SS 11 - Structure of the Federal Government



SS 11 - Structure of the Federal Government

Executive Branch Notes

Executive Branch:

- Purpose of the executive branch is to make and apply government decision.

- Consists of:

(1)___________________________

(2)___________________________

(3) Cabinet

(4) ___________________________

(5) ___________________________

(6) ___________________________ (civil service/bureaucracy)

The Governor General:

- Monarch’s representative.

- Gives formal assent (agreement) to a __________ before it becomes law.

- Performs ceremonial functions.

- Acts as an adviser to the government.

- Ensures the government follows the _______________________.

- Current Governor General is ________________________.

The Prime Minister – Overview:

- In Canada, the Prime Minister is not chosen directly as leader of the nation.

- The _____________ of the political party with the most elected representatives in the House of Commons is usually asked by the Governor General to become Prime Minister.

- Political Party – An organization of individuals who support a common set of goals and beliefs.

The Prime Minister – Non – Confidence:

- Position is dependent upon support of his/her party in the House of Commons.

- If PM loses support of the majority of parliament members, he or she might lose office through a vote of non-confidence.

- Vote of non-confidence occurs in two ways:

(1) ___________________ can defeat a bill introduced by the PM’s government.

(2) Members can introduce a formal vote of non-confidence. This is

unlikely in a ________________ government because members in the

ruling party will defeat it.

The Prime Minister – Duties:

- Head of Government.

- Acts as a voice of the nation.

- Develops foreign trade and foreign policy.

- Recommends new judges and senators.

- Acts as a spokesperson for his/her party and leads the ______________ of his/her party.

- Selects Members of Parliament for his ___________________.

- Advises Governor General when to _____________ parliament so that an election may be called. Election occurs after a term expires (5 years).

The Cabinet – Overview:

- Cabinet – Made up of elected party members chosen by the PM who decide government policy.

- Cabinet members usually have responsibility for particular departments of government such as: Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Justice.

- There are approximately ___________ members of the Cabinet who are referred to as ___________________.

- Ex. Minister of Finance, Minister of Defense etc.

The Cabinet – Role and Responsibilities:

- PM tries to ensure that each province is represented by at least ________ cabinet minister.

- Cabinet Ministers have __________________.

- Cabinet Ministers remain in office until Parliament’s term expires, or PM removes them, or if gov’t is defeated in the House of Commons.

- Cabinet Ministers are responsible for their department’s efficient and effective operation.

- Cabinet Ministers also speak on behalf of their department in Parliament and in public.

- As a ______________, Cabinet Ministers decide on government policy (taxes, war involvement, etc.)

The Cabinet – The Deputy Minister:

- Each Cabinet Minister chooses a Deputy Minister for their Department.

- Deputy Ministers are not ____________________.

- Deputy Ministers must report to the Cabinet Minister.

- Carry out day to day operations of the Ministry they work for.

The Cabinet – Cabinet Solidarity

- Cabinet Ministers are allowed to discuss and disagree with each other in private Cabinet meetings.

- Publicly, Cabinet members must display full support of the decisions of the government. This is known as Cabinet Solidarity.

- Solidarity is so important that parties usually elect one member to acts as party whip.

- The party-whips role is to ensure that members are present in Parliament to support party bills and vote in legislature.

- On occasion, party whips discipline members who do not behave as expected by their party.

- Ex. In 1997, Liberal MP John Nunziata was forced to resign for speaking out against a policy of his own party. He later ran an independent (someone who has no affiliation to any political party).

Backbenchers:

- Members of the governing party who are not in the Cabinet.

- Role is to support their party.

- At times, they may vote against their party or resign if they disagree with a government proposal.

The Shadow Cabinet:

- Members of Parliament from the Official Opposition.

- Chosen to shadow a specific minister from the Cabinet. (ex. Shadowing the Minister of Defense).

- Acts as ____________ of the government in power.

The Public Service:

- Also known as the Civil Service/Bureaucracy.

- A group of permanent employees who perform the ongoing business of government.

- Serve as a link between Canadian citizens and the government.

- They perform duties such as gathering _____________, writing details for new laws, delivering mail, etc.

- Most senior public servants are Deputy Ministers.

How a Bill Becomes Law – Overview:

- Any ______________ of the House of Commons or Senate may introduce a bill.

- If a member is not in the Cabinet, the bill is referred to as a private member’s bill.

- Very few private member’s bills pass into law.

How a Bill Becomes Law – Process:

- For a bill to become law, it must go through a number of steps before it is signed by the Prime Minister and Governor General.

- _____________ decides on new laws.

- Lawyers draft a bill.

- Caucus meets to discuss the bill.

- Bill must pass __________ Readings in the House of Commons and the Senate before it can be signed into law.

How a Bill Becomes Law – Steps:

- Steps:

- (1) First Reading – Bill is introduced and read without any debate.

- (2) Second Reading – Principle (idea) behind the bill is debated.

- If the bill passes the second reading, a multiparty committee is assigned

to study the bill clause by clause to work out the details.

- Committee stage often allows the public to have a say in the legislative

process.

- Report Stage – Members are allowed to make other amendments to the

bill.

- (3) Third Reading – Members of the House of Commons debate one last

time and votes are cast.

- If the bill is accepted, it is sent to the ____________ where it goes through

the same process of three readings.

- Senate rarely rejects a bill that has been passed in the House of

Commons.

- Royal Assent – The bill receives Royal Assent and is signed by the

Governor General once it passes the 3 readings.

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