The Constitution
This document, signed in 1982, contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
What is the Constitution Act, 1982?
This person is the head of the federal government and leader of the party in power.
Who is the Prime Minister?
A geographical area represented by one Member of Parliament (MP).
What is a riding (or constituency or electoral district)?
Section 2 of the Charter guarantees this right, which includes the freedom of the press and other media.
What is Freedom of Expression?
The title of the person who leads the provincial government in Prince Edward Island.
What is the Premier?
The term used to describe the principle that no one is above the law, including the government.
What is the Rule of Law?
The official name for the House of Commons and the Senate combined.
What is Parliament?
The minimum age to vote in a federal election in Canada.
What is 18?
The right to move and live anywhere in Canada is protected under this section of the Charter.
What is Mobility Rights (Section 6)?
The name of the PEI legislative building that is currently undergoing conservation work.
What is Province House?
The year the Charlottetown Conference was held, where the idea for Confederation began.
What is 1864?
In Canada, the Senate is a non-elected body whose primary function is to do this to legislation passed by the House of Commons.
What is review or vet (or scrutinize) legislation?
This term refers to the process where citizens vote directly on a specific question or law.
What is a Referendum?
This is the main piece of legislation that protects workers from discrimination in areas like hiring and pay.
What is the Canadian Human Rights Act (or a Provincial Human Rights Act)?
The name of the provincial assembly in PEI.
What is the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island?
The name for the ability of the federal or provincial government to temporarily override certain fundamental rights in the Charter.
What is the Notwithstanding Clause (Section 33)?
The three levels of government in Canada.
What are Federal, Provincial/Territorial, and Municipal?
When no single party wins enough seats to form a majority government, the result is this.
What is a minority government?
Section 15 of the Charter guarantees this right, which means laws must apply equally to all, regardless of race, religion, etc.
What are Equality Rights?
This person holds the title of the King's representative at the provincial level.
Who is the Lieutenant Governor?
The three main branches of the Canadian government, whose powers are divided by the Constitution.
What are the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches?
The federal election system, where the candidate with the most votes in a riding wins, even if they don't have a majority.
What is First-Past-the-Post?
The term for when a government is defeated in a vote of non-confidence in the House of Commons, forcing an election.
What is the dissolution of Parliament?
The famous Charter section, known as the "reasonable limits" clause, which allows the government to limit rights if demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
What is Section 1?
The official title for the provincial electoral districts in PEI.
What are Electoral Districts (or Ridings)?