What is Government?

1. What is Government? Government is the word used to describe the group of people who make the laws in a country, province or town.

2. There are many different systems of government in the world. • Monarchyis when the people are ruled by and king or queen.

3. Dictatorshipis when one person has all the power. Dictators tell people what to do, often using the police and army to enforce their wishes.

4. Anarchyis when there is no system of government in place. It is every person out for themselves – doing what they want to do, when they do it.

5. What kind of government does Canada have? • Canada is governed by a Democracy. This means that the people vote for a person to represent them and their interests and opinions in the government.

6. As well as being a democracy, Canada is also considered a Constitutional Monarchy. • A Constitutional Monarchy is where a Monarch existed and the people started to vote for their own people to represent them, but kept the Monarch on as a figurehead. • Canada used to be a colony of Great Britain. When Canada became its own country in 1867, we kept the British Monarch as our own.

7. Canada’s current Monarch is… Queen Elizabeth II

8. Check up! What system of government does Canada have? Whatis a constitutional monarchy? Who is our current monarch?

9. Even though the Queen is just a figurehead, she is still the head of the government.

10. Under the Queen is the Governor General. He is the Queen’s representative in Canada. All laws must be approved by him before they are passed. The current Governor General is the Honourable David Johnston.

11. The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons. • Within theExecutive Branchis thePrime Ministerand theCabinet. • The Cabinet is made up of Members of Parliament who are chosen by the Prime Minister to be in charge of certain areas of the government, like fisheries, or health care, or agriculture.

12. The Senate is made up of Senators who are appointed by the Prime Minister.Once a Senator is appointed, they have the job until they quit, die or have to retire at 75. • Within the Legislative Branch, there is the Senate and the House of Commons. • The House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament who are elected by the citizens of Canada. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are also Members of Parliament (MPs).

13. The Judicial Branch is made up of the Supreme Court, the Federal Court of Canada and the Provincial Courts of Canada.

14. Check up! Who is the head of Canada’s government? Who is the Queen’s representative in Canada? Who makes up the Executive Branch? How is the Prime Minister chosen? Who is the cabinet? Who makes up the legislative branch? True or False – the Prime Minister and cabinet are also MPs?

15. On May 2nd, 2011, Canadians will go to the polls to vote for the next Federal Government. • Citizens across Canada vote for the Member of Parliament who will represent them in the House of Commons.

16. Canada is divided up into Ridings or Constituencies. These ridings are based on population, not on area. • A city could have many ridings within it, while many towns and villages could all be in the same riding. • Each riding has its own Member of Parliament.

17. This map shows how many ridings are in each province.

18. Political parties are people who join together because they share the same views and ideas on how the country should be governed. • Almost all Members of Parliament belong to a Political Party.

19. There are many political parties in Canada. • Registered Political Parties • 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 • New Democratic Party • Newfoundland and Labrador First Party • People's Political Power Party of Canada • Progressive Canadian Party • Western Block Party • Work Less Party

20. But the main political parties are: The Bloc Quebecois The Conservative Party of Canada The Liberal Party of Canada The New Democratic Party

21. Voters usually vote for the candidate in their riding who belongs to the political party that they support. • If the candidate gets the most votes in their riding, then they will go to Ottawa to represent that riding as a Member of Parliament. • The leader of the political party who has the most elected Members of Parliament becomes Prime Minster.

22. The leaders of the main political parties are: • Jack Layton – New Democratic Party • Michael Ignatieff – Liberals • Stephen Harper – Conservatives • Gilles Duceppe – Bloc Quebecois

23. Check up! What is a riding? How are ridings decided? What is a political party? What are the four main political parties in Canada?

24. Oakbank is in the riding of Provencher.

25. The following are the candidates running for Member of Parliament in the riding of Provencher in 2011. Janine Gibson – Green Party of Canada Terry Hayward- Liberal Party of Canada Ric Lim – Pirate Party of Canada Al Mackling– New Democratic Party David Reimer – Christian Heritage Party of Canada Vic Toews – Conservative Party of Canada

26. Vic Toews of the Conservative Party of Canada won the last election in 2008, and is currently the Member of Parliament for the riding of Provencher. In the 2011 election he is known as the incumbent.

27. In the 2011 election, candidates who would like to run as a Member of Parliament must have nominated themselves by April 11th, 2011. To run they must have filed papers with the signatures of 50-100 constituents who support them. They also must be at least 18 years of age. Often the candidates are supported by a specific political party, who helps with fundraising and the campaign!

28. The End