1. The Levels of Government: Municipal Level

2. How many levels of government do we have in Canada?
Can you name them?

3. Three Levels of Government
Canada is a large country with different needs and interests.
To serve citizens most effectively, there are three levels of government:
Federal
Provincial/Territorial
Municipal
Each level has its own structure of elected representatives and appointed officials, and a unique set of responsibilities.

4. Federal
The elected representative at the national level is called a Member of Parliament (MP).
There are 338 elected MPs. They make up the legislative body, which creates or enacts laws for the country.
MPs debate and pass laws in the House of Commons in Ottawa.
The leader of the government is called the prime minister.

5. Provincial
The elected representatives are called Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Saskatchewan.
The provincial legislative body is made up of 61 MLAs.
MLAs debate and pass laws at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina.
The leader of the government is called the premier.

6. Municipal
The elected representative at the municipal level is called a councillor or council member.
The head/chair of the council is called a mayor or reeve.
Municipal councils debate and pass laws for the community at the local city or town hall.
The size and structure of the council differs depending on the population it represents.

7. Political Quiz Leaders: Who is the current prime minister?
Who is the current premier?
Who is the current mayor or reeve?
Local representatives:
Who is our MP?
Who is our MLA?

8. Appointed Representatives
As a constitutional monarchy, Canada’s head of state is a hereditary sovereign (queen or king) who reigns in accordance with the Constitution.
At the federal level, the sovereign is represented by the governor general (GG), who is appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the prime minister.
At the provincial level, the sovereign is represented by the lieutenant governor (LG), who is appointed by the GG on the advice of the prime minister.
Sovereign representatives have similar roles, such as opening and closing parliament, calling an election, and reading the throne speech.
No similar role exists at the municipal level.

9. Section 91-95, Constitution
When they chose a federal form of government, the Canadian Fathers of Confederation assigned particular responsibilities to the federal and provincial governments (outlined in Sections of the Constitution Act).
This division of powers is based on the idea of subsidiarity, meaning that the government level closest to the issue governs it.

10. Who is responsible for what?
Name the level of government you think is responsible for the following:
International trade
Local parks
Education
Citizenship and immigration

11. Division of Responsibilities
Federal: Global affairs, immigration and citizenship, national defence, currency, public safety, fisheries and oceans, trade
Provincial: Education, health-care delivery, environment, highways and infrastructure
Municipal: Water and sewage treatment, public transit, roads and bridges, local parks, recreational facilities

12. Municipalities in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is currently separated into 779 different local areas called municipalities.
Key features of municipalities:
Powers assigned by the province
A defined geographic area
An elected council
The ability to tax

13. Municipality Types
There are three types: urban municipalities, rural municipalities and northern municipalities.
Urban municipalities include cities, towns, villages and resort villages.
Rural municipalities are made up of hamlets organized into divisions. This allows the delivery of various local responsibilities to be shared for efficiency.
Northern municipalities include northern towns, northern villages and northern hamlets.

14. Structure of the Municipal Council
The council members include a head or chair of the council and the elected councillors.
The chair of the council is either a mayor or a reeve.
Mayors and reeves are elected at large (by all of the citizens living in a municipality). Reeves are only elected in rural municipalities.
Councillors can be elected at large or by ward/division (smaller areas within a municipality). These divisions are called wards in urban municipalities and divisions in rural municipalities.
There can be one or more councillors elected to each ward/division.

15. Your Municipality What is the name of your municipality?
What type of municipality is it?
Do you have a mayor or reeve?
Are councillors elected at large or by ward/division?

16. The Role of Council Members
To work together to govern the municipality and take responsibility for its safety and future growth.
To listen to concerns and suggestions from community members, attend council meetings, and make by-laws and decisions for the municipality.
To support and/or participate in various activities and events in their communities.

17. Final Thoughts Do you like living in your municipality? Why?
Is there anything in your community that you would change or would like to improve?
Do you think your municipality is run efficiently? Could you make any recommendations?

18. Municipal Elections

19. Elections
Elections are contests of leadership, ideas, power and politics.
An electoral system or voting system is the method of electing our politicians.
Voting systems differ based on the way choices are presented on a ballot and the process for determining which candidate wins.

20. First-Past-the-Post
First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) is the voting system currently used across Canada and for municipal and school board elections in Saskatchewan.
The winning candidate must receive the most votes – this is called plurality or a “winner-take-all” approach.

21. Example of First-Past-The-Post
CANDIDATE NUMBER OF VOTES Thomas 340 Lisa 401 Mohamed 155 Emma 191 Question: Which candidate will become the elected representative?

22. The Municipal Election Process
Chair of the Council:
Mayors and reeves are all elected at large (by all eligible voters in the municipality).
Councillors:
They can be elected at large or by a ward or division system, where the municipality is broken down into smaller geographic areas that vote for their own representatives.
These divisions are called wards in urban municipalities and divisions in rural municipalities.

23. Municipal Election Dates
Municipal elections in Saskatchewan are held for each office every four years.

24. Single vs Multi-Member Races
In single-member races, only one candidate is elected.
For example, such as in the case of a race for mayor/reeve or a council race where only one person is selected to represent one ward/division.
In multi-member races, voters elect more than one representative.
For example, six councillors may be elected at large for the entire community.
Under each election type, voters mark their ballots for as many candidates as there are seats up for contest (i.e., six choices if six candidates are elected at large).

25. Candidates
A candidate is an individual who competes for the job of elected representative.
Candidates campaign during elections to share their ideas and try to convince fellow citizens to vote for them.
There are no political parties at the municipal level in Saskatchewan. The council candidates still have campaign strategies and a list of goals for the community, but they work as independent politicians.

26. How does someone run for election?
In order to run as a municipal election candidate in Saskatchewan, you must be:
At least 18 years of age on election day;
A Canadian citizen;
A Saskatchewan resident for the past six months;
Not disqualified from being nominated by the Local Government Elections Act or any other Act.
Additional qualifications may apply, depending on the municipality you choose to run in as a candidate.

27. Getting to know the Candidates
There are many ways to learn about your local candidates:
Traditional media sources (radio, TV, newspaper and magazines)
Social media (websites, Twitter, Facebook)
Candidate debates or town hall meetings
Campaign offices and events, door-to-door canvassing
Discussion with family and friends

28. School Divisions and School Board Members

29. School Divisions
School divisions are the institutions responsible for providing education to students in their regions.
There are 28 publicly funded school boards in Saskatchewan: 18 English regional school divisions, nine separate school divisions and one Francophone school division that covers the whole province.

30. The Role of a School Division
Overseeing and evaluating student achievement
Communicating with members of the community
Approving textbooks, tools and learning materials
Developing rules for safety and behaviour
Determining the number, size and location of schools
Approving an annual budget

31. School Board Members
School board members provide a link between local communities and the school division, bringing the issues and concerns of their communities to board discussions and decisions.
School board members have no individual authority; the board makes decisions as a whole.

32. School Board Members Elections
School board members are elected every four years during municipal elections.
Each school board establishes smaller areas called sub-divisions in which members are elected to represent.
Board chairs are chosen from and by school board members through a vote at an organizational meeting after the election.

33. Voter Eligibility
In order to vote in the school board elections, you must meet the same criteria as for the municipal elections.
A Canadian citizen;
At least 18 years of age;
Have resided in the school division for at least three consecutive months immediately preceding the day of the election;
Have resided in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the day of the election.

34. CSF school board members
The Conseil scolaire fransaskois (CSF) elects a school board member from each of the nine Francophone education areas in the province.
They are elected by voters who are minority language adults and speak French, received education in French, or are the parent of a student in a French first language program.

35. Separate school board members
Separate school divisions provide education to members of the Christian community of the province.
In Saskatchewan, there are eight Catholic school divisions and one Protestant school division.
They are elected by voters who declare that they are a member of the religion that established the separate school division (Catholic or Protestant).

36. Voter Choice
You can only vote for one school board member position: either the public or separate school board in the public school division where you live.
However, a minority language adult eligible to vote for the Conseil scolaire fransaskois can also vote for one of the public or separate board of education.

37. Assignment In a well written paragraph answer the following:
If you were running for mayor or councillor of your municipality, what would be your three top priorities or goals for your community?
Note: You should research issues that are important to the fine people of Regina and make sure those issues fall under the municipal umbrella, ella, ella. Hey. Hey.