal government gives the P& T gov. flexibility to experiment new pol. within the law.

▪ Municipal government

a) responsible for:-public transit -fire services, -policing and programs at community centres, -libraries -pools

▪ SHARED Federal / Provincial & Territorial

-agriculture-immigration

B) Parliamentary Democracy

▪ Means that “the people elect members to the House of Commons in Canada, and to the provincial and territorial legislatures”

▪ The representatives are responsible for: -passing laws, -approving and monitoring expenditures,and, -keeping the government accountable.

C) Constitutional Monarchy

See Handout 8- Follow the instructions

Canadian Citizenship Preparation

CourseWeek 4