Unit 5 Flashcards

Read the words on the card. Think about what they mean or refer to. When you want to check your answer, click on the card to see the other side. All terms and dates will appear every time you load this page, but the order of the cards will change every time. The information on these flashcards will help you remember the information from the Learn section of this website. By itself, the information on the cards is not enough to prepare you for the real test.

• Federal State
  There is a federal government for the whole country, and provincial (and territorial) governments for local issues.
• Commissioner
  In the Territories, the Commissioner represents the federal government, and plays a ceremonial role.
• Constitutional Monarchy
  Canada's Head of State is a hereditary Sovereign. The Head of the Government is selected by voters during elections. Some countries combine these jobs, but Canada does not.
• Three parts of Parliament
  The Sovereign, the Senate, and the House of Commons.
• House of Commons
  The part of parliament with elected members.
• Mayor or Reeve
  The elected leader of a city, town, or area of rural land.
• How a bill becomes a law
  First reading, second reading, committee stage, report stage, third reading, senate, royal assent. (Review this process in Discover Canada.)
• Executive branch of government
  The Sovereign, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet.
• Three key facts about Canada's system of government
  1) federal state, 2) parliamentary democracy, 3) constitutional monarchy
• Legislative Assembly
  Although we sometimes use different names in different provinces, we can refer to all provincial governments as "Legislative Assemblies". (List of different name is in Discover Canada.)
• Bill
  The name we give a proposed (suggested) law before it becomes a law.
• Non-confidence vote
  A vote where the majority of elected members vote against the government. This means that government must resign, and new elections must be called.
• Reason for federalism
  Federalism allows different provinces to have laws that suit their own local situation, and allows experimentation with new ways to solve problems.
• Legislative Branch of government
  The Senate and the House of Commons.
• Governor General
  The Sovereign's representative in Canada. The Governor General is chosen by the Sovereign, based on advice from the Prime Minister.
• Judicial Branch of Government
  Judges and courts.
• Senate
  Senators are chosen by the Governor General, based on advice from the Prime Minister. Senators serve until the age of 75.
• Areas of shared federal and provincial jurisdiction (responsibility).
  Immigration and agriculture.
• Lieutenant Governor
  The Sovereign's representative in provinces.
• Examples of national matters that the federal government takes care of
  Defence, foreign policy, interprovincial trade and communications, currency (money), navigation, criminal law, and citizenship.
• Member of Parliament
  A person who is elected in a riding to represent the people in that riding. MP for short.
• Municipal elections
  The elections where people choose their local (city, town, or countryside) representatives.
• Sovereign
  King or Queen.
• Parliamentary Democracy
  A system of government where the party with the most members forms the government. Citizens vote for their representatives.
• Examples of local matters that the provincial or territorial governments take care of
  Municipal government, education, health, natural resources, property and civil rights, and highways.
• Three branches of government
  Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.