POLS 2300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Cabinet Collective Responsibility, Liberal Democracy, Responsible Government

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 2300
• Professor: Ajay Sharma

Document Summary

The constitution consists of both written and unwritten rules. Minor adjustments are no more feasible than major. The constitution is more than just a government document. A (cid:272)ou(cid:374)t(cid:396)y"s highest la(cid:449: nothi(cid:374)g is (cid:373)o(cid:396)e i(cid:373)po(cid:396)ta(cid:374)t tha(cid:374) the (cid:272)ou(cid:374)t(cid:396)y"s (cid:272)o(cid:374)stitutio(cid:374) A set of guideposts for normal political behaviour. Ca(cid:374)ada"s (cid:272)o(cid:374)stitutio(cid:374) is fi(cid:396)(cid:373)ly (cid:396)ooted i(cid:374) b(cid:396)itish t(cid:396)aditio(cid:374)s (cid:271)ut it diffe(cid:396)s sig(cid:374)ifi(cid:272)a(cid:374)tly . Codified set of rights and freedoms: the division of powers outline what the provincial and federal government can do in a federal system. Parliamentary democracy is best understood as combination of four different facets: liberal democracy. Every policy decision ultimately made by elected representatives. Represented federally by governor general and provincially by lieutenant governors. Serves primarily as symbolic representatives of canadians. Substantive authority when it comes to authorizing government actions (assenting bills, dissolving legislatures, appointing high-level officials) At all ti(cid:373)es, a (cid:373)ajo(cid:396)ity of the people"s ele(cid:272)ted (cid:396)ep(cid:396)ese(cid:374)tati(cid:448)es p(cid:396)ese(cid:374)t i(cid:374) the legislature must support the government.