Politics in Canada

• Political Parties

• Who are their leaders?

• What issues are important to them?

Major Political Parties In Canada

Conservative Party

Liberal Party

New Democratic Party

Bloc Quebecois

Green Party

Party Leaders

• Stephen Harper

• Micheal Ignatieff

• Jack Layton

• Gilles Duceppe

• Elizabeth May

Conservative Party

• The Conservative Party generally favours lower taxes for businesses, smaller government, more decentralization of federal government, and a tougher stand on "law and order" issues. It is also opposed to the legalization of cannabis

Liberal Party

• Today the Liberals tend to focus on:• lowering taxes for individuals• social service programs• and the environment

New Democratic Party

• The New democrats would like to:• Get equal rights for all• Improve environmental protection with

government regulation• Increase corporate taxes• Expand social programs• Abolish the senate• Peacekeeping

Bloc Quebecois

• The Bloc Quebecois:• Is devoted to Quebec’s interests on a federal

level• And also promotes Quebec sovereignty

Green Party

• The Green Party’s core values are:• Ecological wisdom• Social Justice (equality)• Non-violence• Grassroots democracy– Letting the public make as many decisions as

possible

Federal Elections

• The House of Commons is Canada’s legislative body

• As of 2006 they have 308 seats that represent different areas of Canada “ridings”

• Each riding holds an election to vote for their representative in the House of Commons

• The Party who holds the most seats in the House of Commons is in power and their leader becomes the Prime Minister

Responsibilities of Levels of Government

Defence

Foreign Trade and Relations

Postal Service

Immigration

Unemployment

Criminal Law

Currency

Income Tax

GST

Excise taxes

Federal Government

People and Businesses of Canada

Provincial Elections

• Each province has a legislative body of their own

• In Manitoba it is known as the Legislative Assembly

• As of 2006 Manitoba has 57 provincial electoral districts, or “ridings”

• Each of these elects a Member of the Legislative Assembly to represent them in Winnipeg

Provincial GovernmentHighways

Health Services

Education Facilities

Licences

Property and civil rights

Environment

Income Tax

Sales tax

Sin taxes

Federal Government

People and Businesses of Canada

Local Government

People and Businesses of Canada

Fire Fighters

Snow Removal

Water Supply

Garbage Collection

Public Transit

Local Police

Curfew

Licenses

Local fees

Property Taxes

Parts of Government - Parliament

• Monarch – Represented by the Governor General• Prime Minister – Leader of the largest party in the

House of Commons• House of Commons – MPs from each constituency

308 seats• Senate – Appointed by Governor General on Prime

Minister’s advice, 105 senators• Cabinet – Ministers selected by PM from MPs and

senators in the same party

Provincial Revenue (Where provinces get money from)

Federal Transfers

37%

Individual Income Tax

24%Other Own-Source

Revenue11%

Corporation Income Tax5%

Retail Sales Tax15%

Corporation Capital Tax2%

Levy for Health and Education4%

Tobacco Tax2%

Other Taxes0%

Major Sources (percentage of total)

Provincial Operating Expenditure (Where the provinces spend money)

Education, Citzenship, and Youth

14%

Health42%

Advanced Education and Training

7%

Family Services and Housing

12%

Community, Economic, and Resource Devel-

opment14%

Justice and Other8%

Debt Servicing Costs3%

Major Categories