2013

1. British Columbia’s Provincial Government,
Structure and Function: Levels of Government
• There are three levels of Government in Canada: Federal,
Provincial and municipal
• Our provincial Government is very similar in structure and
operation to the federal level of Government. The
provincial government has 3 branches: legislative,
executive and judicial

2. British Columbia’s Legislative Branch
• The Legislative Assembly of British
Columbia (aka the legislature or the house)
is similar to the HOC. It is presided over by a
speaker, who is elected by the legislature
from among the members at the first
session of each Assembly. The speaker
overseas the proceedings and makes sure
the parliamentary rules are followed.
• Members of the Legislative Assembly are
almost always members of a political party
(however they could be independently
elected in their riding) We are the first of all
of the Provinces to institute a fixed election
date. It is the second Tuesday in May every
4 years.

3. British Columbia’s Legislative Branch
• After an election the Lieutenant Governor calls
the leader of the political party with the most
seats in the Legislature to form a government and
so become Premier.
• The elected members of the largest nongovernment party becomes the official opposition
BC Premier
Gordon Campbell

4. British Columbia’s Legislative Branch
• A new session of the Legislature must be held at
least once a year. The opening of the Legislature
begins with the Speech from the Throne. This is
written by members of the Government party and
read by the LG, it outlines in general terms to
programs that will be introduced during that
session of the legislature.
• On the first day of a new session, a five person
Select Committee is formed to determine the
Membership of the 8 Standing Committees.

5. BC’s Legislative Branch:
Passing Legislation/ Bill to Law
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Cabinet reviews proposed law (often suggested by a ministry) Once
Cabinet has reviewed the law it chooses one of 3 options.
1.They might adopt the proposal as a government policy. This would
affect only day to day internal government operations.
2. Cabinet can pass an order-in-council, usually made as a result of
powers granted in specific statutes, they have the force of law.
3. The third option is to try to make a proposal law by introducing a
bill in the Legislature.
A provincial bill, must go through the same stages as a Federal bill to
become a law.
At the first reading a bill is introduced by the minister responsible. If
it is accepted it is put forward to another day for consideration. The
MLA’s are ready to debate the bill at the second reading. If the bill is
approved at this stage all the MLA’s meet as the Committee of the
Whole House and vote.
There is no Senate at the provincial level of legislature
If the Lieutenant Governor signs the bill it becomes a provincial law.

6. BC’s Legislative Branch
• At the Committee of the Whole House, the MLA’s
consider each section in detail, passing, amending
or rejecting each one separately.
• Changes are incorporated in a reprinting of the
bill before it is read and voted on during third
reading.
• Finally if it is passed, the bill goes to the
Lieutenant Governor for Royal Assent. Thus, the
bill has become either a new provincial law, or an
amendment to an existing law.

7. Powers
• When Canada was founded in 1867, it was designed
as a federal system with shared powers between the
central federal power and the provinces
• The federal government has residual powers,
powers that were not spelled out in the Constitution
however, this power are necessary in order

8. The Provinces are responsible for:
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property and civil rights,
administration of justice,
natural resources and the environment,
education,
health, and
welfare.

10. Municipal Government
Mayor: elected heads municipal council: made up of
Aldermen: who are elected
The municipal government controls things like daily
water supply and garbage disposal
This is regulated under two statutes the Municipal Act of
British Columbia Which sets out the powers of
municipal councils and regional districts (CRD is an
example of one regional district) and the Vancouver Act
which sets out the powers of the Vancouver City Council.

11. Other Acts
Include The Police Act, The Highway Act, The
Schools Act, and the Fire Services Act.
Generally Municipal governments do not have
authority to take any measures except what the
provincial legislation allows. If there is a
conflict, Provincial law prevails.

12. Mayors and Aldermen
• Mayors and Aldermen are elected for a fixed
term, unlike MP’s and MLA’s whose terms in
office depend on election dates.
• Municipal council members are usually not
affiliated with a traditional political party, they
usually promote two or three campaign
themes.
• Some municipalities have community groups
which run groups of candidates with a certain
political programs.
• These groups are called civic parties.

13. Municipal Governments
• Like other law making bodies the by-laws
passed by municipal governments usually go
through a committee stage and then through
three readings.
• These readings usually take place in the same
sitting of a municipal council

14. REGIONAL DISTRICTS
•Some areas of BC have low population density
and some have high population density.
•Therefore without management local services
could be duplicated in areas of high density and
under-funded in low-density areas.
•To stop that from happening 28 regional
districts were created in the 1960’s

15. OTHER LOCAL ATHORITIES
•School Districts: Boards are responsible for running the
schools with the use of a provincially approved budget
•Improvement Districts: Supply such services as water
supply, fire protection, or garbage collection and disposal
Improvement. districts: are administered by boards of trustees,
consisting of locally elected people who are serving three-year
terms.
•Library Boards: either local or regional libraries, funded by
the provincial government and by the member boards.

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Municipal Governments are
responsible for:
water
sewage,
waste collection,
public transit,
land use planning,
libraries,
emergency services,
animal control, and
economic development.