Government Review
And Canada’s Government
GPS
• SS6CG1a. Describe the ways government systems
distribute power: unitary, confederation, federal.
• SS6CG1b. Explain how government systems
determine citizen participation: autocratic,
oligarchic, democratic.
• SSCG1c. Describe the 2 predominate forms of
democratic government: parliamentary and
presidential.
• SS6CG3a. Describe the structure of the Canadian
government…
E.Q.
• How do governments differ?
• How is Canada’s government organized?
3 Types of Government: How Citizens
Participate
AUTOCRACY
OLIGARCHY
DEMOCRACY
3 Types of Government: How Citizens
Participate
AUTOCRACY
Rule by one
Advantage: quick
decisions
Disadvantage: no
citizen
participation
OLIGARCHY
DEMOCRACY
3 Types of Government
AUTOCRACY
OLIGARCHY
Rule by one
Rule by a few
Advantage: quick Advantage: quick
decisions
decisions
Disadvantage: no Disadvantage: no
citizen
citizen
participation
participation
DEMOCRACY
3 Types of Government
AUTOCRACY
OLIGARCHY
Rule by one
Rule by a few
Advantage: quick
Advantage:
decisions
quick decisions
Disadvantage: no
Disadvantage:
citizen participation
no citizen
participation
DEMOCRACY
Advantage: all groups
represented
Disadvantage: slower
decision-making; need to
be informed
Representative
Democracy
citizens elect
representatives
to make
decisions (U.S.)
Direct
Democracy
– citizens
vote on all
decisions
2 Types of DEMOCRACY
Presidential
Parliamentary
2 Types of DEMOCRACY
Presidential
U.S., Mexico, most S.A. countries
Citizens elect members of
legislature
Legislature makes laws
Cannot force early election of
president
Citizens elect president
President
Head of state
Chief executive
Runs government
Heads military
Cannot dissolve legislature
Parliamentary
2 Types of DEMOCRACY
Presidential
U.S., Mexico, most S.A. countries
Citizens elect members of
legislature
Legislature makes laws
Cannot force early election of
president
Citizens elect president
President
Head of state
Chief executive
Runs government
Heads military
Cannot dissolve legislature
Parliamentary
Canada, Australia, U.K.
Citizens elect MPs (members of
Parliament)
Parliament chooses Prime Minister
(PM)
makes laws
can force early election
of PM
PM is chief executive
Heads military
Enforces laws
Runs country
Can dissolve Parliament
Head of State: symbolic leader
3 Ways Governments Share Power
UNITARY
CONFEDERATION
FEDERAL
3 Ways Governments Share Power
UNITARY
Central government
holds all the power and
controls all other
governments in the
country
Examples:
Cuba
Bolivia
Great Britain
France
The state of Georgia
(state has power to
create/break up
cities & counties)
CONFEDERATION
UNITARY
3 ways Governments Share Power
UNITARY
CONFEDERATION
Central government holds
all the power and controls
all other governments in
the country
Examples:
Cuba
Bolivia
Great Britain
France
The state of Georgia
(state has power to
create/break up cities
& counties)
Local governments
hold all the power
Examples –
countries agree to
work together on a
problem
•Voluntary
•Decisions have
to be agreed on
by all to become
law
FEDERAL
Confederation Problems
• Little power
– individual countries can veto decisions
– changes have to be agreed on unanimously
• U.S. tried it
– “Articles of Confederation” 1777-1787
• states saw selves as separate countries
• Congress had no power
• replaced by Constitution & federal government
3 ways Governments Share Power
UNITARY
CONFEDERATION
FEDERAL
Central government holds all
the power and controls all
other governments in the
country
Examples:
Cuba
Bolivia
Great Britain
France
The state of Georgia
(state has power to
create/break up cities &
counties)
Local governments hold all the
power
Examples – countries agree to
work together on a problem
Voluntary
Decisions have to be
agreed on by all to
become law
Power is shared
between central and
local governments
Central gov’t is more
powerful – but can’t
get rid of local gov’t or
local leaders
Examples:
Brazil
Canada
Mexico
U.S.
Venezuela
CANADA’S GOVERNMENT
CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY
PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY
FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT
CANADA’S GOVERNMENT
CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY
PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Constitution explains how gov’t is organized &
citizens’ rights, limits monarch’s power
Monarch is head of state & symbolic leader of
Canada
CANADA’S GOVERNMENT
CONSTITUTIONAL
MONARCHY
Constitution explains how gov’t is organized & citizens’ rights, limits
monarch’s power
Monarch is head of state & symbolic leader of Canada
PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY
•Citizens elect MPs
•MPs select Prime Minister and can unselect
him/her
•Chief executive
•Head of military
•Runs country
•Leads parliament – can dissolve it
FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT
CANADA’S GOVERNMENT
CONSTITUTION
AL MONARCHY
Constitution explains how gov’t is organized & citizens’ rights, limits monarch’s
power
Monarch is head of state & symbolic leader of Canada
PARLIAMENTARY
DEMOCRACY
Citizens elect MPs
MPs select Prime Minister and can unselect him/her
Chief executive
Head of military
Runs country
Leads parliament – can dissolve it
FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT
•Power is divided between central gov’t and local
provinces
•Provinces make own laws and elect own leaders
(premiers)
•Citizens 18 & older may vote
•Very high level of personal freedom protected by
courts
FEDERAL: POWER IS SHARED
Canada’s Government
– Main political parties
•
•
•
•
•
Bloc Quebecois
Conservative Party
Green Party
Liberal Party
New Democratic Party
SUMMARY
How is Canada’s government like our
government?
How is Canada’s government different from our
government?