POL101Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Westminster System, Presidential System, Majority Government

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12 May 2018
School
Course
Professor
Power is concentrated / dispersed in different systems
Organization of power
British Westminster system European took
Colonies adopted (colony took mother)
Latin America
Unitary system of government
Elect House of Commons, leader = Prime Minister
Canada: House of Commons and Senate
Westminster = Crown asks winning party to form government
David Johnston, Governor General (Crown of Canada)
170+ seats, become government
Majority government
Not 170, but more than any others
Non-confidence = new election, could lose power
Minority
No party holds the majority
Largest party doesn't want to be a minority - enters into a coalition
with another party --> have to compromise and give up certain
positions
Coalition
Possible election outcomes
Amended in 2007: must hold 4th calendar year after or before that
(sooner)
Elections are called when it suits the party - it thinks that it will win
No independent source of power
One source of power / branch: everyone's power voted same (elected, member
of house of commons)
Legislative: proposals go to house, every approval by house = approval /
support of government
Power
Choose what is or is not even mentioned
Cabinet sets agenda: what is discussed
Spending bill: government can ignore even if it is passed
First reading, 2nd reading, committee, report, third reading, senate, royal
assent
Line of accountability runs up, MP can be removed if they fail to
vote party line
MP votes with party, leader decides which way to vote
Free votes: doesn't rely on party decisions
Can legally criticize government, key feature of democracy
Opposition gets special funding status
Legislative process
Chosen, not elected
Serve until 75 --> life term
Harper's attention to senate
Senate
Parliamentary System
Lecture 1.5: Presidents and Parliaments
October 17, 2016
12:00 PM
LECTURES Page 11
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Document Summary

Power is concentrated / dispersed in different systems. Elect house of commons, leader = prime minister. Westminster = crown asks winning party to form government. Largest party doesn"t want to be a minority - enters into a coalition with another party --> have to compromise and give up certain positions. Elections are called when it suits the party - it thinks that it will win. Amended in 2007: must hold 4th calendar year after or before that (sooner) One source of power / branch: everyone"s power voted same (elected, member of house of commons) Legislative: proposals go to house, every approval by house = approval / support of government. Choose what is or is not even mentioned. Spending bill: government can ignore even if it is passed. First reading, 2nd reading, committee, report, third reading, senate, royal assent. Mp votes with party, leader decides which way to vote.

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