Canadian Government: Activities and Lesson Plan

Levels of Government

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Federal Branches

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Vocabulary

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Who's Who

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Essential Questions for Canadian Government

1. What are the levels of the Canadian government?
2. What are the branches of the federal government?
3. What are the roles of the leaders?

Government of Canada

Canada has three main levels of government: federal, provincial, and municipal. The federal level is located in the capital city of Ottawa, and they are responsible for anything that impacts the country as a whole, such as taxes, the military, immigration, and the trading of goods. This is also the level of government that affects the countries that Canada interacts with. There are 10 provinces and 3 territories in Canada, and each of them has their own provincial government. The provincial government is responsible for things such as education, highways, healthcare, and agriculture. The last level of government is the municipal level, which is specific to cities and towns. This level of government is responsible for things such as public parks and libraries, public transportation, garbage removal, and local police and fire services.

There are three parts to the federal government, which is a constitutional monarchy. It consists of an executive branch, a legislative branch (known as Parliament), and a judicial branch. The executive branch makes the decisions, and consists of the Monarch, the Prime Minister, and the Cabinet. The legislative branch makes the laws, and consists of the Monarch, the Senate, and The House of Commons. Finally, the judicial branch handles interpreting and upholding the laws.

These activities will go further into depth about the levels and branches of government, who’s who in the government and what roles those people play, and some important vocabulary. With the knowledge of how the country is governed, students will build a solid foundation to understanding future changes and global relationships.