ELECTION 2015 WHO WILL BE CANADA’S NEXT PRIME MINISTER

WHAT IS A DEMOCRACY? A DEMOCRACY = ALL CITIZENS HAVE ACCESS TO POWER. POWER IS SHARED BY ALL CITIZENS AND A MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IS INCLUDED IN POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING. CITIZENS ELECT PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THEM IN GOVERNMENT AND MAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR BEHALF. THIS IS CALLED A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. CITIZENS MAY CHOOSE TO RUN FOR POLITICAL OFFICE. THE PEOPLE HAVE PROTECTED RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.

WHO VOTES? EVERY CANADIAN CITIZEN, 18 YEARS AND OLDER, HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN A CANADIAN ELECTION AND TO BE A CANDIDATE IN A CANADIAN ELECTION. OUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS ALSO INCLUDE THE REQUIREMENT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HOLD AN ELECTION AT LEAST EVERY FIVE YEARS.

THE RIGHT TO VOTE THE RIGHT TO VOTE HAS BEEN FOUGHT FOR BY VARIOUS GROUPS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY. INITIALLY, ONLY MEN WHO OWNED LAND OR A HOUSE COULD VOTE. AFTER MUCH PROTEST BY MEN AND WOMEN WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS UNFAIR, WOMEN RECEIVED THE RIGHT TO VOTE FEDERALLY IN THE LAST LIMITATIONS FOR VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS WERE NOT REMOVED UNTIL UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IS THE EXPANSION OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE TO ALL ADULT CITIZENS

THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT CANADA IS A VERY LARGE COUNTRY OF MANY PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT NEEDS AND INTERESTS. TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THESE NEEDS AND INTERESTS, THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT IS STRUCTURED INTO A THREE LEVEL SYSTEM: FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL AND MUNICIPAL/LOCAL. EACH GOVERNMENT HAS ITS OWN LEVEL OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC MATTERS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FEDERAL: JUSTICE, CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION, NATIONAL DEFENCE, CURRENCY, PUBLIC SAFETY, FISHERIES AND OCEANS PROVINCIAL/TERRITORIAL: EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE DELIVERY, ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY MUNICIPAL/LOCAL: ROAD MAINTENANCE, WATER AND SEWER SERVICE, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES, LIBRARIES, POLICE PROTECTION SERVICES

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS CALLED A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (MP). CANADIANS WILL ELECT 338 MPS IN THE CURRENT ELECTION. MPS DEBATE AND PASS LAWS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN OTTAWA. THE LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IS CALLED THE PRIME MINISTER. THE QUEEN IS REPRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL.

THE VOTING PROCESS YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER AT THE POLLING STATION ON ELECTION DAY OR AT YOUR RETURNING OFFICE IN ADVANCE ONCE REGISTERED, YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WILL BE ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF ELECTORS, WHICH IS USED TO CREATE THE VOTERS LIST FOR EACH ELECTION. IF YOU ARE ON THE VOTERS LIST, YOU WILL RECEIVE A VOTER INFORMATION CARD (VIC) IN THE MAIL THAT TELLS YOU WHEN, WHERE AND HOW TO VOTE.

THE VOTING PROCESS 1. WHEN YOU ENTER THE POLLING PLACE, AN ELECTION WORKER GREETS YOU AND SHOWS YOU TO THE RIGHT TABLE. 2. AT YOUR TABLE, SHOW YOUR PROOF OF IDENTITY AND ADDRESS. 3. THE ELECTION WORKER WILL INITIAL, FOLD AND HAND YOU A BALLOT. 4. GO BEHIND THE VOTING SCREEN, MARK AND REFOLD YOUR BALLOT TO KEEP IT SECRET. 5. RETURN YOUR BALLOT TO THE WORKER SO THEY CAN TEAR OFF THE TAB. 6. PUT YOUR BALLOT IN THE BOX.

THE VOTING PROCESS A BALLOT LISTS THE NAMES OF THE CANDIDATES RUNNING IN YOUR RIDING AND THEIR PARTY ASSOCIATION. VOTING IS DONE BY SECRET BALLOT. NO ONE EXCEPT THE VOTER KNOWS THE CHOICE THAT WAS MADE. THE VOTER MUST CLEARLY MARK THE BALLOT WITH A SINGLE PREFERENCE FOR IT TO BE VALID (E.G., CHECKMARK, X, SHADING IN).

ADVANCED POLLS ELECTORS WHO ARE AWAY, BUSY OR UNABLE TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY HAVE THE OPTION OF ADVANCE VOTING. ADVANCE VOTING IS HELD PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY. THERE ARE 4 DAYS OF ADVANCE VOTING. ELECTORS CAN ALSO VOTE IN PERSON AT AN ELECTIONS CANADA RETURNING OFFICE OR BY MAIL UP UNTIL THE TUESDAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY.

RESULTS ELECTION 2015 LIBERAL 184RESULTS IN ST. JOHN’S SOUTH MT. PEARL CONSERVATIVE 99RYAN CLEARYNDP % NDP 44MAREK KROL CON % BLOC QUEBECOIS 10JACKSON MCLEAN GRN 365 1% GREEN PARTY 1SEAMUS O’REGAN LIB %

HIGHLIGHTS JUSTIN TRUDEAU BECOMES THE 23 RD PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA LIBERALS SWEEP ATLANTIC CANADA TAKING ALL 32 SEATS TORONTO TURNS RED AS LIBERALS CAPTURE ENTIRE CITY STEPHEN HARPER TO STEP DOWN AS LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY AFTER DEFEAT

PRIME MINISTER LEADER OF THE PARTY THAT WINS THE MOST SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS MOST POWERFUL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN CANADA PRIME MINISTER HAS A MAJOR ROLE IN DECIDING WHICH BILLS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO PARLIAMENT FIND THREE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PRIME MINISTER. (PAGE 226)

CABINET USUALLY MEMBERS OF HOUSE OF COMMONS APPOINTED TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH RESPONSIBLE FOR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF A PORTFOLIO I.E. FINANCE, NATIONAL DEFENCE ETC. INVOLVED IN DISCUSSION OF PROPOSED BILLS FIND THREE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CABINET MINISTERS. (PAGE 226)

HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS PARTY WITH THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES FORM THE GOVERNMENT THE OTHER PARTIES MAKE UP THE OPPOSITION THE MEMBERS FROM EACH PARTY FORM A CAUCUS ALL MEMBERS VOTE ON NEW PROPOSALS CALLED BILLS IF THE BILL PASSES, GETTING A MAJORITY VOTE, THEN IT BECOMES AN ACT OR BECOMES THE LAW!

HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS MEMBERS SIT DAILY FOR QUESTION PERIOD (OPPOSITION MEMBERS ASK QUESTIONS OF GOVERNMENT) THE SPEAKER IS THE “REFEREE” IN THE HOUSE THE WHIP IS A MEMBER OF A PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS, SHOW UP TO VOTE AND FOLLOW THE PARTY LINE CABINET ARE MEMBERS CHOSEN BY THE LEADER TO FILL PORTFOLIOS. THESE MINISTERS MAKE MOST OF THE IMPORTANT DECISIONS OF GOVERNMENT