1. Social Studies 11 Government Questions
Question Set #1
Pages 220-226
1. What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?
2. What is a Constitutional Monarchy?
3. Why is a constitution necessary in a complex organization?
4. Using a two column chart to list at least three advantages and disadvantages of a monarchy.
5. What forces provide unity in Canada? What makes us an identifiable culture and holds us
together as a country? What forces divide us as Canadians? How does this make Canada unique
from other places?
Question Set #2
Pages 226-233
1. How many Senate seats are held by the western provinces? The Atlantic Provinces? Ontario and
Quebec? Compare this with the seat allotment for the House of Commons, what are the
implications regarding the amount of political power held by the Western Provinces?
House of Commons Seat distribution by Province
British Columbia - 36, Alberta - 28, Saskatchewan -
14, Manitoba - 14, Ontario - 106, Quebec - 75, New
Brunswick - 10, Nova Scotia - 11, Prince Edward
Island - 4, Newfoundland and Labrador - 7, Yukon - 1,
Northwest Territories - 1 and Nunavut - 1.
Canadian Senate
2. Explain the role of the following in our representative democracy: a) Caucus b) The opposition
3. Explain the concept of Triple E Senate reform. What do the E’s stand for? Summarize the
argument in favor of Triple E Senate reform and explain the potential drawbacks of this
suggested reform.
4. Which Provinces stand to gain the most from the Triple E proposal? Which stand to lose? Why?
In your opinion what should happen to the Canadian Senate? Explain your answer
2. Question Set #3
234-237
1. How important is it to recognize the sources of news reports? Define and explain the
benefits and drawbacks of the three sources of news reports
a. Direct reports
b. New agency stories
c. Press releases
2. Explain the term Cabinet Solidarity. Under what circumstances might a Cabinet minister not
want to follow cabinet solidarity?
3. What is a “Free Vote”?
4. How important is it that Cabinet reflects the diversity of a population as well as regions of
the country? Explain your point of view.
5. At what stage do members of the public have an official opportunity to have input into a bill
that is presented in the legislature?
6. Explain why few private members bills are passed in the House of Commons (legislature)?
7. If you were an MP (Federal level of government sits in the House of Commons) or an MLA
(Provincial level of government sits in the Legislative Assembly) introducing a private
member’s bill, whom would you want to support the bill before you introduced it?
8. Who do you think should be mainly responsible for providing shelter and food to the
homeless and poor: the Federal Government, Provincial Governments Municipalities, or
charities? Explain why you feel this group should be responsible for this service.
Question Set #4
Pages 247-254
1. Explain the following terms as they relate to Canada
a. Constitutional monarchy
b. Representative Democracy
c. Federal System
d. Regional Representation
2. Create a diagram or graph explaining the relationship between the federal, provincial
and municipal governments
3. List the three branches of government
4. List the three levels of government
5. Explain the purpose of reading a bill three times in the House of Commons?
6. Should a candidate have to win 50% or more of votes cast to win an election? Explain
your answer.
7. Do you think voting in elections should be compulsory for eligible voters in Canada?
Explain your answer.
8.
