Lesson 5 THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR GOVERNMENT
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT BASED ON TRADITIONS OF EUROPE BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM BASIS FOR FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS
THE FEATURES OF OUR TRADITIONAL SYSTEM REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY “RULE BY THE PEOPLE” ANCIENT GREEKS AND DIRECT DEMOCRACY CITIZENS PARTICIPATED DIRECTLY BY VOTING IN ALL DECISIONS THAT AFFECTED SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY CITIZENS ALLOW ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THEM
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY MONARCH (KING OR QUEEN) AS HEAD OF STATE CURRENT MONARCHY IN CANADA IS LED BY QUEEN ELIZABETH II UK AND 16 OTHER NATIONS IN CANADA THE MONARCH IS REPRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL QUEEN DOESN’T ACTUALLY RULE CANADA OR ANY OTHER NATIONS ALONE QUEEN IS NOT INVOLVED IN EVERYDAY AFFAIRS OF GOVERNING THE NATIONS ROYAL ASSENT MUST BE GIVEN BEFORE A PROPOSED LAW IS PASSED (RARELY, IF EVER WITHHELD)
THE MONARCH REPRESENTS A CRUCIAL SAFEGUARD FOR OUR DEMOCRACY HOLDS POWER OF THE CROWN CROWN HAS ULTIMATE POWER, BEYOND THAT HELD BY ANYBODY IN POWER/GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CURRENT SYSTEM THE POWER OF THE CROWN IS VESTED IN THE QUEEN AND THE GOVERNOR GENERAL
CONSTITUTION LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT STATES: WHO SHOULD HAVE POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND OUTLINES STRUCTURE AND LIMITS OF GOVERNMENT POWER MONARCH IS NOT EXEMPT FROM FOLLOWING THESE LAWS
THE WRITTEN CONSTITUTION MOST OF IT WAS WRITTEN IN 1867 AT CONFEDERATION OUTLINES POWER OF PROVINCIAL, FEDERAL, AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS SINCE 1982 AMENDMENT CANADA’S WRITTEN CONSTITUTION HAS 3 PARTS: A DESCRIPTION OF THE POWER OF PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE AND PARLIAMENT, AS WELL AS THEIR PARTS AND AUTHORITY CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS AMENDING FORMULA SETS OUT WAYS CONSTITUTION CAN BE CHANGED OR ALTERED REQUIRES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND 7 OUT OF 10 PROVINCES TO AGREE THE 7 MUST MAKE UP AT LEAST HALF OF CANADA’S POPULATION
THE UNWRITTEN CONSTITUTION BASED ON BRITISH TRADITION WHICH DATES BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS POLITICAL PARTIES CABINET LEADER WITH THE LARGEST PARTY IN PARLIAMENT FORMS GOVERNMENT
RICK MERCER: RANT ABUOT THE QUEEN