Elections 2015
Federal elections matter.
Are you ready for October 19, 2015? It is the Canada federal elections.
Do you know what is at stake in the federal elections?
The federal level of government has powers that are different from those of provincial governments, including:
- Pension and retirement security
- Health care
- Child care
- National defence – Bill C51
- Foreign affairs – Immigration
- Employment insurance – EI
- Banking – banking fees, prime rate
- Federal taxes – income tax and other tax rates
- the post office – Canada post
- Fisheries
- shipping, railways, telephones and pipelines
- Aboriginal lands and rights
- Criminal law
While each level of government has its own responsibility, the federal government impacts on everything that we do. Why is this? Because the federal government makes the policies that govern the entire nation. The federal level allocates money to be transferred (equalization payments) to provincial governments. For example, if the federal government cuts $36 billion for health care that would mean cuts as well to the provincial level.
Federal elections matter. We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand because once the waves come it will still affect us.
To learn more about the three levels of government visit http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/Education/OurCountryOurParliament/html_booklet/three-levels-government-e.html