Lecture Ten: Canadian Politics in Review – April 7, 2011
Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Power
•Executive Power
oChecks and Balances - US
•Non-interference of the state in individual lives
•People need to be protected from the government
•Freedom vs. order: No Harm principle
•Scepticism of human nature: Hope for the best but expect the
worst
oFusion of Powers - Canada
•Constitutional Convention
•Responsible Government
Accountability flows from the bottom to the top; power
flows the other way
•Confidence and the Confidence Chamber
•Formal vs. Political Executive
•Administration vs. Government
•Agencies of the PMO and PCO
Prime Minister's Office: make the PM look good/get
elected again
Privy Council Office: serves the government; non-
partisan
•Legislative Power
oBicameral Legislature (Two houses)
•House of Commons (Lower House/ Confidence Chamber)
308 seats/308 constituencies
MPs elected
Representation by population
•The Senate (Upper House)
105 Senators
Appointed by PM
Not a Confidence Chamber
oBills must pass three readings in BOTH houses to pass
oPM Power - appointment of Cabinet/Senate
oModels of Representation:
•Delegate Model
MP does what the constituency tells them to
•Trustee Model
MP does what is best for constituency
•Descriptive Model
Represented by shared physical traits
oParty Discipline
•Free votes vs. Whipping
•Liberal Democracy
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