Issues in Canadian Politics - Textbook Notes PDF

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Issues in Canadian Politics

Look at Alex’s Comment for answers ---------------->>>>>>>>>>>>> Chapter 1 – Canadian Politics · · ·

through free and fair elections Autocracy →  a system of government featuring an unelected decision-maker with absolute authority Citizen →  a legally recognized inhabitant of a democratic state Liberal democracy →  A system in which equality, rights and freedoms are preserved through public debate and free and fair elections

Three Maxims of Canadian Politics · Canadian politics is defined by the cleavages of geography, ethnicity and ideology o Cleavage  → a division that separates opposing political communities 1. Geography · Political cultures  → a society’s innate political characteristics, embodied in the structure of its institutions and · Provincial communities have the ability to build their own small worlds and as a result some people may identify with their community more than with the idea of being “Canadian” · Canada was one of the world’s first federations · A political system that distributes power between central and regional governments · Day to day activities fall under provincial jurisdiction (education, health care, natural resources) · Federal government is for national interests (military, criminal justice, baking, currency, foreign affairs) · Welfare state  à government programming designed to promote the economic and social well-being of its citizens · Canada is becoming a two-pronged economy with natural resources and the knowledge sector · Provincial government remains autonomous when it comes to defining their own policy · Overarching principles used to guide government decisions and actions 2. Ethnicity · Multicultural mosaic à Canada features distinct but independent ethno cultural communities

Crown à  legal concept dictating the supremacy of the monarch over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government · Colonialism  à belief in the supremacy of European settler institutions over those of aboriginal groups, and policies and practices that support this belief · The largest communities are Aboriginal, English and French · The French communities (Quebec) have the ability to make their own laws to enforce the use of the French language Ideology · A set of ideas that form a coherent political belief system · Two main competing ideologies in the western world · Individualism · Me first approach to governance · “Libertarian”  à supports capitalism, materialism, competition, freedom from government interference · Associated with the conservative party in Canada · Communitarianism · Society first mentality · Supports government intervention and promotes inclusiveness · Associated with the New Democratic Party · Left-wing · Promotes higher taxes and a bigger role for government while promoting proactive measures to secure social equality · Right-wing · Promotes lower taxes and a smaller role for government while supporting traditional social hierarchies and those resulting from competition · Equality of right · Less accepting of radical changes · Pro-military · Socialism · Two main streams · Traditional social democracy · Remains committed to replacing capitalism with a more co-operative economic system ·

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Higher taxes imposed on the wealthy · Avoidance of armed conflict to achieve peace on an international stage Third-way social democracy · Accepts capitalism and aims to harness it to achieve equality of result

Liberalism · Two main branches · Business liberalism · Seeks to achieve equality of opportunity in economic terms · Free trade in Canada and with other states, balanced budgets, reduction of debt, · Welfare liberalism · Seeks to achieve equality of opportunity in social terms · Conservatism · Two dimensions à old right (red and blue tories) and new right (neoliberals and neoconservatives) · Toryism à  Canadian conservatism with British communitarian roots · Red Toryism à  promotes preservation of social fabric and government institutions · Lean towards left-wing political solutions · Blue Toryism  à promotes economic nationalism · Neoliberalism à  favours less government intervention in the economy · Neoconservatism à  promotes the protection of traditional values and community and national security Institution à  a structure that defines and constraints behaviour within a political system ·

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The Institutions of Canadian democracy are Anglo-American hybrids § Representative democracy à c itizens elect officials to make political decisions on their behalf · Government led by a prime minister and cabinet, supported by a majority of elected legislators

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An opposition consisting of members outside the governing party · A permanent public service separate from and at the service of the government · A judiciary dependent from government influence · A constitutional monarch who exercises power on the advice of the prime minister § Canada owes its ideological values to the British model § Canada has become more American than British in its second century as a country Understanding Canadian Politics requires some awareness of Canadian History o First Era (late 1800s-early 1900s) § Begins with the negotiation of the federal state in British North America · Colonial leaders from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Quebec o Confederation o Creation of the BNA § Did not include an amending formula  à a set of rules governing how the constitution could be changed · Thus, any changes over the next century would have required approval of the British government Central issues for politicians · Expansion of country into Rupert’s Land and the North-West Territories · Cultural genocide – Federal Indian Act o Residential schools o Labels § Western expansion controversial · Conflicts between liberals and conservatives in Ottawa · Governments constantly in courts to defend their actions · Denial of full provincial jurisdiction to new western provinces · Women struggled to gain the right to vote and stand for election · Canada suffered great loss in World Wars · Nationalism · Hardship during great depression · Growth of welfare state o Second Era (Mid 1900s- late 1900s) § Co-operative common wealth federation became the New Democratic Party (NDP)

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§ Quiet Revolution à early 1960s modernizing movement in Quebec · Geared toward a stronger provincial government and outward nationalism · Helped Quebec achieve its’ special status · Still debate today § Movement in women’s rights § Canada was becoming more multicultural § White Paper on Indian Policy · Dismantle the Indian Act · Stopped trying to assimilate first nations into European society · Maintain their own identity § Centennial celebrations · Federal government adopted flag and anthem for the country · Patriation à  process through which Canadian governments gained the authority to amend the country’s main constitutional documents § Charter of rights and freedoms · Part of the constitution act that had Canada’s core liberties · Patriation was contingent on this · Trudeau wanted to bring the Canadian constitution under full domestic control so we did not need British approval to make changes § New constitution · 1982 · Quebec opposed this and wanted to be separated from Canada o 1984 à distinct society § proposed designation for the province of Quebec recognizing that it features a French-speaking majority, a unique culture, and a civil-law tradition o 1995 à only 50.7% of people in Quebec wanted to remain a part of Canada § Largest electoral collapse in democratic history · Progressive conservative government downfall due to unpopularity of GST and NAFTA · Went from majority seats to only 2 in house of commons Third Era (Late 1900s-early 2000s) § Focused on budgets and slow economic growth

§ Liberal party and Jean Chretien lead country through one of Canada’s most comprehensive rounds of restructuring after World War II · Federal government launched strict spending cuts à specifically with transfer to provincial governments for things like healthcare, education and welfare · Resulted in balanced budgets o Budget in which total government revenues equals or sometimes exceeds total spending § Great Recession · Decline in the international economy that began in 2008. · Triggered by the collapse of the US housing market § Equalization · Payments the government received from Ottawa.

Historical Timelines of Post Quiet Revolution Policies

Central Political Issues

First Era

Second Era

Third Era

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Federal union Westward expansion Reciprocity (free trade)

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National identity Constitutional amendment Free trade Quebec/rest of Canada

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Fiscal Matters Healthcare Terrorism

East/west Male/female French Canada/ English Canada

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Quebec/rest of Canada

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West/east

Parliament /legislatures Courts

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Deepest Cleavages

Principal Sites for Political Conflict

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Rural/urban/suburban · Aboriginal/non-aborigi nal

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Parliament/legislatures Intergovernmental conferences Broadcast media

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Courts Broadcast media Social media Rallies, protests

Dominant Political Parties

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Liberals

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Conservatives ·

Key Events and Developments

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Confederation (1867) Northwest Uprisings World War I Great Depression World War II

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Liberals Progressive conservatives CCF/New Democrats

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Quiet revolution Centennial White paper on indian policy Patriation of the constitution, charter of rights and freedoms Megaconstituional negotiations (Meech lake and Charlottetown Accord) Quebec referendums NAFTA

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Liberals Conservatives (and predecessors) New democrats Bloc Quebecois Green

September 11 Afghanistan War Great recession

Chapter 2 – The Constitution Inside the Constitution · The constitution consists of written and unwritten rules · Minor adjustments are no more feasible than major · The constitution is more than just a government document Key Constitutional Principles · Parliamentary democracy o A democratic system in which governments must be supported by a majority of elected representatives in a legislature o Key features: § Canada is governed by the rule of law which means that all Canadians are subject to the same treatment regardless of their status § Ultimate power is invested in the crown (sovereignty) · Queen is head of state with representatives in the capital city o Governor general in Ottawa and 10 lieutenant governors in the provincial capitals § Head of government à first minister

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· Prime minister presides over the federal government · Premier in each of the provinces and territories § First minister and their ministers make up the cabinet · In charge of making government decisions · Exercise power that has been delegated by the crown · Crown only acts on the advice of the executive § In Ottawa à federal parliament composed of crown and 2 legislative bodies (chambers or houses) · Lower house à house of commons · Upper house à senate · For a law to become a law it must be approved by both houses, and the governor general § Legislatures are Unicameral · Consist of only one house or chamber · Assembly and lieutenant governor or territorial commissioner must approve a bill before it becomes law § Responsible government · Political executive must maintain the confidence of its legislature in order to remain in power § Individually responsible · Cabinet members are individually responsible for the activities falling within the scope of their separate ministries and collectively accountable to the legislature for the activities of the government § Representative democracy · Elected on single-member plurality electoral systems (whoever gets the most votes) § Strong party discipline · Members of parliament are likely to side with the leader of their party § Adversarial basis · Legislatures operate on adversarial basis · Government held to account by an opposition comprising all members of parliament who do not belong to a governing party § Governments supported by non-partisan independent civil service Key Features of Parliamentary Democracy § Liberal Democracy · A system in which equality, rights and freedoms, are preserved through public debate and free and fair elections · Rule of law  à the principle that no one is above the law, and that any powers granted to elected or non-elected officials must be conferred by legislation

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Individual rights not protected when BNA act first came into play o Positive rights  à to be extended to individuals and groups by the state o Negative liberties  à to be kept safe from intrusion by the state · Equality o Small – c à Libertarian perspective, equality of rights vs. socialists viewing it as equality of conditions (communitarian perspective) o Small – I à Equality of opportunity § Representative Democracy · Citizens elect officials to make political decisions on their behalf o Indirect democracy · Direct democracy à citizens make political decisions by voting on individual issues · First past the post electoral system · Differs from functional or corporatist forms of democracy à representatives are accountable to groups that are not defined by territory (representing women, indigenous peoples, unions, classes, specific occupational groups) § Constitutional Monarchy · System in which sovereignty of the crown is maintained, but exercised by elected officials according to prescribed rules o Crown à legal concept dictating the supremacy of the monarch over the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government o Crown acts on advice of political executive § Responsible Government · Constitutional principle whereby the executive must be supported by a majority of elected members of the legislature · Fusion of Powers o An intimate connection between the authority of the executive and the authority of the legislature o Drawn directly from the ranks of the legislature · Cabinet solidarity o Members of the executive remain cohesive and jointly responsible for the government’s undertakings o Must publicly support decisions of legislature · Ministerial responsibility

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Ministers remain individually responsible for the activities undertaken by the staff in their respective departments If you do not live up to this, then you can be removed from government

Federalism o Comes from the USA o Division of powers between the central (federal) and subnational governments (provincial) o Central government to act on matters important to Pan-Canada § Admin over the NWT while maintaining provincial authority over culturally and locally sensitive matters § Created Canada’s third modern federation behind USA and Switzerland Aboriginal Self-Government o Colonialism à imposition, practice, policy or belief in the supremacy of European settler institutions over those of aboriginal groups § No longer valid o Royal proclamation of 1763  à British document setting out the terms of European settlement in North America following the Seven Years’ War § Recognized that Aboriginal peoples had land until it was ceded to the Crown via treaties or purchase · Treaties à  Agreements between the Crown and Aboriginal Peoples establishing mutual duties and obligations o Recognized land belonged to Canada but Aboriginal peoples had the right to have land (reserves), given annual payments, food aid, other forms of government assistance, allowed to hunt/fish or use land § Two-Row Wampum · Ceremonial beaded belt symbolizing the parallel paths and equal order relationship between the Crown and First Nations people § Relationship with Crown · Canadian and Aboriginal societies can co-exist in peace and friendship while respecting each right to self-governance o Inherent right of a people to sovereignty over their own affairs

Core Components of the Constitutional Order · Constitutional order à  body of written and unwritten rules that govern all laws in Canada Constitutional Laws

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Pre-confederation laws § Legislation Constitutional Order

Major Impact on

Royal Proclamation of 1763

Established the inherent right of Aboriginal self-government

Quebec Act of 1774

Established religious, linguistic, legal and political rights of citizens in the Province of Quebec

Constitutional Act of 1791

Established representative government in Upper and Lower Canada (Ontario and Quebec)

Act of Union 1840

Reunited Upper and Lower Canada under a common legislature and temporarily abolished special rights for French Canadians

British North America Act 1867

Established the confederation of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec

Statute of Westminster 1931

Established the equality of British and Canadian Parliaments

Canada Act 1982

Patriated the Canadian constitution

Constitution Act 1982

Established a domestic amending formula and

entrenched the Charter of Rights and Freedoms BNA Act since 1867 § Amending Formula à a set of rules governing how the constitution can be changed · BNA act went through about 20 different versions because an amending formula could not be agreed upon § Charter of Rights and Freedoms · Portion of the constitution act of 1982 that enshrined Canadian’s core liberties and entitlements vis-à-vis their governments · Commitment to uphold aboriginal treaty rights · Formal recognition of the equalization principle § Constitution Act patriated  the constitutional order · Process in which Canadian governments gained the authority to amend the country’s main constitutional documents § Clarity Act · Establish federally defined rules for the orderly secession (withdrawal) of provinces from federation Constitutional Conventions o Unwritten rules based on custom that binds political actors to adhere to the traditions of the constitutional order o So fundamental that people think they are law but they really aren’t o Convention of non-use  à o Reference Case § A proceeding initiated by a government to seek the court’s opinion on the constitutionality of legislation § Known by provinces today as the Patriation reference Judicial Opinions o Judicial review  à process in which courts are asked to rule on the constitutionality of particular pieces of government legislation § Allows for the authority of government to be challenged o Persons’ Case § Persons referred to men in the constitution so only men could be senators § Overturned and women received the right to vote, to stand for office, and exercise other democratic rights and privileges o Courts have also helped to define and enforce Aboriginal Treaty rights § R v Marshall, T Nation Case, LGBTT o

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Evolution of the Living Tree · Road to Confederation o Following the Act of Union in 1840, deadlock § Delegates eventually realized the economic and military benefits of union – they preferred British parliamentary traditions o Canada West wanted a strong central government § Wanted to displace the British Parliament § Wanted representation by population § Canada East opposed because they wanted control over their culture (language rights, civil law, catholic education) · Maritime colonies pushed for this kind of autonomy as well · This lead to the decentralization of powers o Federalism § Highly centralized...