How Elections are run in the Province of Ontario Canada

1. Lesson 1: Governance

2. What is government?
• The people and institutions in place to run or govern a
country, state, province or community.

3. How do governments differ from
one another?
• Different government systems around the world are
distinguished by the allocation of power and the types of
rights and freedoms afforded to the citizens.
• Levels of power, in the case of governments, are often
synonymous with levels of control.

4. Autocratic government
• A system of government run by a ruler with total power
and authority over all aspects of life. This ruler is called a
dictator and often has the support of the military. People
living under authoritarian rule do not have individual rights
and freedoms. (Libya, North Korea)

5. Oligarchic government
• A form of government system in which power rests with a
small number of people, generally the people who are rich
and more powerful than the others (due to bloodlines or
wealth). People living under oligarchic rule have some
rights and freedoms. (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, many African
nations)

6. Democratic government
• A system of government in which power is retained by all
the people. Citizens have access to power and they also
have guaranteed rights and freedoms. (Canada, United
States, Japan, Germany)

7. Canada’s Constitutional Monarchy
• Canada is a part of the British Commonwealth and is
therefore ceremonially connected to the British Crown.
• A monarchy can be either a democracy or a dictatorship.
• The Queen of England is also Canada’s Queen.

8. Commonwealth Prince and
Princess
• Princess Catherine and Prince William, Duke and Duchess
of Cambridge are Canada’s Prince and Princess.
• In the summer of 2011 they toured Canada as a part of
their honeymoon!

9. Why is democracy important?
• Winston Churchill once remarked “It has been said that
democracy is the worst form of government except for all
the others that have been tried.” (1947)
• What do you think of this quote? Is democracy perfect?
Can you think of a better form of government?
• Is democracy important? Why?

10. Canadian Government Facts
• In 1931 the Statute of Westminster was signed, allowing
the Canadian government to make its own foreign policy
decisions where previously Canada was obliged to follow
the lead of Britain.
• In 1534, France’s King claimed the land of what was to
become Canada.
• The Canadian government’s jurisdiction is over 9,900,000
square kilometres, the world’s second largest nation.
• Canada regularly scores in the top percentile in quality of
life ratings among countries of the world.
• Canada has the world’s ninth biggest economy.