To what extent should Canadians support social
programs and taxation?
Introduction
 How do you react when someone mentions the word
“politics?”
 Do you cringe?
 Have an allergic reaction and run away?
 Are you uninterested or is it that you are just
uninformed?
 Head to the following site and complete the quiz.
 www.pbs.org/teachers/vote2008/blueprint/widget
 At the end of the quiz, identify what your current
viewpoint on politics is and the descriptors it includes.
 Imagine that there is a federal election coming up and
that you have the opportunity to participate. If you
were to choose a political party to support, would you
have the information you needed to do so?
 Information on where a party stands on the issues that
are important to you and your community is often the
basis for making an informed decision on which party
to vote for. Decisions are based on what people see as
important to their quality of life.
 From your work this year, you are becoming an expert
on the differences between the American market
economy and the Canadian mixed economy. With
different economic philosophies come differing
economic perspectives and potential social impacts.
 You will see how these different perspectives are
reflected in the economic platforms of the political
parties within the United States and Canada.
 Liberal, Conservative, Republican, and Democratic—
these are the names of national political parties in
Canada and the United States.
 Do you remember what a political party is?
 It is a group of citizens who have similar ideas and who
agree on major issues.
 It creates policies to respond to the issues.
 It has representatives who seek election in the
government and who strive to have their policies
enforced.
 What are the differences between political parties? In
Canada, we have many different political parties because
Canadians hold many different points of view and
perspectives.
 There are five major federal political parties in Canada and
two in the United States. Each party has a platform that
reflects its values, including its economic policies.
 Let’s explore the economic policies, policies on social
programs, and taxation models of the major political
parties.
Assignment
 Complete Lesson 3: Political Parties and Their Policies