Slide Deck 2: The Levels of Government - PowerPoint Presentation

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?