OHS Model Parliament 2013

Structure of the House | Parties & Roles | Rules & Format

Method

PARTY SEATS IN HOC (308)

PERCENTAGE MODEL PARLIAMENT SEATS (27)

Conservative Party

164 53 % 14

New Democrat Party

100 32 % 7

Liberal Party 35 11 % 4

Bloc Quebecois 5 1 % 2

Conservative Party (14)

New Democrat Party (7)

Liberal Party (4)

Bloc Quebecois (2)

Rafaelle Bouchard

Alexander ValeAndrew SolanoAyla PoitrasConnor BrightScott AubeEmma DavisHaley SimondsJean-Marl LebelJennyka FloodTroy GloverJoice JJonathan Corten

Tyler Morrison

Katherine Bunnett

Kody CarlsonLeila McGinnLori WaughLy PasquierMeghan Dawson

Philippe Ferland

Rei JacksonRobert HolmSarah D.

Em Prosper

Jeremy NasonKate Ridgley

Party Work: 15-20 minutes

• Come up with at least 3-4 party values, and a general explanation of your party’s platform.

• Elect a party leader.

• Select Cabinet/ Shadow Cabinet.

• Select a person to write, and a person to present. Other members should still participate!

Conservative Party of Canada

• Governing party.• Party leader / Prime Minister: Stephen Harper.• “Right wing” values.

The ‘Here for Canada’ plan focuses on five key priorities:

Creating jobs through training, trade and low taxes.

Supporting families through our Family Tax Cut and more support for seniors and caregivers.

Eliminating the deficit by 2014-2015 by controlling spending and cutting waste.

Making our streets safe through new laws to protect children and the elderly.

Standing on guard for Canada by investing in the development of Canada’s North, cracking down on human smuggling and strengthening the Canadian Armed Forces.

Official Opposition | Party Leader Tom Mulcair

Third Party| Party Leader Justin Trudeau

Third Party| Party Leader Daniel Paillé

Roles Speaker | Prime Minister | Leader of Opposition | Leader of Third

Party | Minister | Member of Parliament | Sergeant at Arms

| Clerk of the House |

1 Speaker2 Pages3 Government Members4 Opposition Members 5 Prime Minister6 Leader of the Official Opposition 7 Clerk and Table Officers8 Mace9 Proceedings and Verification Officers10 Sergeant-at-Arms11 The Bar12 Interpreters13 Press Gallery 14 Public Gallery 15 Officials' Gallery 16 Leader of the Opposition's Gallery17 Opposition Members' Gallery18 Government Members' Gallery19 Speaker's Gallery20 Senate Gallery 21 T.V. Cameras 22 Diplomatic Gallery

Speaker of the House

• Presides over sittings of the HOC.

• Proposing motions, i.e. for a bill to go forward to a second reading.

• Putting out questions, i.e. all those in favour for x…

• Enforce rules of HOC; remaining NEUTRAL!

• All address the speaker; for example, when an MP asks a question of another MP, they must start by saying, “Mr./Madame Speaker, would the Minister please tell the house…”

• In the case of a tie, votes for the status quo.

• In general, the speaker must call each activity as it arises; recognize MP’s for everything (tabling documents, asking questions, etc.)

• Elected by a secret ballot at the opening of Parliament.

Prime Minister

• Head of Government; your party won the majority* of seats.

• Decide when to start parliamentary sessions and when to end them. Recommendations will be normally be respected.

• Selects Cabinet.

• Leading role, especially in question period. Decides who answers what questions.

Leader of the Official Opposition

• Your party didn’t win the largest number of seats but came second.

• You lead your party in keeping the government accountable; propose alternatives and ask questions!

• Under your direction, fight for party principles and oppose government decisions and opinions viewed “harmful” to Canada.

• Key spokesperson for party.

• Asks the first question during Oral Questions; vote on a bill; propose amendments and participate in the second reading debate.

Leader of a Third Party

• Your party didn’t get second or third in the most votes

• Keep the government accountable.

• Fight for party principles. Prepare to stand ground during debates!

• Asks the second question during Oral Questions; vote on a bill; participate in the second reading debate.

Minister

• Government MP selected by the Prime Minister to play a key role in the government.

• In charge of a government department.

• Regular MP duties.

• Initiating and presenting bills; answering questions relating to department.

• Vote on a bill; table a document; introduce a bill; lead debate during second reading.

Member of the House of Commons (MP)

• Won the largest amount of votes in riding.

• Vote on a bill.

• Participate in the debate(s) on a bill.

• Make a statement during Member’s Statements.

• Ask a question during Oral Questions.

Sergeant-at-Arms

• Originally, the Speaker’s bodyguard. You are the protector of the Speaker and MP’s, and have an important ceremonial role. You get a cool sword.

• Guard of the Mace, carrying it in the parade and setting in on the table.

• Sit at the rear of the Chamber in case a naughty MP must be removed.

Clerk of the House

• Keeper of all House papers and documents; authenticates via signature.

• Parade in after the speaker at the Opening of Sitting.

• Sit in front of the Speaker.

• Receive and record all documents tabled; count, record, and announce all votes taken; call out Orders of the Day and readings of bills.

Rules and Decorumthe basics.

• The speaker must be ready to intervene should the activity of the house run off course. The speaker must also keep things on time.

•MP’s must stand silently as the Speaker enters or exits the room. MP’s can take their seat once the speaker has taken their seat.

•When an MP desires to speak, they must stand and wait to be called by the speaker.

•When an MP is recognized by the speaker, all other MP’s must be seated.

•All comments are directed towards the speaker, as Mr./Madam Speaker.

•MPs must always refer to one another in the third person. Ministers are referred to by their positions, and backbenchers by their constituency.

•MPs must not use unparliamentary language (i.e., foul, profane or offensive language or words abusing the House, any of its MPs, the Queen or any government official).

•MP’s can’t read speeches, but can read from cue cards.

Ref.

Divide the room lengthwise into two equal sides. Create a corridor in the middle of the room wide enough to allow free passage. On either side of this corridor, arrange the desks so that they directly face one another. Leave enough room between the desks to easily allow for standing without having to move the desks. Each side should be two rows of desks deep. Put a chair for the Speaker at one end of the corridor. At the opposite end of the corridor, place a chair for the Sergeant-at-Arms. Place a table in the corridor close to the Speaker's chair. Use the table to place documents and reports on when tabling them in Parliament. If you decide to use a ceremonial Mace it should also be placed on the table by the Sergeant-at-Arms at the Opening of the Sitting and removed at the adjournment. The Clerk sits at this table if present.

For the purpose of this simulation the seating will be arranged as follows:

The Government party sits to the right of the Speaker. The Prime Minister sits in the centre of the first row, and the Cabinet members fill the remaining seats of the first row. Other Government MPs ("backbenchers") fill the back row.

The opposition parties sit to the left of the Speaker. The Official Opposition party sits in the first and second rows, in the seats closest to the Speaker. The Leader of the Official Opposition, surrounded by his or her senior MPs, always sits directly opposite the Prime Minister. MPs of the second opposition party sit further away from the Speaker.

For Next Time…

Formal Rules

Disagreeing with the Speaker | Point of Order | Removal of Members

Scripts

Walkthrough of Format

Step by Step Practice with Scripts

Conduct some more research on your party | Ministers, research relevant documents to “table”. | MP’s choose a riding

to represent.