LEVELS of GOVERNMENT !

1. LEVELS ofGOVERNMENT! FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL, & MUNICIPAL and ABORIGINAL

2. What is it responsible for? FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Parliament: this is the collective term for all MPs and Senate members It has two parts: House of commons for elected members Senate for appointed positions

3. 1. House of Commons2. Prime Minister3. The Cabinet4. Back Benchers5. Leader of the Opposition6. Shadow Cabinet7. Speaker of the House8. Civil Servants

4. House of Commons • This is where members of parliament present new bills to be evaluated and voted on in order to pass them into laws. (budgets, marriage, military action…) • In order for a Government to function it must have the support of ½ the ridings. This is easy if you have a majority government (think party solidarity) not so easy if it’s a minority government. Prime Minister The Cabinet • Spokes person for the nation • Leader of the government • Select MPs to cabinet (Patronage) • Shuffle Cabinet if MPs are failing to perform • The Prime Minister appoints MPs to positions of power. • Approx. 30 Cabinet post look after the major issues in Canada = portfolio • Foreign affairs, environment, defense, aboriginal affairs… • The cabinet is expected to fully support the Prime Minister

5. Back Benchers Leader of the Opposition • MP’s without a specific Portfolio The leader of the party with the second most votes is expected to organized and vocalize criticism of the Prime Minister and his policies Shadow Cabinet • The leader of the opposition organizes MPs to follow cabinets Ministers and critique their work. Speaker of the House • This MP is elected by the House to act as referee during the sitting of the legislature. Civil Service/Bureaucracy • Public servants who represent the link between Canadian citizens and the government. Perform day to day work. • The most senior public servants (DEPUTY MINISTERS) play a large role in advising ministers and even helping to draft new laws.

6. The Senate – appointed not elected • Purpose of the Senate: • To review the bills passed in the House of Commons • All bills must pass in the senate before becoming law • In reality the senate acts as a review of the bills language and seldom rejects a bill passed by the House of Commons • Issues with the senate: • Of the 105 senators 48 come from Quebec • They lack an form of qualification • Are often appointed due to patronage instead of ability • As Canada’s population spreads out from Central Canada other provinces see the Senate as unbalanced.

7. A Triple-E Senate • Elected (get rid of patronage) • Equal (no voting on party lines. Solidarity carries into the Senate) – • Effective: give it more than a rubber stamp.

8. A Vote of Non- Confidence • If the Prime Minister presents a bill (such as a budget) and it does not pass it is said that he/she has lost the confidence of the government and can no longer effectively run the country. • The Opposition will then call for a new election and the government will be dissolved • Unheard of in a Majority government, but can happen with a Minority Government. • (King /Bing 208, focus question & m/c #1)

9. Provincial Our provincial Government is very similar in structure and operation to the federal level of Government. The provincial government also has 3 branches: legislative, executive and judicial.

10. British Columbia’s Legislative Branch • The Legislative Assembly is similar to the HOC. It is presided over by a speaker (chosen MP) who ensures parliamentary rules are upheld. • Members of the Legislative Assembly are almost always members of a political party (however they could be independently elected in their riding). They are elected for a maximum five year term. • An election can be held at any time, by the Lieutenant Governor on the recommendation of the Premier.

11. British Columbia’s Legislative Branch • After an election the Lieutenant Governor calls the leader of the political party with the most seats in the Legislature to form a government and so become Premier. • The elected members of the largest non-government party becomes the official opposition. • A new session of the Legislature must be held at least once a year. The opening of the Legislature begins with the Speech from the Throne.

12. Passing Legislation • Cabinet reviews proposed law (often suggested by a ministry) Once Cabinet has reviewed the law it chooses one of 3 options. • 1.The Cabinet might adopt the proposal as a government policy. Proposals adopted as policy affect only day to day internal government operations. • 2. The Cabinet can pass an order-in-council as a result of powers granted in specific statutes. • 3. Propose a law by introducing a bill in the Legislature. A provincial bill, must go through the same stages as a Federal bill to become a law.

13. BC’s Legislative Branch • At the Committee of the Whole House, the MLA’s consider each section of the bill in detail, passing, amending or rejecting each one separately. Any changes are incorporated in a reprinting of the bill before it is read and voted on during third reading. Finally if it is passed, the bill goes to the Lieutenant Governor for Royal Assent.

14. Municipal Governments

15. Municipal Governments • Essential extensions of the provincial/ territorial governments. • Why? • Upper tier municipalities include regions, counties, districts and are headed by a CHAIR or WARDEN • Can you name a few? • Lower Tier municipalities exist within an upper tier include cities, towns, townships, and municipalities are headed by a Mayor. • Responsibilities vary from region to region.

16. Leaders & Rules Leaders: Mayor and Council. Also supported by a City Manager. Roles: The municipal government controls things like daily water supply, garbage disposal, local events, police and fire departments, etc. This is regulated under the Municipal Act of British Columbia statute which sets out the powers of municipal councils and regional districts. Municipal councils can be created, reformed and removed by the provinces.

17. Mayors and Councilmen • Elected for a fixed term, unlike MP’s and MLA’s whose terms in office depend on election dates. • Municipal council members are usually not affiliated with a traditional political party. • Some municipalities have community groups which run groups of candidates with a certain political programs these groups are called civic parties.

18. Passing By-Laws • Municipalities make By-Laws which go through a committee stage and then 3 readings. • All municipal council meetings are done publicly with members of the community present.

19. REGIONAL DISTRICTS Help coordinate nearby municipalities with many of the same interests. The CRD is an example for the Greater Victoria area.

20. OTHER LOCAL ATHORITIES School Districts: Boards are responsible for running the schools with the use of a provincially approved budget. Improvement Districts: Supply such services as water supply, fire protection, or garbage collection and disposal Improvement. Library Boards: Either local or regional libraries, funded by the provincial government and by the member boards.

21. Aboriginal Government

22. Aboriginal Government • Like us still must follow Federal and Provincial government rules, but when it comes to local level they usually operate through a BAND versus a municipal government. • A Band is typically but not always composed of a single community. • Many Bands, especially in BC, control multiple Indian Reserves • Band government is controlled by a chief councilor and council. The number of councilors is determined by the number of band members. • Take a guess at roughly how many bands there are in Canada? • Which two provinces do the majority of these bands reside? 600! BC and Ontario

23. Aboriginal Self Government • Aboriginal Peoples: • First Nations- people who live all across the country in cities, on traditional lands and on reservations • Inuit- People who live far north, share ancestors with the aboriginal peoples of Siberia, Alaska, and Greenland • Metis- people have a combination of ancestors of First nations and European origin

24. TITLES • Band Council- governing body for a band, it usually consists of a chief and councilors who are elected under the (Indian Act or Band custom) • Chief (like our version of a mayor) either elected by the people or by the hereditary line. (depends on the band) • Elder- the moral and spiritual leaders of various aboriginal communities.