The Executive Branch

What is the Executive Branch? Branch of government that has the power to carry out the plans and policies of government. The executive branch can be seen at the Federal and Provincial level.

Federal Level Provincial Level Queen (Governor-General) Queen (Lieutenant-Governor) Prime Minister Head and leader of federal government Leader of national party in power Premier Head and leader of provincial government Leader of provincial party in power Cabinet Selected by head of government to be responsible for departments Public Service (Also called civil service or bureaucracy) People who conduct the daily business of government

The Prime Minister The leader of the nation, head of the federal government, and the leader of the party with the greatest number of seats in Parliament. Speaks on behalf of all Canadians at national and international meetings Also works with provincial premiers to make changes that will benefit all Canadians Recommends new judges and senators to be named by the governor general The Prime Minister leads the caucus, the group of government members from his or her party (see text book for def’n)

Who is Our Current Prime Minister? Justin Trudeau

The Cabinet The group of ministers that decides what the government policy should be. Cabinet members usually have responsibility for particular departments of government, such as Foreign Affairs, Defence and Justice. Minister- Member of the cabinet Speak on behalf of the department in public, and they are responsible for the department’s budget

The Cabinet Cont’d Members of the cabinet work together, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, to discuss important important decisions of the government Cabinet Solidarity- the custom that cabinet members must appear united and in agreement with each other

The Public Service The people hired to work for the government Also known as the civil service or bureaucracy They are employed by the government, and are not elected or chosen for their political beliefs

The Public Service Cont’d Because public servants carry out the daily business of out nation, they have an important role. Many have the ability to influence how the government responds to the needs and requests of citizens Public servants are often the only direct contact that most citizens have with government

The Executive Branch at the Provincial Level The premier takes a leadership role similar to the prime minister The premier chooses cabinet members to direct specific provincial affairs. These cabinet ministers are responsible for areas that fall under provincial jurisdiction Civil servants at the provincial level include police officers, education workers, and health care personnel

HOMEWORK Factors Shaping How Canada is Governed After looking over page 39 in textbook, summarize how each factor shapes how Canada is governed: A diverse culture Geography Values and beliefs Economics Technology and Industry Global Forces (Due tomorrow)