Influences On The Legislative Process

Canadian Parliament Influences on the Legislative Process

Bills rarely change substantively between when they are introduced in Parliament and when they are passed into law. Before the government introduces a bill in Commons, it often considers the concerns of opposition parties, provincial governments, and various pressure groups. The government consults widely with MPs of all parties before introducing bills, to prevent substantive criticism. (After bills are presented, majority governments are often able to resist demands for major amendments because such amendments would generally be defeated in a vote in Commons.) The prime minister and Cabinet also consult with provincial governments in advance since Parliament and provincial governments share responsibility for many fields of public policy.

Political parties have historically been a primary source of policy ideas. Canadian parties hold conventions at which members debate policies to be presented in elections and in Parliament. Parties adhere less to a consistent ideological position than they once did, pursuing or promoting courses of action that at times might seem at odds with historical party stances. Fewer people are involved with parties than in the past, and left-right ideological debates no longer seem as relevant. Instead, parties use polling and focus groups to shape and broaden their political messages and to maximize their appeal to loosely attached voters.

Thousands of pressure groups, such as the Business Council on National Issues, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the Assembly of First Nations, lobby the government on a daily basis to protect and promote the interests of their members. Cabinet ministers, senior administrators of government agencies and departments, and members of Parliament meet with such groups to gather information about necessary policy changes and to gain support from the groups most directly affected by legislation. In addition, a growing number of research institutes, or think tanks issue reports on different public policies from a variety of ideological perspectives. They also promote the adoption of their ideas.

The mass media, which is more adversarial than it used to be, plays a growing role in setting the agenda of government by telling voters what the most important issues are. Canadians' concept of what kind of democracy they want is changing. Better educated than earlier generations and less deferential toward elites, Canadians are showing less faith in traditional institutions of representative democracy general elections, parties, legislatures, etc. Instead, they are insisting on more direct forms of democracy, such as referenda (elections in which people vote directly on an issue or question) and recall mechanisms (which allow the electorate to have someone removed from office).

Finally, Canadian governments are constrained in their legislative actions by global economic forces and trade agreements with other countries, both of which limit their freedom of action. For example, the Liberal government led by Jean Chrétien could not introduce substantive laws changing trade with the United States and Mexico because of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that took effect in 1994.

In short, the Canadian prime minister and Cabinet formulate legislation, guide its passage into law, and then implement it. In doing all of these things they are obliged to consider opposition parties in Parliament, provincial governments, pressure groups, and voters. They also have to respond to changing economic, social, and political circumstances outside of Canada. (1)

More about the Canadian Parliament

• Canadian Parliament
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• Debates About Ministerial Responsibility
• Parliament Membership
• Parliament Structure
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• Governor-General
• Parliamentary Sessions
• Legislative Process
• Influences on the Legislative Process
• History of Parliament
• Parliament (in General in Canada)
• Parliament (in the World)

Resources

Notes and References

1. Encarta Online Encyclopedia

See Also

Law is our Passion

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This entry was last updated: March 23, 2014