Foundations of the Canadian Government

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Foundations of the Canadian Government
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Canadian Government

• Canadas government can be described as having
  four features
• Representative Democracy
• Constitutional Monarchy
• Federal System
• (Multi) Party System

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Representative Democracy

• Demo people cracy power to rule/govern
• 2 kinds
• Direct citizens vote in referenda (to make
  decisions)
• Originated in Ancient Greece (everyone involved)
• Representative people vote to choose their
  leaders, and the leaders make decisions for them.
  
• Governments are accountable to the people.

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2011 Election
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House of Commons seats distribution
Majority Government
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2008 Election
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2008 Election
143 77 49 37 2
Conservative Liberal BQ NDP I
2006 Election
124 103 51 29 1
Conservative Liberal BQ NDP I

• Minority government is a cabinet of a
  parliamentary
• system formed when the governing political party
  does not have
• a majority (155) of the overall seats (308) in
  the parliament.

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Voter Turnout at Federal Elections (2008 1974)
Year Voter turnout percentage
2011 61
2008 59
2006 64
2004 60
2000 64
1997 67
1993 70
1988 75
1984 75
1980 69
1979 75
1974 71
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2008 Election - Match the leader
a. Michael Ignatieff Liberal Party
b. Elizabeth May Green Party
c. Stephen Harper Prime Minister (Conservative)
d. Homer J. Simpson Duff Beer Party of Springfield
e. Cristy Clark B.C. Premier (Liberal)
f. Jack Layton NDP
g. Gilles Duceppe Bloc Québécois
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7
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David Johnston Canadas New Governor General

• Replaced Michelle Jean as Governor General in
  September 2010.
• Former President of the University of Waterloo
• Harvard and Cambridge University graduate
• Taught law at Queens University
• Author of several books

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Federal System

• Three levels of government
• Federal (most power)
• Provincial
• Municipal
• All levels of government can make laws, but the
  Federal government prevails when the laws are in
  conflict.
• Residual Powers Decision making not in the 1867
  constitution given to the Federal government.
  (Example Internet, Air Traffic Control)

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Constitutional Monarchy

• Head of state is Queen Elizabeth II
• Monarchs power is limited by a constitution.
• Monarch is a figurehead. (mainly symbolic)
• Represented by the Governor General
• Country is led by a prime minister, not a
  president.

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Queen Elizabeth II
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Federal System Power is divided between levels
of government.
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(Multi) Party System

• Party system means that Canada has several
  political parties.
• Is this the same as China?
• A political party is a group of people who have
  common beliefs, ideas and plans about the best
  way to govern a country.
• Political ideology Is based on a common set of
  beliefs.

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Party SystemCanadas major political parties
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Registered Political Parties of Canada

• 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
• Neo-Rhino
• Newfoundland and Labrador First Party
• People's Political Power Party of Canada
• Progressive Canadian Party
• Western Block Party
• Work Less Party

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Prime Minister Stephen Harper
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Premier Wen Jiabao Prime Minister Stephen Harper