1. And Canada’s Government
Government Review
And Canada’s Government

2. GPS
SS6CG1a. Describe the ways government systems distribute power: unitary, confederation, federal
SS6CG1b. Explain how government systems determine citizen participation: autocratic, oligarchic, democratic
SSCG1c. Describe the 2 predominate forms of democratic government: parliamentary and presidential
SS6CG3a. Describe the structure of the Canadian government…

3. 3 Types of Government AUTOCRACY OLIGARCHY DEMOCRACY
Parliamentary Presidential

4. E.Q.
How do governments differ?
How is Canada’s government organized?

5. 3 Types of Government – how citizens participate
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Democracy
Parliamentary
Presidential

6. Autocracy Rule by one Advantage: quick decisions
Disadvantage: no citizen participation

7. Oligarchy Rule by a few Advantage: quick decisions
Disadvantage: no citizen participation

8. Democracy Rule by the people
Advantage: all citizens involved in making decisions; all groups represented
Disadvantage: slower decision-making; need to be informed
Representative Democracies (most countries)– citizens elect representatives to make decisions (U.S.)
Direct Democracy – citizens vote on all decisions

9. 2 Types of Democracy Parliamentary Presidential
U.S., Mexico, most S.A. countries
Citizens elect members of legislature
Legislature makes laws
Cannot force early election of president
Citizens elect president
Head of state
Chief executive
Runs gov’t
Heads military
Cannot dissolve legislature
Canada, Australia, U.K.
Citizens elect MPs (members of Parliament)
Chooses Prime Minister (PM)
Makes laws
Can force early election of PM
PM is chief executive
Heads military
Enforces laws
Runs country
Can dissolve Parliament
Head of State: symbolic leader

11. 3 ways Governments Share Power
Unitary
Confederation
Federal

12. Unitary
Central government holds all the power and controls all other governments in the country
Examples:
Cuba
Bolivia
Great Britain
France
The state of Georgia (state has power to create/break up cities & counties)

13. Confederation Local governments hold all the power
Examples – countries agree to work together on a problem
Voluntary
Decisions have to be agreed on by all to become law

14. Confederation Problems
Little power
individual countries can veto decisions
changes have to be agreed on unanimously
U.S. tried it
“Articles of Confederation”
states saw selves as separate countries
Congress had no power
replaced by Constitution & federal government

15. Federal Power is shared between central and local governments
Central gov’t is more powerful – but can’t get rid of local gov’t or local leaders
Examples:
Brazil
Canada
Mexico
U.S.
Venezuela

16. CANADA’S GOVERNMENT CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

17. Canada’s Government Constitutional monarchy Parliamentary Democracy
Federal form of Gov’t

18. Canada’s Government Constitutional monarchy
Constitution explains how gov’t is organized & citizens’ rights, limits monarch’s power
Monarch is head of state & symbolic leader of Canada

19. Canada’s Government Parliamentary Democracy Citizens elect MPs
MPs select Prime Minister and can unselect him/her
Chief executive
Head of military
Runs country
Leads parliament – can dissolve it

20. Canada’s Government Federal Gov’t
Power is divided between central gov’t and local provinces
Provinces make own laws and elect own leaders (premiers)
Citizens 18 & older may vote
Main political parties
Bloc Quebecois
Conservative Party
Green Party
Liberal Party
New Democratic Party
Very high level of personal freedom protected by courts