Civics Unit 2 : Be Engaged

Federal Government in Action • Civics Unit 2: Be Engaged

Time to rant… • How Parliament Works… • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aealt-etGVs

The role of parliament… • A little bit of context about Rick’s rant… • Your thoughts? What is the role of parliament?

Federalism (Review) Federalism refers to a system where the government is divided into different levels. Different powers and responsibilities are divided among these levels. Canada has a Federal System of Government. Powers and responsibilities are divided between the following levels of government: • Federal (all of Canada) • Provincial (Ontario) • Municipal (Mississippi Mills) Video: Who Does What?

The Federal Government: Structure The federal government (national) can be divided into three branches: • Legislative: Creates new laws, is composed of the House of Commons and Senate. Together, they comprise our Federal Parliament.

The Federal Government: Structure • Executive: Executes laws and makes important policy decisions; is composed of the Cabinet and the Civil Service. http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/harper-s-talk-of-renewal-generational-change-masks-status-quo-1.1368912

The Federal Government: STructure • Judicial: Evaluates laws through court cases; is composed of the Supreme Court of Canada and lower courts

1. Queen: Queen Elizabeth II 2. Governor General: David Johnston 3. Prime Minister: Stephen Harper 4. Senate: various (includes Mike Duffy & Pamela Wallin) 5. House of Commons: 308 Members of Parliament (including Gordon O’Connor for Carleton-Mississippi Mills) http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/senatoreugeneforsey/inside_view/puzzle_content-e.html

Legislative: How it Works • The House of Commons is comprised of elected representatives known as Members of Parliament. • Members of Parliament are elected from ridings across Canada. • A riding is an electoraldistrict (an area of land with a specific population). • One Member of Parliament (MP) is elected from each riding. • Question: Who is your MP? • Answer: Gordon O’Connor

Legislative: How it Works • The amount of ridings in Canada varies as the population increases. • Currently, there are 308 ridings and therefore 308 Members of Parliament. • (The changes here represent new ridings added in 2004.) http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=his&document=chap4&lang=e

Legislative: How it Works • Any citizen of Canada eligible to vote and not incarcerated may run for a seat in the House of Commons. • Once elected, a Member of Parliament serves until the next election, unless he or she resigns or dies. • If this is the case, a by-election will be held.

Legislative: How it Works • Members of Parliament usually belong to a political party (ex. Conservatives). • After an election, the Governor General asks the leader of the political party that has the most MPs to form the federal government. • The leader of that political party becomes the Prime Minister.

Legislative: How it Works • If the political party asked to form the government has more than 50% of the seats in the House of Commons, the government is a majority government. • Advantage: many bills turn into laws quickly; efficient; things get done • Disadvantage: government acts without the input of other political parties http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/senatoreugeneforsey/inside_view/pm_challenge_content-e.html

Legislative: How it Works • If the political party asked to form the government has less than 50% of the seats in the House of Commons, the government is a minority government. • Advantage: ruling political party has to compromise to pass bills (opinions of various parties are considered) • Disadvantage: often very little is accomplished; more than likely another election will be needed.

Legislative: How it Works • See animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G_ro-EhW4c

House of Commons 2014 Which party has the most seats? Does this party have a majority or a minority government? Which province has the best representation? Is this fair?

Legislative: How it Works • If a minority government attempts to pass a major bill, such as a budget, it is often referred to as a confidence vote. • If the bill does not pass (ie. a vote of non-confidence), an election must be called. • A majority or minority government must call an election after five years in power. • It is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to call an election. • Next federal election: October 19, 2015

Legislative: How it Works • There are a number of important people in the House of Commons: • Prime Minister: The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that forms the government. • The Prime Minister appoints cabinet ministers and often gets to speak in the House of Commons.

Legislative: How it Works • Leader of the Official Opposition: leader of the political party that has the second most votes in the House of Commons. • The Leader of the Official Opposition selects the shadow cabinet and often gets to speak in the House of Commons. When Jack Layton died in August, 2011, Thomas Mulclair was replaced as the Leader of the NDP, and therefore the Leader of the Official Opposition.

Legislative: How it Works • Speaker: selected by secret ballot after an election. • The speaker is elected from among the MPs. • The speaker moderates debates in the House of Commons. • The speaker tells a MP when he/she can speak & can also discipline MPs. • The speaker is supposed to remain unbiased. • The current Speaker is Andrew Scheer, the youngest person to serve in this capacity in Canada.

Legislative: How it Works • Leader of the Government in the House of Commons: selected by the Prime Minister and is a member of the Cabinet. • He or she organizes the schedule for the House of Commons and also attempts to gain opposition support for government bills. Peter Van Loan

Legislative: How it Works • Whips: • Whips are from all political parties and ensure that MPs are “towing the party line” (in other words, voting with the political party) • If MPs do not vote with their political parties, they usually will not rise in the party or can even be expelled from the party • Thus, most MPs have very little political freedom when voting on bills.

Legislative: How it Works • There are also less important people in the House of Commons: • Backbenchers: MPs that do not hold important positions (they rarely get a chance to speak) • Pages: young people who transport messages • Sergeant at Arms: carries in the ceremonial mace; responsible for security (currently Kevin M. Vickers)

http://www.parl.gc.ca

Legislative: How it Works • The Parliament also includes various committees that examine specific issues or bills. • Committees can have enormous influence on the passage and writing of bills. • Committees can be composed of MPs, but are usually composed of Cabinet Ministers.

Legislative: How it Works • During a sitting, the House of Commons MPs may only speak if called upon by the Speaker. • There are time limits imposed on speeches and MPs are supposed to only speak once on a specific question. • An MP can address the House of Commons in English or French.

Legislative: How it Works • Traditionally, a comment is addressed to the Speaker “Mr. Speaker ….” • MPs do not refer to one another by name but rather by the Honourable Member for (riding) or the Cabinet Minister for (position). • Votes are usually conducted orally by yea or nay (for or against) the particular motion. • Watch Question Period - CPAC

Legislative: How it Works • The Senate is also part of our Canadian Parliament (legislative branch). • Senators are appointed by the Prime Minister for life. • The Senate may debate and amend bills from the House of Commons, but rarely does the Senate veto a bill sent by the House of Commons, as the Senate is unelected.

Legislative: How it Works • The last time the Senate vetoed a bill from the House of Commons was in 1991. • There are calls across Canada to reform or eliminate the Senate. • Some provinces have passed laws to elect Senators from their provinces.

Executive: How it works

How a Bill Becomes a Law…

How a Bill becomes a law… • How a Bill Becomes a Law - See animation: http://www.parl.gc.ca/about/parliament/senatoreugeneforsey/inside_view/follow_bill-e.html

Judicial: How it works • The judicial branch of Federal Government is composed of the Supreme Court and other lower courts.

Judicial: How it Works • The Supreme Court is composed of nine justices. • These justices are appointed by the Prime Minister and hold their positions until the age of 75. • 3 of the 9 justices must be from Quebec. • All must have been members of the bar for at least ten years.

Judicial: How it Works • Though courts cannot create legislation, they can evaluate legislation. • If the court rules a law contrary to the Constitution of Canada, that law can no longer be enforced.

Civics Unit 2 : Be Engaged