What do you know about the structure of government in Canada The Levels of Government Canada is a large and diverse country To serve citizens most effectively there are multiple levels of government ID: 640969
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Slide1
Slide Deck 2:
The Levels of GovernmentSlide2
What do you know about the structure of government in Canada?Slide3
The Levels of Government
Canada is a
large and diverse country
To serve citizens most effectively, there are multiple levels of government:
federal
, provincial/territorial
and municipal, as well as Indigenous governmentsEach level has its own structure and a unique set of responsibilitiesSlide4
Federal
The elected representative at the
national
level is called a
Member of Parliament
(MP)There are 338 elected MPs. They make up the legislative body, which creates or enacts laws for the
country
MPs debate and pass laws in the
House of Commons
in OttawaThe leader of the government is called the prime ministerSlide5
Who is the current prime minister?
Who is our MP?Slide6
Provincial
The elected representatives
are called
Members of the Legislative Assembly
(MLAs
)
in AlbertaThe provincial legislative body is made up of 87 MLAsMLAs debate and pass laws at the
Legislative Assembly
in
Edmonton
The leader of the
governmentis called the
premierSlide7
Who is the current premier?
Who is our MLA?Slide8
Municipal
The elected representative at the municipal level is called a
councillor
or
aldermanMunicipal councils debate and pass laws at the local or city town hallThe head of the council is called a mayor or reeve
The size and structure of the council differs, depending on the populationSlide9
Who is the current mayor or reeve?
Who is the head of our local council?Slide10
Appointed Representatives
As a
constitutional monarchy
, Canada’s head of
state is
a hereditary
sovereign (queen or king) who reigns in accordance with the Constitution At the federal level, the sovereign is represented by the governor general (GG)
,
who
is appointed
by the sovereign on the advice of the prime ministerAt the provincial level, the sovereign is represented by
the lieutenant governor (LG),
who is
appointed by
the
GG on
the advice of the
prime minister
These individuals are appointed on the advice of the prime minister and serve five-year terms
No similar role exists at the municipal levelSlide11
Can you name the current GG and LG?
Do you know the new GG who will take office later this fall?Slide12
Division of Powers
When they chose a federal form of government, the Canadian Fathers of Confederation assigned particular responsibilities to the federal and provincial governments (outlined in
Sections
91–95
of the
Constitution Act)This division of powers is based on the idea of subsidiarity, meaning that the government level closest to the issue governs itLocal governments receive their powers from the provincial governmentSlide13
Examples of Government Responsibilities
Federal
:
Global affairs, immigration and citizenship, national defence
,
currency, public safety, fisheries and oceansProvincial: Education, health care delivery, social welfare, transportation and highwaysMunicipal:
Water
supply and sewer services, public
transit, roads
and sidewalks, garbage and recreational facilitiesSlide14
Which level of government has the greatest
impact
on your daily life?
Why is it important to know who your local representative is?Slide15
Municipalities in Alberta
Alberta is currently separated into 354 different local areas called
municipalities
The
Municipal
Government Act
states that the purpose of municipalities is:To provide good government;To
provide services, facilities or
other things
that,
in the opinion of council, are necessary or desirable for all or a part of the municipality; andTo develop safe and viable communitiesSlide16
Can you name the type of municipality you live in?Slide17
Municipality Types
There are three types in Alberta:
urban municipalities
,
rural municipalities
and
specialized municipalitiesUrban municipalities include cities
,
towns
,
villages and summer villages
Rural municipalities
include
municipal districts
or
counties
, as well as
improvement districts
and
special areas
Specialized municipalities allow
urban and rural communities to
coexist
in a
single municipal
governmentSlide18
Structure of the Municipal Council
The council members include a
head
of the council
and the elected councillors or aldermen
The chair of the council is either a mayor or a reeve
A mayor is directly elected by citizens
in most
cases
, whereas a reeve is usually chosen from among and by the
elected councillors
Councillors
and
aldermen
can be elected at large or by
ward
(smaller areas within a municipality)
There can be one or more councillors elected to each wardSlide19
Your Municipality
What is the name of your municipality?
Do you have a mayor or reeve? How are they elected?
Are
councillors
or aldermen elected at large or by ward? Slide20
The Role of Council Members
To work together to govern the municipality and take responsibility for its safety and future growth
To listen to concerns and suggestions from community members, attend council meetings, and make by-laws and decisions for the municipality
To support and/or participate in various activities and events in their communitiesSlide21
Municipal/Local
The elected representative at the municipal level is
usually called
a
councillor
.
Municipal councils debate and pass laws at the local or city town hall.The head of the council is called a mayor or reeve.The size and structure of the council differs,
depending
on the population.
Métis Settlements
The term
self-government
refers to a First Nation, Métis or Inuit community with control over its own affairs
Alberta has eight incorporated
Métis settlements
established under the
Métis
Settlements Act
E
ach
settlement has about 5,000 Métis
residents
Settlements will hold their elections alongside
other Alberta
municipalities on October 16,
2017Slide22
Debrief
Do you like living in your municipality? Why?
Is there anything in your community that you would change or would like to improve?
Do you think your municipality is run efficiently? Could you make any recommendations?