Podcast
Questions and Answers
What year did Canada achieve confederation and the establishment of two levels of government?
What year did Canada achieve confederation and the establishment of two levels of government?
Who has the formal role as the head of state in Canada?
Who has the formal role as the head of state in Canada?
What is the primary function of the Senate in Canada's legislative process?
What is the primary function of the Senate in Canada's legislative process?
What is the maximum number of justices that can serve on the Supreme Court of Canada?
What is the maximum number of justices that can serve on the Supreme Court of Canada?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT part of the legislative branch in Canada?
Which of the following is NOT part of the legislative branch in Canada?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of bill is primarily proposed by the Cabinet and has government funding?
What type of bill is primarily proposed by the Cabinet and has government funding?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the first step in the House of Commons bill process?
What is the first step in the House of Commons bill process?
Signup and view all the answers
How many judges sit on the Supreme Court of Canada?
How many judges sit on the Supreme Court of Canada?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary role of lobbyists in the legislative process?
What is the primary role of lobbyists in the legislative process?
Signup and view all the answers
Which type of bill is primarily proposed by individual MPs and affects specific groups?
Which type of bill is primarily proposed by individual MPs and affects specific groups?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a major disadvantage of the First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system?
What is a major disadvantage of the First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the Federal Accountability Act require lobbyists to do?
What does the Federal Accountability Act require lobbyists to do?
Signup and view all the answers
In what way can the media impact the political landscape?
In what way can the media impact the political landscape?
Signup and view all the answers
What is misleading content?
What is misleading content?
Signup and view all the answers
Who ultimately represents the monarch in Canada?
Who ultimately represents the monarch in Canada?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following best describes the role of the legislative branch?
Which of the following best describes the role of the legislative branch?
Signup and view all the answers
Which content type is characterized by the impersonation of a genuine source?
Which content type is characterized by the impersonation of a genuine source?
Signup and view all the answers
What should be the primary goal of a political party's platform?
What should be the primary goal of a political party's platform?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Canadian Government Structure
- Canada's government is governed by the British North America Act, establishing a federal and provincial system with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
Executive Branch
- The Prime Minister (PM) holds significant power, though the Queen is the formal head of state.
- The PM leads a cabinet of ministers, developing and proposing legislation.
- The PM appoints cabinet ministers and other key positions.
- The Prime Minister's Office is a vital part of the executive branch, often acting as a biased (partisan) source of influence.
Legislative Branch
- Also known as Parliament, it includes the House of Commons, the Senate, and the Governor General.
- The House of Commons has elected Members of Parliament (MPs) representing specific constituencies.
- MPs debate and vote on bills proposed by the cabinet, working to represent their constituents.
- The House of Commons operates bilingually and represents regions proportionally based on population.
- The Senate is comprised of appointed Senators and represents regional interests, second-guessing/reviewing bills originating in the House of Commons.
Judicial Branch
- The judicial branch consists of various courts (provincial, federal, tax, supreme).
- It interprets and applies laws, safeguarding rights and providing final judgment on legal cases.
- The Supreme Court of Canada, established in 1875, replaced the Privy Council and became Canada’s highest appeal court.
- The court has 9 judges (justices), with representation from various regions, and justices serve until age 75 with a minimum of 10 years of prior court experience.
- The Governor General appoints justices through an advisory process with the PM and Cabinet.
- Courts are closed during the summer months.
Bill Process (Legislation)
- Bills originate in the House of Commons, progressing through stages: first reading (introduction), second reading (debate), committee stage (amendments), report stage (report on amendments), and third reading (final debate and vote).
- Senate follows a similar process, potentially proposing amendments to House bills.
- Bills require Royal Assent (approval by the Governor General) to become law.
Types of Bills
- Public bills, initiated by the government, impact the public (e.g., healthcare).
- Private member bills, introduced by individual MPs or Senators, affect specific groups.
- Private bills are proposed by petitions, impacting only those directly concerned.
Electoral System
- Canada utilizes the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system for elections, with a party winning a majority of seats forming the government.
- Other systems like Proportional Representation aim for a more accurate representation but may lack stability.
Lobbyists
- Lobbyists aim to influence MPs on bills and represent the interests of groups.
- Lobbyists are required to register with the Commissioner of Lobbying.
Federal Accountability Act (FAA)
- The FAA (2016) mandates documentation of lobbyists' contacts.
- Promotes transparency in lobbying procedures.
Media and Politics
- The Parliamentary Press Gallery provides diverse media coverage of parliament activities.
- Media plays a role in presenting politicians and their policies.
- Attack and political advertisements are part of the political process.
Mis/Disinformation
- Mis/disinformation involves false or misleading information, including fabricated, manipulated, imposter, misleading, false context, parody, and deepfake content.
Glossary
- Key terms related to government, governance, and political processes are defined.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Explore the intricacies of the Canadian government structure established by the British North America Act. This quiz covers the roles of the executive and legislative branches, including the Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, and the House of Commons. Test your knowledge on how these components work together to govern Canada.