Chapter One: Issues for Canadians-

Governance and Rights

Social Studies
Grade 9
Notes
 The Cabinet
• The Cabinet is a group of elected members chosen
by the Prime Minister from the majority party in the
House of Commons. (Other wise known as a
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT)
• The members of the Cabinet are called ministers.
• A minister is the leader of a government
department.
• Quite often the Minister is given a department he
knows very little about so a Deputy Minister helps
him to run it.
 The Cabinet
• Each province must be represented by one minister.
• Large provinces will have more than one minister.
• The cabinet ministers and Prime Minister must work
together as a team.
• They make important decisions that will affect the
entire country.
• They decide which laws will be passed and whether
the country will be at peace or at war.
 The Cabinet
• They also decide how the country’s money will be
spent.
• The Prime Minister and the Cabinet can raise and
lower our taxes as well.
• The Cabinet ministers must agree on and defend all
policies made by the Cabinet.
• If a Cabinet minister cannot support the policy he
may resign or be asked to resign by the Prime
Minister.
Canada’s Parliament: Legislative Branch
• Parliament is the national government of
Canada.
• It is made up of the crown, the Senate and
the House of Commons.
• The Senate is often referred to as the Upper
House and the House of Commons is called
the Lower House.
 The Senate
• The Senate is a group of men and women
appointed by the Governor General on the
advice of the Prime Minister.
• A Senator must be at least 30 years old and
own property worth $4000.00 and he/she
must live in the province or territory for which
he/she was appointed.
• A senator must retire at the age of 75.
 The Senate
• Senators carefully examine each bill passed by
the House of Commons.
• The Senate can pass or ammend any bill it
examines.
• The Senate also investigates and writes
reports on problems dealing with poverty,
unemployment, old age, use of land and
Native affairs.
 The House of Commons
• Members of the House are elected by the
people during an election.
• The House of Commons seats 338 members.
• A Member of parliament can serve for five
years.
• Each session of Parliament begins with the
Speech from the Throne.
• Parliament sits for 27 weeks of the year.
 The House of Commons
• The sittings of parliament begin in September
and end in June.
• Parliament has recesses so the Members of
Parliament can work in their regions or
ridings.
• Each sitting in Parliament is organized and
each day it has an agenda.
 The House of Commons
• On the agenda will be:
– Routine business
– Committee reports
– Recording documents
– Minister’s statements
– Presentation of petitions
– Introduction of bills (laws)
– Debating legislation (laws)
 The House of Commons
• The best part of each day’s sitting is the
question period.
• Members of the House enjoy question period
because they can ask the Minister all kinds of
questions about their departments and
policies.
• The Speaker of the House makes sure the
Members of the House follow parliamentary
rules and behave themselves in the House.
 The House of Commons
1. Speaker
2. Pages
3. Government Members
4. Opposition Members
5. Prime Minister
6. Leader of the Opposition
7. Leader of the Second largest party in Opposition
8. Clerk and Table Officers
9. Mace
10. Hansard Reporters
 The House of Commons
11. Sergeant in Arms
12. The Bar
13. Interpreters
14. Press Gallery
15. Public Gallery
16. Official Gallery
17. Leader of the Opposition's Gallery
18. MP’s Gallery
19. MP’s Gallery
20. MP’s Gallery
21. Speaker’s Gallery
22. Senate Gallery
 National Political Parties
• Political party: a group of people who believe in
the same policies towards governing a country.
• Party Platform: policies and issues the party
wants to improve or introduce.
• Multi-party political platform: several parties
represent the people in the House of Commons.
• Prime Minister: leader of the party that won the
election.
 National Political Parties
• Official Opposition: party with the second largest number
of seats.
• Leader of the Opposition: leader of the party with the
second largest number of seats.
• Grits: another name for Liberals
• Tories: another name for the Conservative Party of Canada
• Four Main Political Parties found in Canada’s Government:
– Conservative Party of Canada (142 Seats)
– Liberal Party (76 Seats)
– The Bloc Quebecois (47 Seats)
– The New Democratic Party (36 Seats)
How Political Parties Are Organized
• A political party is made up of individual
members, organizations and associations and
party chieftains.
• These people are found at the local, provincial
and national levels of any party.
• The local poll association and the party
members are called the ‘machine.’
• As soon as an election is called they are ready
to work.
How Political Parties Are Organized
• The local poll association comes in direct
contact with the voters in the constituency.
• These people knock on doors, promote party
members, give out campaign information, talk
to people and put up party signs in the
community.
• On election day they watch what is happening
at the polling stations.
How Political Parties Are Organized
• Political parties hold large meetings or
conventions every year.
• At these meetings they promote party morale,
to bring together elected members, party
officials and representatives of the people.
• The party’s platform and its policies are
formed at the convention.
How Political Parties Are Organized
• An election campaign costs a party millions of
dollars.
• Money is donated to the party’s ‘war chest’ to
pay for printing expenses, transportation and
radio and television programs.
• Members of the party, people in industry,
business, trade unions and wealthy people
donate money to the party’s ‘war chest’.
How Political Parties Are Organized
• A party is doomed if it doesn’t have a good
leader.
• The party leader is the party’s symbol.
• A good party leader must have nerves of steel,
be able to feel the mood of the people, is
flexible and stays calm during stressful times.
 The Opposition Party
1. It has the second largest number of seats in
the House of commons.
2. Liberal Party
3. To keep the government in check.
4. To keep the government in check.
5. The Oppisiton Party enjoys the Question
Period. During this period the Opposition can
ask the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
ministers questions on issues and bills.
 The Opposition Party
• The party in power is kept in line by:
– News Media
– Pressure Groups/Lobbyists
– The Court System
– Opposition Parties