Electoral Systems and Democracy

When individuals are presented with limited options, often designed to favor specific outcomes. These options might appear diverse but are carefully curated to align with the interests of the government or other powerful entities.

Power that operates on multiple levels, influencing not only actions but also thoughts and perceptions. This includes "structural power" (shaped by social arrangements) and "discursive power" (shaping beliefs and preferences).

The ability to shape perceptions, beliefs, and preferences through language, narratives, and media. It influences how we understand the world and what we consider acceptable or desirable.

Traditional expectations and beliefs about how men and women should behave. These norms can limit opportunities and perpetuate inequalities, often through subtle influences rather than explicit coercion.

The supreme power or authority within a territory or over a group of people. It signifies the right to govern, make decisions, and control resources.

A historical legal principle used by European powers to justify claiming land inhabited by indigenous peoples. It asserted that European discovery gave them ownership rights, even if the land was already occupied.

The inherent right of indigenous peoples to self-determination, governance, and control over their lands, resources, and cultures. It exists beyond national boundaries and emphasizes principles of reciprocity and sustainability.

A formal agreement between two or more parties, often nations or groups, that outlines rights, obligations, and responsibilities.

Changes made to election processes to improve their transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability. It aims to ensure fair and democratic elections.

The right of all citizens to vote, with few or no limitations on participation. It ensures everyone has a voice in elections.

Elections where all citizens can freely and fairly participate without coercion, interference, or fraud. Key features include universal suffrage, free speech, open critique of the government, and neutral oversight.

A voting system where individuals cast their ballots privately and confidentially, preventing coercion and manipulation.

A system designed to produce a winner with a clear majority, often resulting in a disproportionate translation of votes to seats. Examples include 'winner take all' systems.

A landmark Canadian court ruling that struck down a law prohibiting abortion, recognizing it as a fundamental right tied to security of the person under section 7 of the Charter.

This case explored the constitutionality of private entities having policing powers, specifically for investigations and arrests. The courts ultimately ruled that it doesn't violate the Charter but raised concerns about transparency and accountability.

This case ruled that confessions obtained through 'Mr. Big' operations are usually inadmissible unless their probative value outweighs their prejudicial nature and the operation didn't involve coercion or abuse.

This legal concept refers to the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples to their traditional territories, based on their historical occupation and use of the land. It's recognized by the Canadian legal system.

This Supreme Court of Canada case significantly impacted the understanding of Aboriginal Title. It ruled that the Crown had an obligation to negotiate with Indigenous peoples over their traditional territories and affirmed the validity of oral history and knowledge as evidence.

This concept refers to the implicit agreement between the public service and the government, where the public service provides impartial and professional advice in exchange for autonomy and stability.

This is an ideology that emphasizes free markets, privatization, deregulation, and individual responsibility. It has influenced public policy and the transformation of bureaucracies.

This approach to public administration emphasizes efficiency, performance measurement, and market-based principles, aiming to improve the delivery of public services.

A course of action chosen by public authorities to address a problem or set of problems, affecting the lives of citizens.

A multi-step process involving setting priorities, developing solutions, making decisions, implementing actions, and evaluating outcomes.

Non-partisan employees working in government departments and agencies, dedicated to serving the public.

To provide impartial advice to political leaders and implement policies while adhering to the law and constitution.

An ideal model for government organization emphasizing efficiency, hierarchy, expertise, and job security.

Public servants who gather data, research trends, and provide expert advice to assist in policy development.

The collective effort of public servants in government departments and agencies, responsible for delivering public services to citizens.

The methods used to translate votes into seats in a legislature. This determines how a country's government is formed and how much power different parties have.

A system where the number of seats a party wins in the legislature reflects the percentage of votes they received. This ensures representation for smaller parties and increases the diversity of views.

A blend of majoritarian and proportional representation methods. This allows for the advantages of both systems, reducing the disadvantages of each while providing a more balanced representation of the electorate.

Formal Agreements between Indigenous nations and the Canadian government. These treaties define land rights, resource access, and other rights for Indigenous Peoples.

A historical agreement or understanding between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe people. It emphasizes the responsibility to share and care for the land and resources.

A symbol of the historical alliance between the Haudenosaunee and the Dutch, later adopted by other Indigenous nations. It emphasizes the principle of walking side-by-side, respecting distinct paths and cultures.

A decree issued by King George III of England. It recognized Indigenous title to their lands and sought to regulate the relationship between settlers and Indigenous Peoples.

A system where the number of seats a party wins in an election is proportional to the percentage of votes they receive. This encourages representation of a wider range of political views.

A government formed when no single party wins a majority of seats in an election, so multiple parties cooperate to form a government. This can lead to political compromises and a broader range of perspectives in decision-making.

A system used in the US to elect the President, where each state has electors based on its number of senators and representatives. The candidate who wins the popular vote in a state generally wins all of that state's electors.

A historical agreement in the US Constitution that counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of determining a state's representation in the House of Representatives. This gave Southern states more power despite enslaved people not having voting rights.

A landmark law passed in 1965 to prevent racial discrimination in voting. It made it illegal for states to use practices like literacy tests or poll taxes to deny people the right to vote.

Laws that require voters to show photo identification at the polls. Critics argue these laws are designed to suppress voter turnout, particularly among marginalized communities.

Recent legislation passed in Georgia that made it more difficult for people to vote, including restrictions on early voting, absentee voting, and the distribution of food and water at polling sites. These changes were sparked by false claims about election fraud.

The Electoral College disproportionately favors smaller states with less diverse populations over larger states with more minority voters. This effectively gives those smaller states more political influence per capita.

These are barriers that lack formal legal restrictions but still make voting harder for certain groups. Examples include limited access to polling places, lack of transportation, and misinformation.

Different electoral systems have different impacts on how well diverse groups are represented in government. Proportional systems are generally viewed as more inclusive, while majoritarian systems can lead to dominance by a single party.