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Politics Week 6
Politics Week 6
•Fixed-date election law – prescribes that general elections be held on a particular date,
typically every four years
•House of Commons
-Represents the “common people”
-Supervising and holding to account the executive
-Passing laws and resolutions to govern the country
-Representing Canadians when debating pressing political issues of the day
The Composition of Legislatures
•Manufactured majorities – governing party’s share of the popular vote is less than 50%
(have a democratic society, but doesn’t seem fair to the ones who lose)
-Minority government – cabinet consists of members from only one political party
Party Discipline:
-Party whip – individual member responsible for ensuring caucus members toe the party
line
•Each session begins with throne speech, includes presentation of the budget and
budget estimates, and ends with prorogation or dissolution
Daily Business
Creating Laws
•Laws are created, changed, and repealed after public debate and scrutiny
-Private bills
-Public bills
-Government bills
-Money bills
-Private members’ bills
-Omnibus legislation