Peter, How Does The Government Work?: Recent Episodes
Kerri, Peter and Dia
THERE'S A KING OF THE COMMONWEALTH, WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
The Queen died. And a friend asked Kerri what happens to our money with the Queen's head on it. And Dia watched a lot of CBC. And then Dia and Kerri spent 63 minutes on the phone trying to understand what happens now to all the Queen Things that are now... King Things?
Honestly, we probably have more questions than answers. But we do have a few answers! Also Peter wasn't available for this bonus pod and answer having--here's what happens when he leaves Dia and Kerri to our own devices... We're calling it Civil Commotion.
Royal experts... we need you. Help.
[PS. This only gets the explicit E because Kerri said s** at the beginning. That's it.]
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Our Civil Commotion/royals theme music is Overture by Alexander Nakarada.
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Hey, it's been awhile! Summer, anyone? 😎🌞
We know Canada has two official languages, English and French, and that their use varies across the country and by province. We learn about our language rights as provided by the Charter, impacts on public services and documents, and what gives someone the right to access education in English or French?
And, what are Quebec's other language laws--Bill 101 from the 1970s and Bill 96 (in Quebec law as of June 1, 2022) and how do they affect language use in the province of Quebec?
By the way, you can read about all the official languages of the Northwest Territories we couldn't remember here--there are 11 of them!
This episode was recorded June 26, 2022 at 11:30 AM CDT.
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In this episode, Peter again tells us about our legal rights in Canada while again not giving legal advice, including things to consider in the event you get arrested--you know, just in case--and our rights while accused and before the court.
And, about how the Ottawa "protestors" were treated differently from many arrested or detained Canadians... and perhaps why. Kerri also makes references to things you might see on TV, despite not actually watching a lot of TV (...the TV and film are really Dia's department.)
Stuff we talked about:
Trucker Bail - The Docket podcast
Here's what officers will inform you of upon arrest or detention in Canada | Wikibooks
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Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
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Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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Alas, the lost episode all of you observant listeners have been wondering about. Actually, it wasn't really lost, we recorded it, Kerri edited and exported it... and never uploaded it so it could get to your ears. By magic, it will appear in your feed as if it were uploading when we'd meant it to. Really, though, you're listening to a podcast about how the government works, you should be used to things not happening when you'd been told they would...
Thanks to Kat for letting us know we missed a part!
In continuation from Part 1 on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we continue on with Democratic Rights--I know, we really left you all hanging there. We reconvene with the very how-does-the-government-work-esque parts: Section 4 - maximum duration of legislative bodies and Section 5, annual sitting of legislative bodies. If that does not sound riveting to you (and why not?!) fear not, that's only the first 6 minutes.
For our final 36 minutes, we discuss mobility rights, covered in Section 6, including Via Rail's service for passengers with disabilities, how mobility rights affect extraditions, and, while as a citizen you indeed are free to leave and enter Canada... why you need to have a passport or other government issued ID to get back in, your friend can't just vouch for you to the Canada Border Services Agency... And a bunch of other stuff.
This episode was recorded June 4, 2022 at 12:00 PM CDT.
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The one where Peter definitely is not offering legal advice, as we explore sections 1-3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms--which is the one thing Kerri absolutely, definitely learned about in grade 9 Social Studies!
In this episode, we learn about the Charter--one of Peter's favourite pieces of legislation (thanks, OG PM Trudeau), tackling what the pieces of the Charter are, the limitations of the Charter, and themes that weave throughout this text and its application. We explore the Fundamental Freedoms and how those may be applied (or restricted), and begin discussing Democratic Rights, including voting rights in Canada, a discussion we will continue in an upcoming episode.
Have questions about the Charter--or anything else? Let us know and we'll answer them in an upcoming episode.
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Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!
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This episode was recorded on April 30, 2022 at 11:00 AM CDT.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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We quote some unparliamentary language in this episode. It's pretty tame, but we've tagged it as explicit... just in case.
Oral questions, more commonly referred to as Question Period, occur at 2:15 pm on weekdays when the House of Commons is in session. We learn the not-so-secret secrets of how Question Period seems so organized (thanks, political staffers!), even though it sounds chaotic with all the yelling--and what's with all the yelling and heckling anyways? How do they know who gets to talk? What is a parliamentary privilege afforded to Members of Parliament, and why are there special protections for Members? Why does everyone address the Speaker?
And, Kerri's (and possibly Peter's) favourite topic... unparliamentary language! What words can get you rebuked in the house? Some are pretty surprising!
Links
Watch question period on ParlVU (Now streaming in HD, apparently!)
Procedure in Question Period | Parliament of Canada
On the House: An Inside Look at the House of Commons by Rob Walsh | Goodreads (the book Kerri was quoting from)
Unparliamentary Language (Canada) | Wikipedia
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This episode was recorded on April 2, 2022 at 12:00 PM CDT.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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Sometimes it feels like not a lot is happening in parliament. Or, you'll hear, "Oh, that's stuck in committee" when something you really want to see happen in government doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
So, when something is stuck in committee... what does that mean? Who are these mysterious committees? Where are they?
Peter tackles answering Kerri's many questions about the 30 some-odd standing committees (and additional special committees) of the House of Commons, the role of committees in the process of passing bills, where they meet, what the room looks like, and perhaps most importantly... what do they do?
Links
House of Commons Committees Website (A wealth of information. Everything you could possibly want to know about committees, probably.)
Watch committee meetings + view schedule
Request to appear before a committee
Preparing to appear before a committee
Map of a committee meeting room
Committee room locations on Parliament Hill
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Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!
Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
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Leave us an audio message: speakpipe.com/HowDoesGovtWork - unless you tell us not to, it may get played on a future episode!
This episode was recorded on March 12, 2022 at 12 PM CST.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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Nello Altomare was elected to the Manitoba Legislature in 2019 to represent the Northeast Winnipeg constituency, Transcona, as a New Democrat Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). With deep community roots as an educator and volunteer, Nello shares what motivated him to run, how people can become involved in politics in their communities, and about more of the issues important to people in Transcona, and in Manitoba.
Nello also helps us understand how to get in contact with our MLAs, what MLAs can help with, and answers a listener question from Michael about what options you might have if your MLA is not responding.
Also, Ontario likes to be different(/difficult?) and has not just Members of Provincial Parliament instead of MLAs, and Federal Parliament, which Dia has some confusion over.
LinksConnect with Nello on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Connect with us!
Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!
Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/HowDoesGovtWork
Leave us an audio message: speakpipe.com/HowDoesGovtWork - unless you tell us not to, it may get played on a future episode!
This episode was recorded on March 19, 2022 at 12:00 CST.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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The Senate is sometimes called "The Red Chamber" or the "Chamber of Sober Second Thought", but what goes on in there, exactly?
How does a bill become a law? How does the Senate interact with the House of Commons? How does one become a Senator? Why do we even have a Senate?
As you can tell, Dia and Kerri have a lot of questions about the Senate, and thankfully, Peter has answers!
Also, we learn about Speaker's Scotch (thanks, Ariel!), and mix up some post-adjournment drinks with our new friend, Grant. Send us your beverage ideas on Speakpipe or in the Twitter thread!
LinksAn oral history of the Speaker's Scotch: Uncorking the secrets behind the least likely antidote to partisanship (National Post)
Connect with us!
Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!
Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/HowDoesGovtWork
Leave us an audio message: speakpipe.com/HowDoesGovtWork - unless you tell us not to, it may get played on a future episode!
This episode was recorded on March 19, 2022 at 12:00 CST.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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In this bonus/"emergency" podcast (we start out laughing, don't worry--it's not that kind of emergency), Kerri and Peter talk to John Delacourt, Vice President Public Affairs at Hill+Knowlton Strategies--who also worked with three Liberal governments--about the confidence-and-supply agreement between the Liberals and the New Democrats. Because WHAT IS GOING ON?
John explores the agreement with us, what confidence-and-supply even means, and what the agreement aspires to accomplish (at least at this very early stage)--including what the proposal of Pharmacare and dental care as they are on the table presently might look like, the (realistic) potential for an election before 2025, and how the crisis in Ukraine may impact politics here in Canada.
Links for further learning:
March 21
Liberals, NDP leadership reach tentative deal to support Trudeau government to 2025 (CBC News)
March 23
The day after the deal: MPs voice their views on the Liberal-NDP agreement (CTV News)
How The Deal Got Done (Politico Ottawa Playbook)
CBC’s The House:
One month of war
CPAC Today in Politics:
Mar 22 2022 — NDP/Liberal deal would see Liberals in power for 3 more years
Mar 23 2022 — Bergen calls the Liberal/NDP deal a cling to power
Second half: Mar 24 2022 — Trudeau addresses European Parliament
Bonus: That Pharmacare Report:
A Prescription for Canada: Achieving Pharmacare for All
Connect with us!
Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!
Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/HowDoesGovtWork
Leave us an audio message: speakpipe.com/HowDoesGovtWork - unless you tell us not to, it may get played on a future episode!
This episode was recorded on March 27, 2022 at 11:00 AM CST.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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Depending on where you live, there are three--or four!--levels of government that impact our daily lives. Peter, Dia and Kerri discuss this "layer cake" of government: what municipal, regional, provincial/territorial governments and the federal government take care of, how they interact... and why it might not always function as smooth as it looks like it should on paper. Plus, how territorial governments are slightly different from provincial ones!
We also learn about some key players in our Parliamentary system, including the role of the House of Commons, the Senate, the Governor General, and the Lieutenant Governor--which, by the way, is the same person as that "Left-tenant" Governor you may have heard about.
Connect with us!
Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!
Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/HowDoesGovtWork
Leave us an audio message: speakpipe.com/HowDoesGovtWork - unless you tell us not to, it may get played on a future episode!
This episode was recorded on March 5, 2022 at 12:00 CST.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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As February 2022 saw Ottawa invaded by a so-called "freedom convoy", Canadians re-examined a lot of what we thought we knew of our country. As the Emergencies Act was invoked, many of us simultaneously had many questions about how our government and democratic processes actually worked--and we were shocked to realize we really didn't remember much of anything we learned in school.
Peter, How Does The Government Work brings together three Canadians--Kerri and Dia, who can't remember anything we learned in school, apparently and have a lot of questions--and Peter, a retired Criminal Defense lawyer who understands how the government works.
Join us as we learn together about the levels of government, what the deal is with all the heckling in the House, why Parliament is so green, whatever happened to electoral reform, and more.
Connect with us!Reach out if you have a question, a correction, or just want to say hi!Email: HowDoesTheGovernment@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/HowDoesGovtWork
Leave us an audio message: speakpipe.com/HowDoesGovtWork - unless you tell us not to, it may get played on a future episode!
This episode was recorded on February 26, 2022 at 12:00 CST.
Our theme music is Downtown Boogie by Bryan Teoh.
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