INFLUENCING GOVERNMENT

REVIEW! GET INTO GROUPS OF 5 EACH GROUP COMES UP WITH 5 QUESTIONS. ONCE YOU HAVE THE QUESTIONS, PASS THEM ON TO THE GROUP ON YOUR RIGHT. THE GROUP THAT RECIEVES THE QUESTIONS WILL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO ANSWER THEM. QUESTIONS CAN BE ASNWERED AS A GROUP; ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED, HAND THE SHEET TO ME. MAKE SURE GROUP MEMBERS THAT CREATED THE QUESTIONS WRITE THEIR NAME ON THE TOP LEFT CORNER MAKE SURE GROUP MEMBERS THAT ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS WIRTE THEIR NAME NEXT THE QUESTION THEY ANSWERED.

INFLUENCING GOVERNMENT THE ELECTION PROCESS ALLOWS US TO ELECT A PARTY INTO POWER BY WAY OF FIRST PAST THE POST SYSTEM ONCE THE PARTY IS ELECTED INTO POWER, THE PM CARRIES OUT HIS ROLE OF MAKING AND CARRYING OUT DECISIONS FOR THE NATION AND HIS CABINET CARRIES OUT THEIR ROLE OF MANAGING THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND INTRODUCING AND ATTEMPTING TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED IN PARLIAMENT

THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS OF RUNNING THE COUNTRY, INDIVIDUALS CAN AND DO INFLUENCE THEIR GOVERNMENT BY CONTACTING THEIR MP, MLA, OR ALDERPERSON TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEW, OR SIMPLY TO REQUEST INFORMATION, ASSISTANCE, OR INTERVENTION. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AND RADIO PHONE-IN-SHOWS ARE ANOTHER WAY THAT CITIZEN COMMUNICATE THEIR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS TO THE GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES IT MAY NOT BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO INITIATE CHANGE. INDIVIDUAL ACTION MAY ALSO BE TOO SLOW AND TOO TIME CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE.

PRESSURE GROUPS A PRESSURE GROUP IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME VIEWPOINT AND WANT TO CHANGE INFUENCE GOVERNMENT POLICY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THEIR COMMIN INTEREST

PRESSURE GROUPS http://www.amnesty.ca/about-us/faq (4.5) http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/About-us/FAQ/ (CAMPAIGNS) https://www.we.org/ FREE THE CHILDREN- CRIAG KIELBURGER RAISING THE AWARENESS OF CHILDREN’S RIGHTS ENCOURAGING CANADIAN GOVERNMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CHILD LABOR IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND RAISE THE ISSUE WITH LEADERS OF THESE COUNTRIES BRING AWARENESS TO CANADIANS ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS AND BECOME POLITICALLY ACTIVE

PRESSURE GROUPS ONE WAY TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT IS BY PROVIDING RESEARCH, POLLS, REPORTS, AND ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES. THESE RESOURCES PROVIDE THE GOVERNMENT WITH CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN USE IN MAKING DECISIONS

LOBBYISTS http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/in- the-lobby/ INSTITUTIONALIZED GROUPS OFTEN USE LOBBYISTS-SOMEONE WHO IS PAID TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF A PARTICULAR GROUP TO KEY DECISION MAKERS SUCH AS HIGH LEVEL BUREAUCRATS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE OR POLITICIANS.

LOBBYING THE DANGER WITH LOBBYING IS THAT PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL INFLUENCE CAN PERSUADE GOVERMENTS TO PUT IN PLACE POLICIES THAT FAVOR THEIR GROUP BUT ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. FOR EXAMPLE: TOBACCO COMPANY LOBBY https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/clntOrgCrpLstg?pfx=A&s howAll=false

COURTS ANOTHER AVENUE THAT GROUPS MAY USE TO INFLUENCE THE GOVERNMENT IS THE COURTS EXAMPLE: IN 1988, CANADA’S LAW PROHIBITING ABORTION WAS STRUCK DOWN BY THE SUPREME COURT. THE CASE WAS BACKED BY A COALITION OF PRO-CHOICE GROUPS. DOWNSIDE: COSTS A LOT OF MONEY AND THE OUTCOME OF THE CASE IS NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED. AS WELL, ALTHOUGH COURTS CAN STRIKE DOWN A LAW, THEY CANNOT COMPEL THE GOVERNMENT TO REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE. THE BEST THE COURTS CAN DO IS MAKE AWARE TO THE GOVERNMENT HAT A LAW MAY BE NEEDED.

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/break-free-rallies-burnaby- squamish-1.3583000 ANOTHER WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN CANADA! SUPPOSE YOU FEEL THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT ARE ACTUALLY UNETHICAL OR UNDEMOCRATIC. IS IT EVER ACCEPTABLE TO BREAK THE LAW AS A WAY OF PROTESTING GOVERNMENT ACTIONS?

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS THE ACT OF INTENTIONALLY BREAKING OR REFUSING TO KEEP LAWS ONE CONSIDERS UNJUST. THE TERM WAS COINED BY 19TH CENTURY U.S. WRITER, HENRY THOREAU. HE ARGUED THAT BECAUSE GOVERNMENTS ARE TYPICALLY MORE HARMFUL THAN HELPFUL, THEY CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED MAJORITY RULE EXISTED NOT BECAUSE THE MAJORITY WAS ALWAYS RIGHT BUT BECAUSE IT WAS MORE POWERFUL AND COULD FORCE THE MINORITY TO COMPLY. “IF THE MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT IS UNJUST, BREAK THE LAW. LET YOUR LIFE BE A COUNTER FRICTION TO STOP THE MACHINE.”

HENRY THOREAU

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE THIS FORM OF PROTEST HAS BEEN USED BY SOME OF THE GREATEST MORAL LEADERS OF OUR TIME- U.S CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MARTIN LUTHER KING AND INDIAN POLITICIAN MAHATMA GANDHI GREAT THINKERS AGREE THAT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IS ONLY CALLED FOR WHEN THERE IS SIGNIFICANT HARM FROM THE LAW ITSELF. TRIVIAL MATTERS DO NOT CALL FOR BREAKING THE LAW BECAUSE THE HARM TO SOCIETY WOULD BE GREATER THAN THE BENEFIT.

MARTIN LUTHER KING ADVANCED CIVIL RIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES LED CAMPAIGNS AGAISNT SEGREGATION AND RACIAL DISCRIIMINATION

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO PRACTICE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE SHOULD BE WILLING TO FACE THE CONSEQUNCES OF THEIR ACTIONS RUNNING AWAY FROM THIS RESPONSIBILITY WOULD MEAN REDUCING THE MORAL AUTHORITY BEING DEMONSTRATED.

TRAVEL BAN PROTESTS TRUMP PROHIBITED MUSLIMS FROM SUDAN, LIBYA, SYRIA, IRAG, AND YEMEN FOR 90 DAYS, ALL REFUGEES FOR 120 DAYS, AND ALL REFUGEES FROM SYRIA INDEFINIITELY

WOMENS MARCH TO ADVOCATE LEGISLATION AND POLICIES REGARDING WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO SEND A BOLD MESSAGE TO THE NEW ADMINISTRATION ON THEIR FIRST DAY IN OFFICE THAT WOMAN’S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS LETTING ADMINISTRATION KNOW THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR AGENDA