Political Culture: Canada Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Political Culture

• Canadian political culture is based in liberal democratic values
• Canadian political culture is shaped by regional diversity
• Canadian political culture is shaped by Indigenous worldviews
• Canadian political culture is shaped by immigration
• Tension exists between traditional values (authority and order) and postmaterialist values (identity, environment, equity)
• Regionalism and linguistic differences create distinct political identities, especially in Quebec and Western Canada
• Political alienation is increasing, especially among young people, marginalized groups, and rural communities
• Political culture includes shared values, beliefs, and attitudes toward politics
• Liberalism includes the dominant ideology emphasizing individual rights and limited government
• Postmaterialism is a shift toward values like identity, environment, and quality of life
• Regionalism includes political differences based on geographic regions
• Multiculturalism includes the policy and practice of embracing cultural diversity
• National identity includes a collective sense of belonging to a nation
• Alienation includes feelings of disconnection from the political system

Chapter 7: Political Socialization and Participation

• People learn political attitudes through family
• People learn political attitudes through education
• People learn political attitudes through media
• People learn political attitudes through peers
• People learn political attitudes through personal experience
• Political participation in Canada is uneven
• Voter turnout is lower among youth in Canada
• Voter turnout is lower among Indigenous peoples in Canada
• Voter turnout is lower among newcomers in Canada
• Digital activism has changed how people engage, especially younger generations
• Citizens often feel disengaged or distrustful of political institutions
• Disengagement highlights the need for democratic reform and civic education
• Political socialization is the process by which people acquire political knowledge, beliefs, and values
• Political efficacy is the belief that one can influence political processes
• Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast ballots in an election
• Non-electoral participation includes engagement beyond voting, such as protests and petitions
• Civic education is formal and informal teaching about political systems and participation
• Digital activism consists of using online platforms for political engagement

Chapter 17: The Bureaucracy

• Public service plays a key role in policy development
• Public service plays a key role in policy implementation
• Public service plays a key role in administration
• Bureaucrats are expected to be non-partisan
• Bureaucrats work closely with political executives (ministers)
• There is an ongoing tension between neutral expertise and political responsiveness
• Reforms like New Public Management aim to make bureaucracy more efficient
• New Public Management sometimes reduces transparency and public accountability
• Crown corporations and agencies perform functions that blur public/private lines
• There are questions about control and oversight of Crown corporations
• Bureaucracy includes the administrative structure of the government, staffed by civil servants
• Public service/civil service refers to non-elected officials who implement government policies
• Ministerial responsibility is the principle that ministers are accountable for their departments
• New Public Management is a reform approach focused on efficiency, privatization, and accountability
• Policy implementation is the process of putting government decisions into effect
• Crown corporations are government-owned businesses or enterprises

Chapter 18: Parliamentary Institutions

• Canada's Parliament consists of the House of Commons (elected)
• Canada's Parliament consists of the Senate (appointed)
• Canada's Parliament consists of the Crown (symbolic/executive)
• The Canadian system is highly centralized
• Real power is concentrated in the executive (Prime Minister and Cabinet)
• Party discipline limits the independence of MPs
• Most legislation is driven by the executive branch
• Confidence votes give the executive control over Parliament
• Prorogation gives the executive control over Parliament
• Senate reform is a major topic of debate
• Critics argue the Senate lacks legitimacy and regional fairness
• Parliament includes the legislative branch of government (House of Commons, Senate, Crown)
• The House of Commons is the elected lower chamber of Parliament
• The Senate is the appointed upper chamber of Parliament
• A confidence vote determines whether a government continues to govern
• Party discipline includes the expectation that MPs vote with their party
• Private members' bills come from legislation introduced by MPs not in Cabinet
• Executive dominance occurs when the executive (PM and Cabinet) has strong control over Parliament

Chapter 22: Indigenous Politics

• Indigenous peoples in Canada have distinct legal and political traditions
• These traditions predate Confederation
• Colonial policies aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples
• The Indian Act aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples
• Residential schools aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples
• Colonial policies caused long-term harm
• Legal changes recognize Indigenous rights and title
• Section 35 of the Constitution recognizes Indigenous rights and title
• Delgamuukw court decisions recognize Indigenous rights and title
• The path forward involves reconciliation
• The path forward involves self-government
• The path forward involves nation-to-nation relationships
• Many Indigenous leaders call for institutional reforms
• Institutional reforms should respect Indigenous sovereignty
• Institutional reforms should decolonize Canadian governance
• Self-government is Indigenous peoples' right to govern their own affairs
• Treaty rights are legal rights guaranteed to Indigenous peoples through treaties
• The Indian Act is federal legislation governing many aspects of Indigenous life
• Section 35 is part of the Constitution Act, 1982 that affirms Indigenous rights
• Reconciliation is the process of addressing past harms and building respectful relationships
• Decolonization involves undoing colonial systems and restoring Indigenous autonomy
• A nation-to-nation relationship is a political relationship based on equality between Indigenous nations and the Canadian state