POL214Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Royal Assent, Hard Power
Document Summary
Components of parliament: crown, senate, house of commons. Reform party, wanted to reform the senate have senators elected (make it more like. Functions of house of commons: establish a government, provide resources for the government, offer an alternative government, scrutinize government performance, representation, debate and deliberate, legitimation, communication and education, recruit and train political leaders. Rise of polling, public opinion matters more. Mps have the duty of trying to help citizens with issues immigration problems (mp. Parliament was never a policy making place executive branch does this office) Question period may not mean answer period. Government may only answer what they would like to deflect questions they may not want to discuss. Mp as a representative: trustee, delegate, party member, social mirror, regional spokesperson. Central agencies: see lecture notes from sept 29. Pm and cabinet: pm chooses them from house of common/senate. Proroguing parliament: parliament was put on hold, no vote which bought harper time.
