Lesson 3 & 4
-
Federalism, the 3 Levels of Government &
Passing a Bill
Outcomes
 Students will identify federalism and apply it to the structure of
government at its different levels
 Students will compare and contrast the positions and roles at the federal,
provincial and municipal government levels
 Students will identify the stages that bills must go through to become
passed as law and then work cooperatively to draft a bill in a party that
will go through this process next class.
Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lecture Notes – “Comparison of Federal and Provincial Governments”.
Student assignment – “On the Right Level”. Using their thoughts, prior
knowledge and partner, students have to come up with the
appropriate level of government for each service or issue. Go over this
as a group.
How a Bill Becomes a Law – students are to refer to page 237 and go
over the lengthy process of passing a bill. Address the “Thinking
Critically” question at the top. Go through PPT for note-taking here.
Passing a Bill Activity. Use the attached guide to get students to
develop a bill. Next class we will take it through its 7 stages.
Materials
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lecture Notes – “Comparison of Federal and Provincial Governments”
Student Assignment – “On the Right Level”
Counterpoints page 237
How a Bill Becomes a Law Activity Guide
PPT – Bills in Parliament
Comparison of Federal & Provincial Governments
Federal
Provincial
Branch
_____
Branch
______
Monarch – Governor General
Lieutenant Governor
Prime Minister / Cabinet
Premier / Cabinet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Branch
______
(
Branch
)
(
)
Composition:
Party
_____
(
)
Composition:
# of seats
Gov’t ______________
(
)
___
Official Opposition
______________
___
Opposition
______________
______________
___
___
Party
# of seats
Gov’t _________
(
)
Official Opposition
______________
___
___
Each level of government (federal and provincial) also has a judicial branch, but
we will examine that separately!
Comparison of Federal & Provincial Government - KEY
Federal
Branch
Provincial
Executive
Branch
Monarch – Governor General
Executive
Lieutenant Governor
Steven L. Point
David Johnston
Prime Minister / Cabinet
Premier / Cabinet
Stephen Harper – Cons.
Christy Clark – Lib.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Branch
Legislative
Branch
House of Commons & Senate
(308)
Legislative
Provincial Legislature
(105)
Composition:
Party
# of seats
Gov’t Conservatives
(Harper)
Official Opposition
NDP
165
102
(85)
Composition:
Party
Gov’t Liberals
(Clark)
Official Opposition
NDP
Independent
Vacant
Opposition
Liberals
Bloc Quebecois
Green
Independent
Vacant
34
4
1
1
1
VOTERS!
VOTERS!
# of seats
48
34
2
1
Socials 11
Name ___________________________
Block ______
ON THE RIGHT LEVEL
Using any prior knowledge you have, and given some thought to each service or
issue, identify at which level(s) of government power is given:
Area:
Agriculture
Armed Forces
Copyright
Correctional
Facilities
Education
Elections
Energy
Fire Department
Hospitals
Human Rights
Immigration
International trade
Internet
Labour
Libraries
Liquor Licenses
Marriage Permits
Parks
Passports
Pensions
Police
Recycling
Water and Sewers
Social Insurance
Numbers
Taxes
Telecommunications
Tourism / Travel
Traffic / Parking
Signs
Transportation
Level(s) of Government Responsible:
Federal
Provincial/Territorial Municipal
Socials 11
Name ___________________________
Block ______
ON THE RIGHT LEVEL - KEY
Using any prior knowledge you have, and given some thought to each service or
issue, identify at which level(s) of government power is given:
Area:
Agriculture
Armed Forces
Copyright
Correctional
Facilities
Education
Elections
Energy
Fire Department
Hospitals
Human Rights
Immigration
International trade
Internet
Labour
Libraries
Liquor Licenses
Marriage Permits
Parks
Passports
Pensions
Police
Recycling
Water and Sewers
Social Insurance
Numbers
Taxes
Telecommunications
Tourism / Travel
Traffic / Parking
Signs
Transportation
Level(s) of Government Responsible:
Federal
Provincial/Territorial Municipal
LIMITED
LIMITED
LIMITED
QUEBEC
LIMITED
Passing a Bill – Student Activity
Students are divided into two parties  Liberal & Conservative.
Within each party, one is the Cabinet Minister introducing a bill.
Students are to use page 237 of their textbook to follow the steps of introducing,
reading, amending, debating and finally passing or rejecting a bill.
Teacher is the Senate. Teacher can choose to pass or reject the bill if it gets to
that stage.
Leftist Party’s Bill  legalization of all drugs in Canada
Rightist Party’s Bill  capital punishment to be enforced as law for capital
crimes
Step 1  give each party their bill. The chosen Cabinet Minister introduces it
to their party.
Step 2  the Cabinet must draft the bill so that it meets with majority approval
Step 3  Cabinet Minister introduces the Bill in the “House of Commons”.
Step 4  After a few minutes of discussion amongst the party, the bill is reread
Step 5  10 minute debate of the bill
Step 6  House can choose to amend the bill and send it to a third reading
and vote
Step 7  if the bill passes the house, Senate (teacher) then approves/rejects it
Repeat this for the other party’s bill.