PSC 345: CANADIAN POLITICS

Study Guide: First Examination (Wednesday October 18)

SPECIAL NOTE: SEE SYLLABUS FOR MAKE-UP POLICY.

I. Examination Structure

This exam is worth either 40% or 30% of your final grade, depending on how you will do on your second exam. The exam is structured in the following way (the total number of points for each section is indicated between parentheses):

a) 20 multiple choices (40)

b) 10 true or false questions (10)

c) 5 definitions or identifications (10)

d) 3 short answers (15)

e) 5 take-home essays (25)

 
  II. Material subject to examination.

For each unit covered in class, I indicate what could be found on the examination. Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive and it does not account for the exam material that is taken from readings and guest lecture by Ms. Manna.

A) Unit #1: Basic Facts about Canada.

1- Be ready to identify the following: Premiers and capitals of each provinces, main religions, main ethnic origins, and main languages.

2- Discuss the Canadian standard of living (health, education, and welfare policies, leading industries).

3- Discuss the Canadian system of government.
 
 

 A) Unit #2: Cleavages and Political Conflicts 1- Discuss the different types of political cleavages existing in Canada.
 
  C) Unit #3: Constitutional Evolution 1- Discuss the historical evolution of the Canadian constitution.

2- Key terms: Military regime, Treaty of Paris, Royal Proclamation, "Test" Oath, Ministerial responsibility, Loyalists, Act of Quebec, Constitutional Act of 1791, Lord Durham, Union Act, BNA Act, Fenians, Halibut Treaty, Balfour Declaration, Treaty of Westminster.
 
 

 D) Unit #4: The Crown 1- What are the Royal prerogatives and statutory powers?

2- Key terms: Parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, bicameralism, royal prerogatives, statutory powers.

3- What is the composition, role, functions, and powers of the Crown.
 
 
 

 E) Unit #5: The Cabinet. 1- Key terms: Executive power, ministerial responsibility, Privy Council, Cabinet, Council of Ministers, Caucus, vote of non-confidence.

2- Contrast the Canadian regime of government with the American regime of government.

3- Discuss the composition, role, functions and powers of the Cabinet.

4- Describe the limits on the Prime Minister’s composition of his/her Cabinet.
 
 

 F) Unit #6: The Senate 1- Discuss the role, functions, composition and powers of the Senate.
 
  G) Unit #7: The House of Commons 1- Discuss the role, functions, powers and composition of the House of Commons

2- Key terms: House Speaker, House Leaders, Party Whips.
 

 I) Unit #8: Stages of Legislation 1-Describe how a bill becomes law.

2- Describe the parliamentary cycle and the typical week when the Parliament is in session.

3- Discuss and describe the types of amendments permitted during the second reading of a bill.

4- Key terms: Legislature, session, Private Bill, Private Member's Bill, Filibustering, readings, pork barrel, royal sanction, committee of the whole, standing committees, legislative committee, joint committees, special committees.
 
 

 H) Unit #9: Political Parties.
1- Discuss and contrasts the models explaining the creation of political parties. Apply those models to the Canadian case.
2- Contrast and discuss the following ideologies and apply your discussion to Canadian parties: Conservatism, Liberalism, Socialism.
  I) Unit #10: Party Organization.
1- Discuss the differences between mass parties and cadre parties.

2- Explain the raisons for the decline of parties in Canada.

3- Discuss and contrast Michels' Iron Law of Oligarchy with Ellersfeld Statarchical model.

4- Key terms: Iron Law of Oligarchy, mass party, cadre party, New democratic Party, Canadian Commonwealth Federation, Progressive Conservative Party, Liberal Party, Bloc Quebecois, Reform Party, Canadian Alliance, welfare liberalism, business liberalism, socialism, conservatism, Red Tories.
 

I) Unit #11: Electoral Process.
1- Key terms: Democracy, preference articulation, electoral district, electoral formula, Rep by Pop, strategic voting, ordinal choice, first-past-the-post, single-transferable vote system, proportional representation, majority system, plurality system, electoral quotient, senatorial floor, grandfather clause

2- Discuss how the Rep by Pop applies to the Canadian electoral system.

3- Discuss the impact of electoral reforms regarding districting on the equity of voting power in Canada.