An overview of the Types and Levels of Government in Canada

1. Canada’s Governmental
Structure
THE LEVELS AND BRANCHES OF
GOVERNMENT

2. Levels of Government
There are three levels of Government in Canada:
 Federal
 Provincial
 Municipal
Try to list as many areas of daily life that each is in
charge of.
Watch the introductory video and answer who is in
charge of each and what services they are responsible
for.

3. Federal Government
Leader: Prime Minister (Stephen Harper)
Services:
 Aboriginal Affairs
 Citizenship and Immigration
 Fisheries
 Foreign Affairs
 National Defence
 Shipping and Railways
 Currency
 Criminal Law/Public Safety

4. Provincial Government
Leader: Premier (Kathleen Wynne for Ontario)
Services
 Education
 Health Care
 Natural Resources/Environment
 Transportation/Highways
 Property and Civil Rights

5. Municipal Government
Leader: Mayor/Reeve ( Todd Cowan in Woolwich)
Services:
 Waste Removal
 Libraries
 City Transit
 Parks and Recreation
 Animal Control
 Emergency Services
 Urban Planning
 Water

6. Levels of Government: Spending
Spending by all levels
of Canadian
Government, by level,
2009
$ (billions) %
Municipal Level 74 12%
Provincial Level 316 50%
Federal Level 243 38%
Total 631 100%
Why is Provincial spending more than Federal?
Taken from: Civics and Citizenship and Statistics Canada

7. Levels of Government: Spending
Spending by all levels of Canadian
government, by category, 2009
$ (billions) %
Social Services (unemployment insurance) 190 30%
Health 122 19%
Education 96 15%
Protection (police, prisons, military) 51 8%
Interest Charges on Debt 44 7%
Transportation and Communication 32 5%
Resource/Industry/Development 20 3%
Environment 17 3%
Other 59 10%
Total 631 100%
•Discuss this information with a partner, do you agree with how the government
is spending their government? Be ready to share your answer.
•Taken from: Civics and Citizenship and Statistics Canada

8. Canada’s Government
Canada is a parliamentary democracy, which means we
elect people to represent us in our parliament and
legislatures.
Canada is also a constitutional monarchy, which means
that the monarch (the Queen) is our head of state.
The powers of the monarchy in Canada are limited by the
Constitution. The Queen abides by the decisions of the
Canadian Government, but she continues to play
important ceremonial and symbolic roles.

9. Major Questions in Canadian Politics: The
Governor General
Is appointed by the monarch of Canada on the
recommendation of the Prime Minister
Serves 4-5 years but there are no official term limits
Is unelected and can speak for all Canadians
Ensures that the Prime Minister and government
have the confidence of parliament (51% or more of
the members of the House of Commons)
Q: Should the GG still have the legal power to refuse
to follow the advice of an elected PM or to dismiss a
PM her or she judges to be acting unconstitutionally?

10. How is the Canadian Government Organized
What does Canada’s government look like?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXwVaWF41ok

11. BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
Governments do three basic
things:
Make laws
Ensure laws are followed
Judge laws
All are directly related to
government’s central purpose -
LAWS

12. BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
In democracies no one person [or group of
persons] performs all three functions
In autocratic states, one individual [or a small
group] is in control of all three functions
he/she plays the role of maker, enforcer and
judge of laws
Canada is divided into three branches so
that no one person can become a dictator:
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

13. Legislative Branch of Government
Powers:
 Create, change and repeal
laws and regulations
Members:
 Parliament
Senators
Members of the House of
Commons (MPs)
Example:
 Change the laws defining
marriage in Canada.

14. Major Questions in Canadian Politics: The House
of Commons
Includes all elected members of parliament (308);
represents the concerns and interests of the electorate
Ensures that laws benefit all Canadians
Debates government policies and actions
Opposition parties make the government accountable for
its decisions and actions
Q: Do political parties have too much control over their
members making it difficult to represent their district?
Q: Are House debates more about grandstanding and
making your opponent look bad to get votes instead of
being about making laws and policies to improve
Canada?

15. Major Questions in Canadian Politics: The Senate
Provides more balanced representation of regions and
provinces in parliament
Senators are appointed to serve until age 75; they are
immune from political considerations, and able to reject
bad laws without fear of political penalties.
Q: Senate members are unelected, yet they have the
power to reject laws passed by elected members of the
House of Commons. Is that undemocratic?
Q: Senators are appointed by the PM, who awards Senate
seats to loyal party supporters. Does that mean senators
are just as politically partisan as any politician, or can
they remain neutral and objective.

16. Trudeau Removes Liberal Senators From Caucus
Watch the video:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/news-video/
video-justin-trudeau-removes-liberal-senators-
from-caucus/article16568637/
What does it mean to remove a senator from a
caucus?
What ramifications could this have on the Senate if
all political parties (mostly just the Conservatives)
did this?
How does this benefit Trudeau?

17. Executive Branch of Government
Powers:
 Administer and carry out (enforce) laws and plans of the
government
Members:
 Monarch
 Prime Minister
 Cabinet
 Bureaucrats (or Civil Servants)
Example:
 Prime Minister declares a state of emergency and
directs the Canadian Armed Forces to assist in snow
removal.

18. Major Questions in Canadian Politics: The
Executive Branch
The Prime Minister and the Cabinet members are
elected members of the House of Commons and
reflect the concerns of citizens.
Ensure that new laws and politics are constitutional
and consistent with the beliefs and values of
Canadians.
Q: Have recent Prime Minister acquired too much
political power? Have the role and influence of
parliament been reduced too much?

19. Judicial Branch of Government
Powers:
 Interpret the laws
 decide who has broken the law
 assign appropriate penalties
Members:
 Courts (Supreme, Provincial, Small Claims, Family, etc.)
 Judges
Example: Should Hutterites in Alberta be required to
have photos on their drivers’ licenses?

20. Major Questions in Canadian Politics: The
Judicial Branch
Judges are appointed, not elected, so that they can
apply the law fairly and objectively, free from
political influence.
Judges have the power to challenge laws that are
unfair and unconstitutional.
Q: Unelected judges are increasingly rejecting laws
and policies passed by elected members of
parliament, based on the judges’ own interpretation
of the Charter. Is that appropriate?

23. Pondering Questions
With a partner, discuss and record answers
to the following questions:
 Is any branch of the government more important
than the others? Why or why not?
Does having separate branches of government
make the government more stable, or less so?
Explain your reasoning.

24. Sources:
http://www.studentvote.ca/on2014/the-basics/
Civics and Citizenship by Canadian Investigations