The document provides an overview of the electoral process in Canada. It discusses key aspects such as elections, the role of political parties, and the different stages of the electoral process. The key points are: 1) Elections in Canada involve citizens voting for representatives through ballots. Citizens vote for the candidate they would like to represent their riding. 2) The electoral process has six main stages: dissolution of parliament, enumeration (preparation of voter lists), nomination of candidates, campaigning by parties and candidates, balloting on election day, and tabulation of results. 3) After an election, if a party wins over half the seats it forms a majority government, while a party with the most seats but

1. The Government and You:
The Electoral Process

2. Election
• An election is a formal decision-making process by
which a population chooses an individual to hold
public office.
• A by-election is an election held to fill a political
office that has become vacant between regularly
scheduled elections. Like if the Prime Minister dies.
• In an election people use ballots to vote for the
representative they would like to vote for.

3. The Government and You:
The Electoral Process
• Any Canadian citizen 18 years of age or over, may
choose to run at election time as a candidate in a federal
constituency (also called ridings, seats, or electoral
districts)
• Constituency means the population of a particular
geographical area (usually about 100 000 people)
• Usually candidates represent a political party (however
they can be independent of any specific political party)
•A party platform is a document stating the goals and
beliefs of a political party; if people agree with the party
platform they are more likely to vote for that party.

4. The Electoral Process Cont’d
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If a party wins more than one-half of the total number of
seats, it forms a majority government, while a party which
gets more seats than any other party, but less than ½ of the
total seats in the HOC forms a minority government.
• A coalition government is when several political parties must
cooperate to run a country or region. These types of
governments are often considered somewhat weak because
there is no majority party. In such cases, the only way that
policy gets approved is by each side compromising. A
coalition government might be created in a time of national
difficulty or crisis, for example during wartime, or economic
crisis,

5. The Government and you
Elections Continued
• The electoral process in Canada is set out in
the Canada Elections Act It can be considered
to have six stages:
• 1. Dissolution
• 2. Enumeration
• 3. Nomination
• 4. Campaigning
• 5. Balloting
• 6. Tabulation

6. The Electoral Process
Dissolution
• One of the ceremonial duties of the GG is to dissolve the HOC.
They do this on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
• At this point the MP’s are dismissed from the HOC and a new
election date is suggested by the PM. This must be within 50
days of the date of dissolution.
• However a vote of non-confidence could force an election at
any time during a 4 year term.
• Fixed election dates are in effect provincially in BC. On the 2nd
Tuesday in May every 5 years.
• “Dropping the writ” is the term for when the head of
government (Prime Minister) goes to the head of state
(Queen Elizabeth ll) and formally advises her to dissolve
parliament. The head of state grants the request and issues a
writ of election for a new parliament.

7. The Electoral Process
Enumeration
• Following dissolution the GG asks the Chief Electoral
Officer, to issue election writs.
• Returning officers make up the list of voters’ names
“returned” to the constituency office and the
election results “returned” in that constituency on
election day.
• The preparation of the voters’ list is known as
enumeration.
• When people go to vote they go to Polling Stations
(generally set up in schools etc.)
• Each polling station has its own list of voters. On
average each poling station has about 250 voters
names on there lists.

8. The Electoral Process
Nomination
• As soon as election writs are issued, each party must decide
who will be its candidate in each constituency. The selection
of candidates is known as Nomination.
• Any Canadian citizen 18 years or older may be nominated as a
candidate.
• Parties generally select a candidate for each constituency at a
nomination meeting, held in that riding. Party members
present at the meeting vote until one of the people seeking
the nomination has a majority.
• People without any attachment to a political party who
become candidates are called independents
• Every candidate must make a deposit of 200$ with the
returning officer for the constituency. They must also present
nomination papers containing the signatures of 25 other
electors. If the party leader officially endorses the candidate,
the latter’s name will be listed on the ballot for that
constituency on election day.

9. The Electoral Process
Nomination
• Canada operates under a representation by population
method. In this method, elected representatives will be
chosen by numerically equal blocks of voters.
• In Canada, ridings are split up into blocks of 100,000 voters or
so. Each riding gets 1 representative.
• Some ridings cover huge areas because they are rural and
have a low population.
• The whole province on Nunavut has 1 federal riding. There
are 16 in Vancouver alone.
• Every 10 years, after the census is conducted, the number of
ridings and their boundaries are revised to reflect population
shifts and growth. Your electoral district – which is where you
live and vote for your member of Parliament – may change as
a result of the redistribution process.

10. The Election Process
Campaigning
• The Campaign takes place from the time when
election writs are issued to the weekend before
election day.
• The Parties and candidates present themselves
to the public through the various media and
public meetings, in an attempt to convince the
public to vote for their parties candidate.

11. The Electoral Process
Balloting
• On the day of a federal election
each polling station is open from
8 am to 8 pm
• Employers are required by law to
allow their workers time to vote.
• In most cases, polling stations are
located in a neighborhood school,
church, or community center.
• Advance Polls exist for people
who for one reason or another
can not vote on election day.

12. The Electoral Process
Balloting
• Each polling station is manned by a Deputy Returning Officer
who is responsible to the Returning Officer. When a voter
enters a polling station, his or her name is checked by the
DRO against the voters list (a list of the names and residential
addresses of the voters registered in each electoral district)
prepared for the poll.
• The DRO gives the voter a ballot, the voter pencils an “X” in
the box beside the name of the candidate he/she favors. The
voter then folds the ballot, leaves their booth and gives the
ballot to the DRO, who drops it into a special locked box.
• The vote has been cast

13. The Electoral Process
Tabulation
• Once the polling stations close, the ballot boxes are
opened and the ballots are counted by the D.R.Os.
These days computers tabulate the voting results for
many polls.
• A scrutineer observes the counting of ballot papers, in
order to check that election rules are followed.
• This process is known as Tabulation. At the close of
voting, local television and radio stations can legally
begin to broadcast the results as they come in.
• Voter turnout or participation is the percentage of
eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.
• Voter participation has steadily decreased since the
1960’s

14. Elections
Public opinion Polls
• Political Parties spend a lot of money
conducting POPs.
• Mass Media spends an enormous amount of
time presenting the results of polls.
• How might POPs affect voter turn out?
The headquarters for EKOS Research at
359 Kent St. in Ottawa, much of their
political polling is done for CBC news

15. Elections Expenses Act
• Campaign spending is limited by eligible
voters per riding
• Donations can be made to campaigns. Those
over $200 must be made public
• If you receive 15% of the votes in your riding
you are reimbursed half of your costs.

16. Election Night
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We use the First–past-the-Post-system
This means that you do not need a majority of votes only the most votes.
In every electoral district, the candidate with the highest number of votes wins a
seat in the House of Commons and represents that electoral district as its member
of Parliament.
Some countries use a proportional Representation system.
Proportional representation (PR) is used to elect an assembly or council. PR
means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is
proportionate to the number of votes received.
For example, under a PR voting system, if 30% of voters support a particular party
then roughly 30% of seats will be won by that party. PR is an alternative to voting
systems based on single-member districts or on bloc voting; these non-PR systems
tend to produce disproportionate outcomes and to have a bias in favour of larger
political groups. PR systems tend to produce many political parties.
The degree of proportionality varies under different styles of proportional
representation. How proportional the system is, is determined by factors such as
the precise formula used to allocate seats, the number of seats in each
constituency or in the elected body as a whole, and the level of any minimum
threshold for election.
In the PR system you generally get as many seats as your popular percentage
dictates.

17. Election Night Cont’d
• Another system of voting is called the Single
Transferable Vote system, where voters list
the candidates in order of preference. Any
candidate achieving a predetermined number
of the votes in a riding is elected. Votes
exceeding this amount and those cast for the
bottom candidate are redistributed according
to the stated preferences. Redistribution
continues until all the seats are filled

18. Other ways to Change Things
Individual Contact Methods
• Contact your city council, MLA or MP.
• All government representatives have offices in your
neighbourhood. Most with walk in policies.
• You can communicate with public servants who
carry out the day to day business of the government.
• You can send letters to editors, call in to radio shows
or sometimes even get on public TV.
• Can you think of any other ways?

19. Other ways to Change Things
Affecting Large Scale Political Change
• Three ways:
1. Pressure Groups & Lobbyists:
2. Utilizing Mass Media
3. Civil Disobedience
 Pressure Group

20. Pressure Groups and Lobbyists
• Definition: Groups who seek to influence
government policies and decisions.
• Two Types:
1. Institutionalized – Well established formal
organizations which are always around.
2. Issue-Oriented – Less permanent groups looking
to accomplish smaller aims and then disappear.

21. Some Major Institutionalized Groups
(Non-Governmental Organizations)
• Greenpeace - Focuses its campaigning on world wide issues
such as global warming, deforestation, overfishing,
commercial whaling, genetic engineering, and anti-nuclear
issues. Greenpeace uses direct action, lobbying and research
to achieve its goals.
• Canadian Cancer Society- organization of volunteers whose
mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life
of those living with the disease.
• Free The Children – international charity and educational
partner, working both domestically and internationally to
empower youth as agents of change. The organization was
started by Canadian human rights advocate, Craig Kielburger,
when he was only 12.
• United Way- campaigns raise money for local groups that
address community issues and problems.

22. More NGO’s
• Canadian Red Cross - humanitarian charitable organization
and one of 187 national Red Cross societies. The mission of
the Canadian Red Cross is to improve the lives of vulnerable
people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and
around the world.
• Doctors without Borders- Nobel Peace Prize laureate, best
known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing
countries facing endemic (bad) diseases.
• OXFAM- focuses on the root causes of poverty, injustice and
inequality, with the intent of creating better communities.
Oxfam believes that to end global poverty women's rights
must be secured.
• Western Canada Wilderness Committee- aims to protect
Canada's wild spaces and species. Paul George, the founding
director, formed the Wilderness Committee in the province of
British Columbia in 1980.

23. Pressure Groups Continued
How do pressure groups work?
• Provide research and advice to government
ministries.
• Take issues to court, e.g. Abortion.
• Hire lobbyists (former senior officials) to utilize
their connections when meeting with important
politicians.
What are some possible issues with pressure
groups?

24. Utilizing the Mass Media
• The Mass Media dictates most of the
information we see!
• Issues that get a lot of media coverage
get more attention from government.
• Some groups pull publicity stunts to
draw more attention to their issue.

25. Civil Disobedience
• Definition: The act of intentionally breaking a
law which is deemed unjust.
• King said it is only warranted when there is
significant harm from the law itself.
• Civil disobedience is about taking
responsibility for your actions.
• Willingness to face punishment.

26. •
First: Get into groups of three or four.
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Second: Choose an issue below.
1. Should citizens have more direct input into government?
2. Should Canada pressure the third world to stop child labour?
3. Should Canada continue to send troops to Afghanistan?
5. Other. BUT must be approved by the teacher first.
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Third: Make a one page report, setup as your group sees fit, which:
1. Lays out the arguments for both sides of the issue.
- Your group needs to be balanced in its approach.
- Knowing both sides help to defend your position.
2. Decide what methods you will use to draw attention to your issue.
- If you are using Mass Media what will you do to get attention?
- If you are going to protest, where would be the best place?
3. Decide what levels of government you will need to direct attention to.
4. Arrange a 2 minute outline of your report to start class discussion.
- Each group will have to present.