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CIVICS 101 :
Federal, Provincial & Regional Information Resources

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Provincial
Regional
Municipal
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Introduction to Civics 101

Canada is a federal state, a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. Read more about this at How Canadians Govern Themselves, in the Canadian Citizenship Study Guide.

There are federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments in Canada. The responsibilities of the federal and provincial governments were defined in 1867 in the British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, 1867.

Federal State

In our federal state, the federal government takes responsibility for matters of national and international concern. These include defence, foreign policy, interprovincial trade and communications, currency, navigation, criminal law and citizenship. The provinces are responsible for municipal government, education, health, natural resources, property and civil rights, and highways. The federal government and the provinces share jurisdiction over agriculture and immigration. Federalism allows different provinces to adopt policies tailored to their own populations, and gives provinces the flexibility to experiment with new ideas and policies. Every province has its own elected Legislative Assembly, like the House of Commons in Ottawa. The three northern territories, which have small populations, do not have the status of provinces, but their governments and assemblies carry out many of the same functions.

Parliamentary Democracy

In Canada’s parliamentary democracy, the people elect members to the House of Commons in Ottawa and to the provincial and territorial legislatures. These representatives are responsible for passing laws, approving and monitoring expenditures, and keeping the government accountable. Cabinet ministers are responsible to the elected representatives, which means they must retain the “confidence of the House” and have to resign if they are defeated in a non-confidence vote.

Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign (Queen or King), the Senate and the House of Commons. Provincial legislatures comprise the Lieutenant Governor and the elected Assembly.

In the federal government, the Prime Minister selects the Cabinet ministers and is responsible for the operations and policy of the government. The House of Commons is the representative chamber, made up of members of Parliament elected by the people, traditionally every four years. Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75. Both the House of Commons and the Senate consider and review bills (proposals for new laws). No bill can become law in Canada until it has been passed by both chambers and has received royal assent, granted by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign.

Some of the responsibilities include:

  • National Defense
  • Foreign Policiy
  • Policing
  • Criminal Justice
  • International Trade
  • Aboriginal Affairs
  • Immigration (shared)
  • Agriculture (Shared)
  • Environment (Shared)

Click Here to learn more about Elections in Canada​

Members of Parliament

https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search

Some Key Issues

  1. Affordable housing and homelessness
  2. Indigenous concerns (Land Back Camp, Land acknowledgments)
  3. Cost of living in general
  4. COVID-19 impacts

Election Results

Visit Election Canada's election results page:
https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=ele&dir=pas&document=index&lang=e

Ontario’s Parliament is unicameral, similar to other Canadian provinces, having one Legislative Chamber. It is comprised of the 124 elected Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), and the Monarch represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Each MPP represents a geographical area of the province, called an electoral district, riding or constituency. In parliament, Members of Provincial Parliament represent their constituents and participate in the legislative process – they introduce bills, propose amendments to current legislation, and vote on bills and motions. MPPs also present petitions on behalf of their constituents and bring forward issues related to their own riding.  Ontario is the only province in Canada to use the term Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for its elected provincial representatives.

The proceedings in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario are conducted according to the Standing Orders. Government is the administrative body who sets policy and consists of the Premier, and the executive Council (Cabinet). The party that elects the greatest number of members forms the provincial government.  

Some of the responsibilities include:

  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Natural Resources
  • Highways
  • Policing
  • Property & Civil Rights
  • Immigration (Shared)
  • Agriculture (Shared)
  • Environment (Shared)

Members of Provincial Parliament

https://www.ola.org/en/members/current

Some Key Issues

  1. Affordable housing and homelessness
  2. Indigenous concerns (Land Back Camp, land acknowledgments)
  3. Cost of living in general
  4. COVID-19 impacts

Election Results

Visit Election Ontario's results page here:

 https://results.elections.on.ca/en/graphics-charts

Below the provincial level, local activism means local impact. If you wish to have the greatest impact on your community, consider running in municipal elections, rather than federal/provincial elections.

Municipalities are normally responsible for urban or regional planning, streets and roads, sanitation (such as garbage removal), snow removal, firefighting, ambulance and other emergency services, recreation facilities, public transit and some local health and social services.

Members

Some Key Issues

  1. Affordable housing and homelessness
  2. Indigenous concerns (Land Back Camp, Land Acknowledgments)
  3. Cost of living in general
  4. COVID-19 impacts
  5. School Boards: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion content in libraries.

Election Results (2018)

CLICK HERE

Region of Waterloo Map

The Waterloo Region is situated on the Haldimand Tract. Lands that were granted to the Six Nations of the Grand River, and are within the territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People.

0 620
k

Live in Waterloo Region

0 1369

Square kilometers of land

0 3
%

Identify as Black

Municipal Information

City of Cambridge

City of Kitchener

City of Waterloo

Township of North Dumfries

Township of Wellesley

Township of Wilmot

Township of Woolwhich

School Board Information

Waterloo Region District School Board

Voting Results (2018):  Click Here

Waterloo Catholic District School Board

Voting Results (2018):  Click Here

MonAvenir (French Catholic School Board)

Voting Results (2018):  Click Here

ViaMonde (French Public School Board)

Voting Results (20018): Click Here

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