REVIEW LEGISLATIVE BRANCH REVIEW FROM YESTERDAY LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

REVIEW

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

REVIEW FROM YESTERDAY • LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: MAKES LAWS • EXECUTIVE BRANCH: IMPLEMENTS LAWS • JUDICIAL: ENFORCES THE LAWS

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH • THERE ARE 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH • 1. GOVERNOR GENERAL • 2. HOUSE OF COMMONS • 3. SENATE • ***HOUSE OF COMMONS HAS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE

WHO IS WHO: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH • HEAD OF STATE: HAS ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS • THE HEAD OF STATE IN CANADA IS QUEEN ELIZABETH II • THE GOVERNOR GENERAL IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE QUEEN IN CANADA

GOVERNMENT COMPOSITION (WHAT MAKES UP THE GOVERNMENT) • IN CANADA WE FORM OUR GOVERNMENT BY THE POLITICAL PARTY THAT WINS THE MOST SEATS IN THE FEDERAL ELECTION • THE LEADER OF THIS PARTY THAT FORMS THE GOVERNMENT THEN BECOMES THE PRIME MINISTER • EX. JUSTIN TRUDEA LIBERAL PARTY WON THE MOST SEATS HE IS THE LEADER OF THE LIBERAL PARTY HE BECAME PRIME MINISTER

HOUSE OF COMMONS: STRUCTURE • HOUSE OF COMMONS: CONSISTS OF ELECTED MEMBERS (REPRESENTATIVES) WHO ARE CALLED MP’S OR MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT • MP’S THAT ARE NOT IN THE PARTY THAT MAKE UP THE GOVERNMENT ARE CALLED OPPOSITION • THE PARTY WITH THE SECOND MOST SEATS IN THE HOUSE ARE CALLED THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION THAT PARTY’S LEADER IS THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION • PARTY SOLIDARITY REFERS TO EACH PARTY VOTING AS A UNIT • THEY HAVE CAUCUS MEETINGS TO DECIDE HOW THEY WILL VOTE BEFORE PARLIAMENT SITS

THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE • MEMBER OF THE HOUSE • SELECTED BY THE HOUSE TO BE THE HOUSE SPOKESMAN AND PRESIDE OVER PROCEEDINGS • OVERSEES ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOUSE Geoff Regan

PAGE • FIRST YEAR STUDENT FROM NATIONAL UNIVERSITIES EMPLOYED BY THE HOC TO CARRY MESSAGES AND DELIVER HOUSE DOCUMENTS

CABINET MINISTER • MEMBER OF CABINET APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL ON THE ADVICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER • CHOSEN FROM EXISTING MEMBERS AND SENATORS (USUALLY) • RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN DEPARTMENTS • GIVEN TITLE: “THE HONOURABLE”

OPPOSITION PARTY • A POLITICAL PARTY THAT DOES NOT HOLD THE MOST SEATS IN PARLIAMENT • IS NOT PART OF A COALITION GOVERNMENT

PRIME MINISTER • HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT • LEADER OF THE PARTY HAVING THE GREATEST NUMBER OF SEATS IN THE HOC • APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL • SELECTS MEMBERS OF CABINET AND ALONG WITH THEM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSE ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

LEADER OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION • THE LEADER OF THE PARTY WITH THE SECOND LARGEST NUMBER OF SEATS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS • THE PARTY WITH THE 3 RD LARGEST AMOUNT OF SEATS IN THE HOC = SECOND LARGEST PARTY IN OPPOSITION

CLERK AND TABLE OFFICERS • CLERK OF THE HOUSE: CHIEF PROCEDURAL ADVISOR TO THE SPEAKER AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE. • TABLE OFFICERS: THE CLERKS PROVIDE PROCEDURAL ADVICE DURING SITTINGS OF PARLIAMENT. TAKES THE VOTES AND KEEPS MINUTES.

MACE • LARGE, HEAVY AND RICHLY ORNAMENTED STAFF THAT ARE THE AUTHORITY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS • WHEN THE SPEAKER TAKES THE CHAIR THE MACE IS PLACED ON THE TABLE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THE HOUSE IS IN SESSION

HANSARD • DEBATES: THE PRINTED RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE. DEBATES ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS HANSARD

MORE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH • SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: THE SENIOR OFFICER OF THE HOUSE RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS • BAR (OF THE HOUSE): A BRASS BARRIER INSIDE THE SOUTH ENTRANCE TO THE CHAMBER. THIS MARKS OFF THE AREA WHERE NON-MEMBERS MAY BE ADMITTED • INTERPRETERS: SEATED IN GLASS BOOTHS AT THE SOUTH END OF THE CHAMBER – ENGLISH AND FRENCH TRANSLATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC • PRESS GALLERY: ACCREDITED MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA GRANTED ACCESS TO THE GALLERY • GALLERIES: AREAS IN THE HOUSE SET ASIDE FOR THE PUBLIC, PRESS, AND DISTINGUISHED VISITORS • TV CAMERA: REMOTE CONTROLLED TO CAPTURE PARLIAMENT IN ACTION

CABINET • CHOSEN FROM MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTERS PARTY • RESPONSIBLE FOR VARIOUS MINISTRIES • PRIME MINISTERS CLOSEST ADVISORS • TRANSPORTATION, JUSTICE, FINANCE… • DECISIONS BY THE CABINET MUST BE SUPPORTED BY ALL CABINET MEMBERS, IF THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THEY MUST RESIGN • 30 MEMBERS (APPROX. ) • CAN INCLUDE SENATE AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

SHADOW CABINET • FORMED BY MEMBERS OF THE OFFICIAL OPPOSITION • EACH CABINET MINISTER HAS A SHADOW MINISTER • THIS HELPS PROVIDE A WATCHFUL EYE ON CABINET OPERATIONS

THE SENATE • 105 MEMBERS • APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR GENERAL BY WAY OF SELECTION BY THE PRIME MINISTER • MUST RETIRE BY 75 • HAS POWER TO VETO IN BILL-LAW PROCESS • SOBER SECOND THOUGHT TO LAW MAKERS IN PARLIAMENT – PROVIDES A SECOND LOOK AT THE LAW MAKING PROCESS BEFORE ITS FINAL READING – ALLOWS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO LEGISLATION

HOW DOES A BILL BECOME A LAW? THE LAW MAKING PROCESS • HOUSE OF COMMONS - FIRST READING SECOND READING COMMITTEE THIRD READING • SENATE - FIRST READING SECOND READING COMMITTEE THIRD READING • GOVERNOR GENERAL - PROVIDES ROYAL ASSENT

MORE: THE LAW MAKING PROCESS • THE FIRST READING IS WHERE THE BILL IS INTRODUCED TO CABINET OR A PRIVATE MEMBER (MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE WHO IS NO ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT – PRIVATE MEMBERS BILL) • SECOND READING – BILL INTRODUCED AGAIN AND DEBATED IN GENERAL • COMMITTEE STAGE – BILL IS SENT TO A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE, STUDIED IN DETAIL. CHANGES ARE OFTEN MADE HERE. EACH SECTION MAY BE VOTED ON SEPARATELY. • THIRD READING – BILL BRIEFLY DEBATED, THIRD VOTE TAKEN • THEN … THE BILL THEN GOES TO THE SENATE AND THE PROCESS IS REPEATED

FINALLY… • A PIECE OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION (LAW) IS CALLED A BILL • A BILL GOES THROUGH THE NECESSARY STEPS TO BECOME A LAW • IDEAS FOR BILLS USUALLY COME FROM CABINET • LEGISLATION (LAWS) INVOLVING THE SPENDING OF GOVT MUST BE INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS • IF A BUDGETARY BILL FAILS TO BE PASSED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS THIS IS KNOWN AS A “VOTE OF NON-CONFIDENCE” AND THE GOVERNMENT PARTY IS OBLIGATED TO CALL AN ELECTION.

THE END