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1. How Government
Works in Canada
Thursday, January 21, 2021
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Presented by Ryan Clarke, LL.B.
founder of Advocacy Solutions
ryan@advocacysolutions.ca

2. Agenda
• Welcome & introductions
• Webinar outcomes
• Governments in Canada
• Structure of the federal government/politics
• Structure of the provincial governments/politics
• Petitions
• Election engagement
• Q&A
2

3. Webinar Outcomes
3
Attendees will be provided with an overview of the
structure of our federal/provincial governments
People will be taken through a review of how
citizens can engage our decision-makers
Everyone will understand the importance of
advocacy in the context of elections

4. Governments in Canada
• Canada is a federal state, parliamentary
democracy and constitutional monarchy
• A federal state brings together a number of
different political communities with a central
government (federal) for national matters and
separate local governments
(provincial/territorial) for local affairs
• As a parliamentary democracy, we elect
members to our parliament and legislatures
across the country
• As a constitutional monarchy, Canada’s head
of state is a hereditary sovereign (queen or
king), who reigns in accordance with the
constitution

5. Three Levels of Government
• Canadian governments function within a three-level
system: federal, provincial/territorial and municipal/local
• Each level has its own arrangement of elected and
appointed officials, as well as a unique set of
responsibilities
• Only the federal and provincial levels are enshrined in the
Constitution Act, 1982 – municipal/local governments are a
creation of the provinces

6. Our Constitution
• There are three main parts to the written
component of our constitution
– The Constitution Act, 1982. This describes the
authority, parts, and functions of parliament.
– The Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This
describes the basic rights and freedoms all
Canadians have.
– The Amending Formula. This sets out ways
that the constitution can be changed.
• When they chose a federal form of government,
the Canadian Fathers of Confederation assigned
particular responsibilities to the federal and
provincial governments (outlined in sections 91–
95, Constitution Act, 1867)

7. Sections 91-95
• When they chose a federal form of
government, the Canadian Fathers of
Confederation assigned particular
responsibilities to the federal and provincial
governments (outlined in sections 91–95,
Constitution Act, 1867)
• This division of powers is based on the idea of
subsidiarity, meaning that the government
level closest to the issue governs it

8. Section 91 – Federal Powers
• The Public Debt and Property.
• The Regulation of Trade and Commerce.
• Unemployment insurance.
• The raising of Money by any Mode or System of
Taxation.
• The borrowing of Money on the Public Credit.
• Postal Service.
• The Census and Statistics.
• Militia, Military and Naval Service, and Defence.
• The fixing of and providing for the Salaries and
Allowances of Civil and other Officers of the
Government of Canada.
• Beacons, Buoys, Lighthouses, and Sable Island.
• Navigation and Shipping.
• Quarantine and the Establishment and
Maintenance of Marine Hospitals.
• Sea Coast and Inland Fisheries.
• Ferries between a Province and any British or
Foreign Country or between Two Provinces.
• Currency and Coinage.
• Banking, Incorporation of Banks, and the Issue
of Paper Money.
• Savings Banks.
• Weights and Measures.
• Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes.
• Interest.
• Legal Tender.
• Bankruptcy and Insolvency.
• Patents of Invention and Discovery.
• Copyrights.
• Indians, and Lands reserved for the Indians.
• Naturalization and Aliens.
• Marriage and Divorce.
• The Criminal Law, except the Constitution of
Courts of Criminal Jurisdiction, but including the
Procedure in Criminal Matters.
• The Establishment, Maintenance, and
Management of Penitentiaries.

9. Section 92 – Provincial Powers
• Education
• Direct Taxation within the Province in order
to the raising of a Revenue for Provincial
Purposes.
• The borrowing of Money on the sole Credit
of the Province.
• The Establishment and Tenure of Provincial
Offices and the Appointment and Payment of
Provincial Officers.
• The Management and Sale of the Public
Lands belonging to the Province and of the
Timber and Wood thereon.
• The Establishment, Maintenance, and
Management of Public and Reformatory
Prisons in and for the Province.
• The Establishment, Maintenance, and
Management of Hospitals, Asylums,
Charities, and Eleemosynary Institutions in
and for the Province, other than Marine
Hospitals.
• Municipal Institutions in the Province.
• Shop, Saloon, Tavern, Auctioneer, and other
Licences in order to the raising of a Revenue
for Provincial, Local, or Municipal Purposes.
• Local Works and Undertakings…
• The Incorporation of Companies with
Provincial Objects.
• The Solemnization of Marriage in the
Province.
• Property and Civil Rights in the Province.
• The Administration of Justice in the Province,
including the Constitution, Maintenance, and
Organization of Provincial Courts, both of
Civil and of Criminal Jurisdiction, and
including Procedure in Civil Matters in those
Courts.
• The Imposition of Punishment by Fine,
Penalty, or Imprisonment for enforcing any
Law of the Province made in relation to any
Matter coming within any of the Classes of
Subjects enumerated in this Section.
• Generally all Matters of a merely local or
private Nature in the Province.

10. Three Branches of Government - Federal
• Monarch: Includes the Queen’s representative (the Governor General) and
sits atop the three branches
• Legislative Branch: Creates statutes under federal jurisdiction. The
legislative branch is made up of:
– elected representatives called Members of Parliament (MPs) who sit in the
House of Commons
– appointed regional representatives who sit in the Senate
• Executive Branch: Responsible for government operations, and
implementing and enforcing laws. Includes the prime minister and cabinet
ministers (appointed by the prime minister).
• Judicial Branch: Interprets the law and determines the penalty for those
who violate established laws, rules and regulations. Includes the federal
court system, which is headed by the Supreme Court and nine appointed
judges.

11. Electoral System - Canada
• Electoral system operates under two principles:
1) single-member constituencies
2) first-past-the-post elections
• Single-member constituencies simply mean that there
is only one MP per electoral district
• First-past-the-post refers the rules by which that single
member is elected - during an election, the candidate
in an electoral district which receives the most votes
wins, regardless of whether s/he won a majority of the
votes

12. The Party System – House of Commons
• A political party is a group of people that share
common beliefs, ideas and plans of how to
govern
• While there have been many political parties in
Ottawa, the current ones represented in the
House of Commons are:
– Liberal Party of Canada (Minority Government)
– Conservative Party of Canada (Official Opposition)
– Bloc Québécois
– New Democratic Party
– Green Party of Canada (no party status)

13. House of Commons

14. The Party/Affiliation System – Senate
• The current parties/affiliations represented in
the Senate are:
– Independent Senators Group
– Conservative Party of Canada
– Canadian Senators Group
– Progressive Senate Group
– Non-affiliated

15. Senate

16. Legislative Branch – House of Commons
• Most statutes originate in the cabinet (government bills) and are
passed by the House of Commons after multiple rounds of debate
and decision-making
• Backbench legislators may introduce private legislation (Private
Members’ Bills) or amend bills presented to the House of Commons
by cabinet
• In a majority parliament, cabinet has ultimate control over the
output of the legislative branch
• In a minority parliament, cabinet has general control over the
output of the legislative branch

17. Legislative Branch – House of Commons
• Bills are typically subject to:
– 1st reading (introduced)
– 2nd reading (debate and vote)
• Committee stage (review and amendments)
• Report stage (committee ‘reports’ the bill back)
– 3rd reading (debate and final vote)
– Senate (same stages)
– Royal Assent by the Governor General
• Statutes (acts) set out the general framework and often contain the
provision for regulations

18. Legislative Branch -
House of Commons Committees

19. Legislative Branch -
Senate Committees

20. Executive Branch - Federal
• Sits within the legislative branch
• Also called the ’government’ and consists of:
– Cabinet (committee within the Privy Council)
– Non-political civil service staff within each department or
agency
• Head of government is the Prime Minister (PM),
appointed by the Governor General (GG)
• PM selects the Cabinet, who are also appointed by the
GG
• PM and cabinet remain in power as long as they
maintain the confidence of the House of Commons

21. Executive Branch - Federal
Prime Minister and Chair of Cabinet
Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
Cabinet Minister:
– Political staffers
– Serve at the pleasure of the Crown
– Sole purpose is to serve their
Minister and their political
interests
– Transitory positions
Clerk of the Privy Council, Secretary to
the Cabinet and Head of the Public
Service
Privy Council Office (PCO)
Deputy Minister:
o Hierarchical structure below
o People under DM (civil servants or
bureaucrats) do not serve at the
pleasure of the Crown
o Sole purpose is to serve the public
in an impartial manner
o Permanent positions

22. Executive Branch - Laws
• Statutes/Acts
• Regulations
• Policies
• Directives
• Standards
• Guidelines

23. Three Branches of Government - Provincial
• Monarch: Includes the Queen’s representative (the Lieutenant Governor)
and sits atop the three branches
• Legislative Branch: Creates statutes under provincial jurisdiction. The
legislative branch is made up of provincial elected representatives called
Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) in Ontario.
• Executive Branch: Responsible for government operations, and
implementing and enforcing laws. Includes the Queen’s representative
(the Lieutenant Governor), cabinet ministers (headed up by the Premier)
and the body of professional civil servants.
• Judicial Branch: Interprets the law and determines the penalty for those
who violate established laws, rules and regulations. Includes the provincial
court system.

24. Electoral System - Ontario
• Electoral system operates under two principles:
1) single-member constituencies
2) first-past-the-post elections
• Single-member constituencies simply mean that there
is only one MPP per electoral district
• First-past-the-post refers the rules by which that single
member is elected - during an election, the candidate
in an electoral district which receives the most votes
wins, regardless of whether s/he won a majority of the
votes

25. The Party System - Ontario

26. Provincial/Territorial Parties in Power

27. Legislative Branch - Ontario
• Most statutes originate in the cabinet (government
bills) and are passed by the legislature after multiple
rounds of debate and decision-making
• Backbench legislators may introduce private legislation
(private-members bills) or amend bills presented to the
legislature by cabinet
• In a majority parliament, cabinet has the ultimate
control over the output of the legislative branch
• In a minority parliament, cabinet has general control
over the output of the legislative branch
• Bills are typically subject to:
– 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading
– Committee review and amendments
– Royal Assent by the Lieutenant Governor
• Statutes (acts) set out the general framework and
often contain the provision for regulations

28. Legislative Branch –
Committees - Ontario
• Standing Committees:
– Exists for the duration of a parliamentary session
– Examines and reports on the general conduct of activities by
government departments and agencies and reports on matters
referred to it by the legislature, including proposed legislation
(i.e. Standing Committee on Social Policy)
• Select Committees:
– Set up specifically to study certain bills or issues
– After its final report, the committee is dissolved
• Your MPP may sit on one/more of these committees (unless they
are a cabinet minister)

29. Executive Branch - Ontario
• Sits within the legislative branch
• Also called the ’government’ and consists of:
– Cabinet (Executive Council of Ontario)
– Non-political civil service staff within each provincial
department or agency
• Head of government is the Premier of Ontario,
appointed by the Lieutenant Governor
• Premier selects the Cabinet, who are also
appointed by the Lieutenant Governor
• Premier and cabinet remain in power as long as
they maintain the confidence of the legislature

30. Executive Branch - Ontario
Premier and Chair of the Executive
Council
Cabinet Minister:
– Political staffers
– Serve at the pleasure of the
Crown
– Sole purpose is to serve their
Minister and their political
interests
– Transitory positions
Secretary of the Cabinet, Head of
the Public Service and Clerk of
the Executive Council
Deputy Minister:
o Hierarchical structure below
o People under DM (civil
servants or bureaucrats) do
not serve at the pleasure of
the Crown
o Sole purpose is to serve the
public in an impartial manner
o Permanent positions

31. Petitions – House of Commons
• Petitions draw attention to an issue of public interest or concern and to
request that the House of Commons, the Government of Canada, a
Minister of the Crown, or a Member of the House of Commons take or
refrain from some action
• Petitions can only be submitted by a Member of Parliament
• A petition must meet requirements established by the rules and practices
of the House, including formatting
• Federal jurisdiction  The petition must concern subject matter that is
within the authority of the Parliament of Canada, the House of Commons
or the Government of Canada
• Sub judice  A petition may not concern a matter that is the subject of
legal proceedings or currently before the courts

32. Petitions – House of Commons
• Dos
– A petition must be written in either English or French
– Respectful, use temperate language, and not contain
improper or unparliamentary language
• Don’ts
– No disrespectful or offensive language with respect to
the Crown, Parliament or the courts
– No charges made against the character or conduct of
Parliament, the courts or any other duly constituted
authority

33. Petitions - Provincial Legislatures
Signatures must be original,
legible and written by the
signatory (unless otherwise
stated)
Must follow provincial
guidelines on formatting,
language and tone
Cannot request the use of
public funds
Cannot request for an action
that is a matter for the courts
Signatories must be residents
of the province, with no
minimum age requirement
Paper petitions should be in
usual size (standard or legal
size)
If more than one page, the
petition must contain the
Member’s name or signature
on every page and the relief
sought
Members don’t have to agree
with the contents of the
petition they are presenting
and are not obligated to
present the petition
No other documents may be
attached to the petition
(maps, affidavits, references)

34. Election Engagement
1. Reviewing the Party Platforms
2. Attending an All-Candidates Meeting
3. Talking to Candidates at the Door
4. Asking the Candidates/Parties to Answer Questions
5. Asking the Candidates/Parties to Sign Pledges
34

35. Reviewing the Party Platforms

36. Attending an All-Candidates Meeting
• Forum to hear what local candidates
have to say about the issues
• Opportunity to introduce yourself and
deliver your three key messages
• Potential chance for you to educate
the candidates by asking a question
• May be able to interact with local
media in attendance
• Opportunity to use social media to
highlight your impressions of the
candidates

37. Talking to Candidates at the Door
• Print out your key messages on a piece
of paper and keep them near the door
of your home
• Practice delivering them so that if a
candidate shows up, you’ll be ready
• Write down their response to your
issue
• Ask to take a photo with the candidate
and share it on social media (along with
a brief summary of your discussion)
• Ask if you could follow-up with further
comments/questions
37

38. Questions to Candidates/Parties
Question 2: National Pharmacare Program
The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network believes that all people
residing in Canada must have timely, consistent, equal and equitable
access to safe and effective therapies, including treatments and
medications, as well as the information, diagnostics, care and
support that they need. The Pharmacare Council’s Final Report
called for a universal, public Pharmacare program that is portable,
accessible regardless of ability to pay and residency, and the
importance of working together with patients and citizens as key
stakeholders.
38

39. Questions to Candidates/Parties
Question 2: National Pharmacare Program
A. What is your party’s position on the creation of and timeline for
a universal public pharmacare program with a national
formulary that would be developed by an independent group of
experts that would assess the safety and cost-effectiveness of
medication?
B. Will your party support a new federal equalization payment for
national pharmacare so that all provinces are able to cover the
same comprehensive range of prescription drugs, with timely
new additions on a regular basis?
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40. Candidates Signing Pledges

41. Summary - Advocacy Opportunities
• Political parties leading up to an election
• Individual local MPs/provincial representatives
• Appointed Senators
• Minority parliaments
• Committees of the legislatures/Senate
• Cabinet ministers, political staffers and civil
servants
• Petitions (online/paper) to the House of
Commons and provincial legislatures
• Candidates (leaders/local) during an election

42. Canadian Cancer Survivor Network
Contact Info
1750 Courtwood Crescent, Suite 210
Ottawa, ON K2C 2B5
Telephone / Téléphone : 613-898-1871
E-mail: jmanthorne@survivornet.ca or info@survivornet.ca
Website: www.survivornet.ca
Twitter: @survivornetca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CanadianSurvivorNet
Instagram: @survivornet_ca
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