Canadian GovernmentCanadian Government

Go to pg.50 in the text and copy out diagram The Government of Canada into your notes .

Canada’s Federal GovernmentCanada’s Federal Government The Monarch The Monarch The BNA (British North American) The BNA (British North American)

Act 1867, recognized the British Act 1867, recognized the British monarch as Canada’s official monarch as Canada’s official head of state. Her role is, in head of state. Her role is, in reality, only ceremonial.reality, only ceremonial.The Queen is represented in Canada by The Queen is represented in Canada by

the governor general the governor general (David Johnston)(David Johnston)Unelected head of stateUnelected head of stateDuties include: signing bills passed by Duties include: signing bills passed by Parliament, making public appearances, Parliament, making public appearances, receiving foreign heads of state, receiving foreign heads of state, ambassadors and dignitaries. He or she is ambassadors and dignitaries. He or she is supposed to act as a unifying symbol for supposed to act as a unifying symbol for

all Canadians.all Canadians.

1) Executive Branch = PM + 1) Executive Branch = PM + CabinetCabinet Prime Minister (PM)- Stephen HarperPrime Minister (PM)- Stephen Harper PM is head of Canada’s government PM is head of Canada’s government PM must be elected as a leader of his PM must be elected as a leader of his

or her political partyor her political party AND the PM must then be elected as a AND the PM must then be elected as a

member of Parliament or MP.member of Parliament or MP. The leader of the political party that The leader of the political party that

wins the most seats (election of MPs) wins the most seats (election of MPs) in the House of Commons becomes in the House of Commons becomes the PM.the PM.

The Cabinet includes people with The Cabinet includes people with responsibility for different responsibility for different departments and agencies.departments and agencies.

Members of the Cabinet are called Members of the Cabinet are called Cabinet Ministers Cabinet Ministers

The PM chooses cabinet ministers The PM chooses cabinet ministers and assigns portfolios or department.and assigns portfolios or department.

The Cabinet and the PM carry out the The Cabinet and the PM carry out the day-to-day business of the day-to-day business of the government and they propose most government and they propose most of the ideas that become laws.of the ideas that become laws.

Federal Government DepartmentsFederal Government Departments Department of :Department of :

-Fisheries & Oceans-Fisheries & Oceans

-Environment-Environment

-National Defence-National Defence

-Citizenship and -Citizenship and ImmigrationImmigration

- Human Resources- Human Resources Peter Mackay, Minster of National Defence giving an update on Canadian Forces deployment. John Baird,

Minister of the Environment (again)

2) Legislative Branch= House of 2) Legislative Branch= House of Commons + SenateCommons + Senate The House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the major law- is the major law-

making body of the governmentmaking body of the government Members of the HoC (MPs) debate, study, Members of the HoC (MPs) debate, study,

and vote on bills which becomes laws if and vote on bills which becomes laws if passed.passed.

Each elected MP represents voters of one Each elected MP represents voters of one riding or district. riding or district.

An MP’s to key responsibilities :An MP’s to key responsibilities :

a) represent their constituents (voters)a) represent their constituents (voters)

b) create effective legislation (or law) b) create effective legislation (or law)

Seats in the Seats in the House of CommonsHouse of Commons are are represented by populationrepresented by population- provinces are divided into ridings and - provinces are divided into ridings and each MP in the House of Commons is each MP in the House of Commons is elected for the riding they representelected for the riding they represent- that means that the #of seats each - that means that the #of seats each province has is directly related to the province has is directly related to the population of that provincepopulation of that province

SO, WHO WOULD HAVE THE MOST SO, WHO WOULD HAVE THE MOST SEATS?SEATS?

http://www.parl.gc.ca/SenatorsMembers/House/PartyStandings/http://www.parl.gc.ca/SenatorsMembers/House/PartyStandings/standings-e.htmstandings-e.htm

308 Seats in the 308 Seats in the House of CommonsHouse of Commons

Newfoundland & Labrador = 7 Newfoundland & Labrador = 7 Pop. 509,000Pop. 509,000 Prince Edward Island = 4 Prince Edward Island = 4 Pop. 142,000Pop. 142,000 Nova Scotia = 11Nova Scotia = 11 Pop. 942,000Pop. 942,000 New Brunswick = 10New Brunswick = 10 Pop. 751,000Pop. 751,000 Quebec = 75Quebec = 75 Pop. 7,907,400Pop. 7,907,400 Ontario = 106Ontario = 106 Pop. 13, 210,700 Pop. 13, 210,700 Manitoba = 14Manitoba = 14 Pop. 1,235,400Pop. 1,235,400 Saskatchewan = 14Saskatchewan = 14 Pop. 1,045,600Pop. 1,045,600 Alberta = 28Alberta = 28 Pop. 3,720,900Pop. 3,720,900 British Columbia = 36British Columbia = 36 Pop. 4,531,000Pop. 4,531,000 Yukon = 1Yukon = 1 Pop. 34,500Pop. 34,500 North West Territories = 1North West Territories = 1 Pop. 43,800Pop. 43,800 Nunavut = 1Nunavut = 1 Pop. 33,200Pop. 33,200TOTAL : 308TOTAL : 308 TOTAL Pop: 34,108,800 in TOTAL Pop: 34,108,800 in

CanadaCanada

Conservatives 166Conservatives 166, , NDP 103NDP 103, , Liberal 34Liberal 34, , BQ 4BQ 4, , Green Green 11http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/demo02a-eng.htm

The members of the Senate are called The members of the Senate are called Senators Unlike MPs, Senators are Senators Unlike MPs, Senators are appointed (NOT elected) by the PM.appointed (NOT elected) by the PM.

The Senate considers bills passed by The Senate considers bills passed by the House of Commonsthe House of Commons

Senators provide a second round of Senators provide a second round of study, debate and voting (sober study, debate and voting (sober second thought)second thought)

A bill cannot become a law until the A bill cannot become a law until the House of Commons AND the Senate House of Commons AND the Senate pass it.pass it.

Senators are appointed by regional divisions Senators are appointed by regional divisions within the countrywithin the country

Seats in the Senate are represented Seats in the Senate are represented regionally and equally: regionally and equally:

- 24 for Ontario- 24 for Ontario

- 24 for Quebec- 24 for Quebec

- 24 for the Maritime provinces - 24 for the Maritime provinces

- 24 for the Western provinces- 24 for the Western provinces

- 6 for Newfoundland and Labrador (joined - 6 for Newfoundland and Labrador (joined confederation in 1949 and is not assigned to confederation in 1949 and is not assigned to any region) any region)

- 1 for each of the Yukon, NWT, and - 1 for each of the Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut. Nunavut.

3) Judicial Branch = courts 3) Judicial Branch = courts (Supreme Court of Canada, Federal and Provincial courts)(Supreme Court of Canada, Federal and Provincial courts)

Includes all of Canada’s courts of lawIncludes all of Canada’s courts of law All members come from the legal All members come from the legal

professionprofession The Supreme Court is the highest The Supreme Court is the highest

court in the country and has the final court in the country and has the final say in all legal questions in the say in all legal questions in the country.country.

See Canada’s court system diagram See Canada’s court system diagram and copy into notes (pg. 66)and copy into notes (pg. 66)