3 Levels of Government – Canada vs. Mi’kmaq
Municipal / Provincial / FederalPowers
Duties
Geographic constituency
Leadership characteristics
Local Council Chief / District Council Chief / Grand Council Chief
Powers
Duties
Geographic Constituency
Leadership Characteristics
A Quick Look at Canadian Government and Politics
WHAT IS POLITICS?
POLITICS is apart of our lives whether we like it or not. Politics is the system we have for working out a balance among the interests of different groups in our society.
GOVERNMENT IN OUR LIVES
Canadians live in a DEMOCRACY. A democracy means government by the people. Perhaps one of the strongest values that we hold as a society is our right to participate in being governed through our right to stand as candidates and to cast ballots electing our political representatives.
There is THREE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT in Canada. The federal government is based in Ottawa and deals with concerns for the nation as a whole.
Government responsibilities are not necessarily the same for each BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT.
§ Federal responsibilities include defence, trade, banking, and natural resources
§ Provincial responsibilities include education, hospitals, and community services
§ Municipal governments have responsibilities in the area of fire protection services, garbage collection, street cleaning, building permits and collecting property taxes.
Within each level of government there are elected REPRESENTATIVES. Federally, a person who sits in the House of Commons is called a Member of Parliament. On a provincial basis an elected official may be called an MLA. A person elected to a municipal unit may be referred to as mayor, warden, councillor, or alderperson.
People vote by SECRET BALLOT in Canada today. This means that other people do not know how you vote. An election may be defined as the process of voting for representatives, open in Canada to all citizens 18 years of age or older. The people who run in elections are called CANDIDATES.
THE WAY THE POLITICAL ELECTORATE WORKS
A political party may have won a large percentage of the popular vote, but in our system of electing party representatives, known as first-past-the-post, it does not necessarily follow that this percentage is translated into a large or even a proportionate number of seats.
How might this happen? The answer is actually quite simple. Let me explain, assume that five different candidates representing five different parties are running for election in any given riding in the country. Candidate A receives 30% of the popular vote. Candidate B receives 25%. Candidate C finishes the election campaign with 24%. Candidate D comes up with 11%. Candidate E finishes in last place with 10% of the vote. Even though 70% of the people, who voted, did not vote for Candidate A, that candidate becomes the representative for that riding.
THE PARTY SYSTEM
A POLITICAL PARTY is a group formed by individuals who have similar views on public issues such as the environment, education, international perspectives, social issues, defence, and taxes. The purpose of a political party is to provide a stronger, collective voice for those people who share similar points of view.
THE HOUSE – ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The House of Commons has several distinct functions, including:
§ Providing government with the authority to govern
§ Supervising the work of the cabinet (motions of confidence)
§ Passing laws, imposes taxes and authorizes expenditures
§ A forum for extended debates on political questions
§ Keeping the government accountable
§ Providing an alternative government
Political parties sitting in the OPPOSITION serve as watchdogs of government. It is their job to criticize and challenge governmental policies, laws and decisions, in order to have the best possible outcomes throughout the political process.
All members of a legislative body will vote on BILLS (proposed laws). If a bill is passed, they become known as ACTS (which are laws).
The CABINET represents the executive branch of government within Canada. Its membership consists of M.P.’s appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. The cabinet is responsible for the administration of the government and the establishment of its policies.
3 Levels of Government in Mi'kmaq Society
The Mi’kmaq Grand council was the sole form of government before contact with the Europeans. Changes in the role of the Grand Council are the result of efforts of the British Crown and federal government to impose its system upon Mi’kmaq people.
The Grand Council is the traditional aboriginal government of the Mi’kmaq nation. It draws it membership from all parts of Mi’kmaq territory, has both political and spiritual authority and continues to be the sovereign government of the Mi’kmaq today. It unites the seven districts of Mi’kma’ki, and entered into treaties with England and the Concordat of 1610 with the Pope.
There are local chiefs, selected according to clans living within each district, who in turn elect a captain or district chief, to represent the entire district at the Grand Council. ( Sante’Mawiomi…..holy gathering )
There were three leadership positions on the grand council:
Grand Chief – head of state of the Mi’kmaq nation.
Grand Captain – head of the council
Putu’s – wampum reader, guards the laws of the nation and remembers treaties entered into with other nations.
Smagn’ss – soldier or shield bearer, serves as protector of the people.
The role of the Grand Council today consists of the following:
- Ensure culture and language is maintained and preserved
- Form a strong voice on behalf of the Mi’kmaq
- Educate non-Indian people about what being Mi’kmaq means.
- Educate Mi’kmaq people.
Local Council Chief
Presides over the Council of Elders
Council of Elders was usually made up of the heads of families or representatives
Responsibilities consisted of:
Making decisions within local areas
Take care of supplies, dogs, canoes, hunting, emergencies (providing for villages)
Were teachers and role models for the young
Training hunters
Local Council Chief cont’d
The Local Chief was always male and came from a prominent family
They were of good character and they were very good hunters
District Council Chief
Total of 7, 1 for each of the 7 Mi’Kmaq districts
Presides over council of local chiefs
Responsible for several villages/communities within his district
Met during spring, summer or fall to settle problems such as peace and war
Act as arbitrator - would listen to both parties and settle dispute
District Council Chief
The responsibilities of the Chief included:
Attending Local Council meetings
Take care of problems among districts, villages, nations
District Chief was eldest male of large powerful family
Good hunters
Grand Council Chief
Grand Chief is most important
When he speaks, everyone listens.
Presides over Grand Council
Responibilities included:
Defending territory
Taking care of any orphaned children
Help with providing food and supplies
Grand Council Chief
The Grand chief had to have an exceptional character
Was an excellent hunter
2 ways to become a Grand Chief:
Hereditary (unless the father did not feel they were worthy of the position)
Survive in woods for several days without food or water. Must make a camp for 2 people and wait to see if another person arrives. If this occurs, he is capable of being Grand Chief
The Modern Grand Council (Please copy the following notes)
The Indian Act and the introduction of the elected chief and council, the role of the Grand Council has changed.
Grand council now focuses on spiritual needs of community.
Meets 2-3 times a year, usually around religious holidays.
The grand council consists of the grand chief, the putus (grand chief assistant) and the grand captain together with the captains.
Modern Grand Council cont’d
The captains who serve under the grand chief are selected for life.
New captain occurs when a captain dies or there is a need for additional captains.
The selection process involves the grand chief, the local priest and other concerned individuals.
The responsibilities of the captains include: offering Mi’kmaq prayers to the sick and dying, assisting a bereaved family with the funeral arrangements. Captains duties vary depending on the need of their reserve.
Modern Grand Council cont’d
The Grand Council also works with such groups as Micmac Association for Cultural Studies (MACS) and the Union of Nova Scotia Indians to address cultural issues in the community
The Grand Chief often presides as honorary chairperson at meetings and may travel outside of the province as a spiritual or cultural representative for the Mi’kmaq people
Grand Council and the position of Grand Chief are non-political but they are still viewed with great respect in the Mi’kmaq community
Municipal / Provincial / FederalPowers / Mayor, Presides over city council / Premier, presides over legislative assembly / Prime Minister, presides over parliament
Duties / Water, sewage, public transportation, waste removal, animal control, local police, land use planning / Health, education, transportation / Money, banking, defence, immigration, foreign affairs, native affairs, criminal code, trade, duties & tariffs, air & rail transportation, broadcasting
Geographic constituency / Town, city, counties / Province / Nation
Leadership characteristics / elected / elected / elected
Local Council Chief / District Council Chief / Grand Council Chief
Powers / Presides over Council of Elders / Presides over local chiefs / Presides over Grand Council and local and district councils
Duties / Made decisions for local areas, took care of supplies – dogs, canoes, hunting.
Took care of emergencies, acted as teachers and role models, trained hunters / Acted as arbitrator, attend local council meetings, took care of problems among districts, villages / Defend territory, took care of orphaned children, help with providing food and supplies for community.
Geographic Constituency / Local area, village or community / There is one for each of the 7 districts each made up of several villages, communities / Responsible for all 7 Mi’kmaq districts
Leadership Characteristics / Male from a prominent family, good character, good hunters / Eldest male from a large powerful family, good hunters / Exceptional character, excellent hunters, hereditary, survive in woods and create a new camp