Chapter 1: Canada's Government

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Government

Back 1

A team of elected and appointed officials chosen to make decisions/laws on behalf of Canadians.

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Parliament

Back 2

A place where government meets to debate current political issues and make laws.

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Politics

Back 3

Relating to government.

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Democracy

Back 4

A form of government where power lies with "the people".

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Direct Democracy

Back 5

Where everyone votes on everything.

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Representative Democracy

Back 6

Where we elect people to vote on our behalf.

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Demographic

Back 7

A portion of the population with similar characteristics.

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Federal

Back 8

Relating to the entire country

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Sovereign

Back 9

a) to be free
b) head of state (Queen)

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Campaign

Back 10

a race between candidates for elective office

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Royal Assent

Back 11

The consent granted by the Queen’s representative (Governor General or Lieutenant Governor), which serves as the Crown’s approval of a bill, thereby making it an act (law).

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Bill

Back 12

a statute in draft before it becomes law

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Constituency

Back 13

the body of voters who elect a representative for their area

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Seat (s)

Back 14

the legal right to sit as a member in a legislative or similar body

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Supreme Court

Back 15

the highest federal court in Canada

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Responsible Government

Back 16

A government system in which all people/member of government are responsible to another

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Majority Government

Back 17

A government formed when a party holds a more than 50% of seats in the House of Commons/legislature following a general election

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Minority Government

Back 18

A government formed when no party holds a clear majority of seats in the House of Commons/legislature following a general election

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Upper & Lower House

Back 19

Upper House = The Senate
Lower House = The House of Commons

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Parliament

Back 20

It is Canada's federal legislative branch. Formally, it consists of the Sovereign, the Senate, and the House of Commons.

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Triple E Senate Reform

Back 21

(Equal, Elected & Effective)

A proposed variation of reform to the current Canadian Senate, calling for senators to be elected to exercise effective powers in numbers equally representative of each province

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Vote of Non-Confidence

Back 22

A vote on a motion that indicates that the government has lost the confidence of the House if it is adopted. The government would then normally resign or request the Governor General/Lieutenant Governor to dissolve Parliament/Legislature and issue election writs.

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Monarchy

Back 23

A political system in which a state is ruled by a monarch (the queen)

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Political Party

Back 24

is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within government

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Member of Parliament

Back 25

an elected member of the House of Commons

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Senate

Back 26

assembly possessing high legislative powers (sober second thought)

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Riding

Back 27

An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency

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Lobby Group

Back 28

An interest group is an organization that seeks to influence ideas or thoughts

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Media

Back 29

The storage and transmission tools used to store and deliver information or data

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Governer General

Back 30

Michelle Jean
an official appointed by the reigning monarch to govern the realm as the monarch's representative

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Constitutional Monarchy

Back 31

where either an elected or hereditary monarch is the head of state, unlike in an absolute monarchy, where in the king or the queen is the sole source of political power

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Sovereign

Back 32

a nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right

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Demographic

Back 33

statistic characterizing human populations

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Political Spectrum

Back 34

is a way of modeling different political positions by placing them upon one or more geometric axes

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Conservative

Back 35

•resistant to change
•having social or political views favoring conservatism
•cautious: avoiding excess; "a conservative estimate"
•a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas

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Liberal

Back 36

•broad: showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant ...
•having political or social views favoring reform and progress
•tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition

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Bias

Back 37

•a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation