Key Terms
What is the definition of Prime Minister and who currently holds that position?
leader of the federal government; Justin Trudeau
What are the three branches of the federal government?
Legislative, Executive, Judicial
What does MP stand for? How do they get their position?
Members of Parliament; they are voted in by Canadian citizens
True or False: Education is a service provided by all the levels of government.
False, just provincial government
True or False: The Supreme Court's decisions can be overruled.
False
What is a step in which a bill is signed by the governor general and then becomes an act?
Royal Assent
Who does the executive branch include?
Sovereign (queen), governor general, prime minister, cabinet, ministries and civil servants
What are public servants? Provide one example.
People across Canada that help the government function to the best of its ability. There are several public servants across Canada.
Ex. immigration officers, RCMP officers, researchers, scientists, postal workers, prison guards, passport office employees
Why should the federal government be responsible to provide food safety across Canada?
It ensures that all Canadian citizens are able to get safe and reliable foods from grocery stores.
What two requirements must be met in order to vote in a Canadian election?
must be 18 years of age or older
must be a Canadian citizen
What is the meaning of Indigenous?
refers to the original people of a land (First Nations, Metis, and Inuit
Briefly describe what each branch of government does.
Legislative: known as parliament, main job is to propose bills and pass them into laws
Executive: made up of the leaders of the government, help to pass and propose laws
Judicial: includes judges and court system to make decisions when the laws are not upheld.
What member of the government is usually responsible for a department and how do they get that position?
Cabinet Minister; they get chosen by the prime minister
Name 3 responsibilities of the federal government.
Canada post, currency, trade, immigration, citizenship, RCMP, transportation, federal courts, employment insurance, environment, reducing homelessness and housing, climate change
Why do governments need to work together? Provide 2 reasons.
1. to ensure that services and laws are similar across the country
2. when a service, project, or issue is too large or expensive for one level to handle alone
What is a federation?
A group made up of smaller groups that agree to work together
What two parts of parliament are included in the legislative branch of the government?
The House of Commons and the Senate
Who is the governor general? Provide the definition and our current governor general.
The governor general is a representative of the monarch or king
The Right and Honourable Mary Simon is our current governor general
Name a service that all three levels of government work together to provide and explain how each level helps with that service.
Transportation: Municipal - local roads, city buses, Provincial - highways, licenses, types of cards on the roads, Federal - airports, harbours, railroads, TransCanada Highway
Safety and Security: Municipal - Peel Police (local police) safety on local roads and in the community, Provincial - OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) safety on highways and waterways, Federal - RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) safety at airports and borders
Describe how all three levels of government would help if Mississauga were affected by flooding.
Municipal government: move people from homes to safe place
Provincial government: provide shelters and emergency funds
Federal government: send RCMP officers to help, close off damaged roads, rescue people and help control flood water
What are the most powerful set of laws in Canada called? *Hint: It describes how Canada should be governed.
Canadian Constitution
Name the courts included in the judicial branch of the federal government.
Federal court, provincial/territorial courts, tax court, Supreme Court of Canada
What does Head of State mean? Who is the Head of State?
The person who holds the highest position in a country's government. King Charles III is our formal head of state.
One Act passed by the federal government is Physical Activity and Sport Act. Explain how this act benefits the common good.
This can benefit the common good as it promotes physical activity and a healthy active lifestyle to Canadian citizens. It also recognizes that physical activity and sport are important parts of Canadian culture and society and provide benefits of health, social relationships, language skills, economic activity, cultural diversity and quality of life.
Why are the various organizations (Assembly of First Nations, Metis National Council, and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami) needed?
They are needed so that the Indigenous populations of Canada are valued and provided with the same benefits that other Canadians are awarded, such as clean drinking water. They are also needed to ensure that their land is not taken away or exploited.