POLB50Y3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 18: Public Finance, Commerce Clause, Enumerated Powers
Document Summary
Chapter 18 the provinces and the federal system. The federal system is closely related to regional economic cleavages and regional identities, is important for ethnic cleavages and identities, influences the canadian political culture, and affects the opration of the electoral system, political parties, and advocacy groups. In a formal sense, federalism can be defined as a divison of powers between central and regional governments such that neither is subordinate to the other. Other aspects of federalism are also important such as federal-provincial financial relations (taxing and spending) and joint policymaking mechanisms. Canada is made up of ten provinces and three territories. The provinces are autonomous within the powers given to them by the constitution, but the territories are constitutionally subordinate to the federal government. Even though the territories increasingly function as provinces, exercising similar powers, these powers could theoretically be revoked.
