why aren't Performing Arts courses mandatory in highschools and shit?

[shogun rua]

anyone else feel that way

[tiedye]

I would rather see a mandatory course on politics before performing arts and I'm an artist. There is a lot of essential knowledge not being passed on to youth that would benefit society as a whole and in the long run.

[mapleleaf4ever]

^ agreed!

other than that, i'd rather learn stuff that'll help me in the workforce.

[inside]

Originally Posted by tiedye

I would rather see a mandatory course on politics before performing arts and I'm an artist. There is a lot of essential knowledge not being passed on to youth that would benefit society as a whole and in the long run.

To just comment.There have been some controversial recent events regaurding teachers and the pushing of thier political ideals onto students that are left wing and self serving.

Bit of a stickey subject.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by shogun rua

anyone else feel that way

Apparently not.

[-evil-duerr-]

Originally Posted by tiedye

I would rather see a mandatory course on politics .

sounds like someone was playing hooky during socials studies class!

[tiedye]

Originally Posted by -evil-duerr-

sounds like someone was playing hooky during socials studies class!

Social Studies talked about politics but it didn't explain political process that well. How many people do you know that graduated with straight A's but don't understand how our voting system works? I'm blown away by the amount of people I went to school with who were considered top of the class that think Canada is a democracy.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by tiedye

I'm blown away by the amount of people I went to school with who were considered top of the class that think Canada is a democracy.

I believe Canada's government is classified as a "Parliamentary Democracy"... I'm not counting the queen as being a head of parliament FYI.

[P.A.R.T.Y]

Originally Posted by tiedye

Social Studies talked about politics but it didn't explain political process that well. How many people do you know that graduated with straight A's but don't understand how our voting system works? I'm blown away by the amount of people I went to school with who were considered top of the class that think Canada is a democracy.

Exactly, Canada is more socialist, than a true democracy.

CBC News - Canada - GG agrees to suspend Parliament until January
Lest we forget...

[ebbomega]

Actually we're a constitutional monarchy, but thanks for coming out.

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by tiedye

Social Studies talked about politics but it didn't explain political process that well. How many people do you know that graduated with straight A's but don't understand how our voting system works? I'm blown away by the amount of people I went to school with who were considered top of the class that think Canada is a democracy.

I dunno, I had a pretty good Government class as part of my Socials 11. They went over the political system pretty thoroughly - the differences of the legislative, executive and judicial branches, how the legislative process works, the way in which political parties are handled in parliament and legislative assemblies, and the ideas of caucus, non-confidence, and all the other things that make up our political system (that most of the voting public I've found since really has absolutely no clue about).

Honestly, we have a fairly democratic system compared to a lot of them, the only thing that I think that could make it better is if we moved to more proprotional representation. People complain that it would hold up governmental processes but my main retort to that is: GOOD! Government should be beaurocratic so that it takes into account all the different viewpoints of the population. This idea that you have to only listen to a small chunk of the people in order to be effective is not only erroneous but completely undermines the entire idea of democracy.

[tiedye]

Technically, our government is a *inhale* Westminster-style federal parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy. *gasp*

I don't really think the key word in all that is 'democracy'.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by tiedye

Technically, our government is a *inhale* Westminster-style federal parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy. *gasp*

I don't really think the key word in all that is 'democracy'.

A parliamentary system is a democratic system...

Grab a dictionary:

"Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

IE - a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies."

Democracy means a system of government with elected officials chosen by the general population.

The constitutional monarchy thing isn't really taken in account because since 1983, we've had our own sovereignty and parliament can overturn any decision made by the queen.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by P.A.R.T.Y

Exactly, Canada is more socialist, than a true democracy.

You have no idea what either of those mean do you...?

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by NinjaBoy

The constitutional monarchy thing isn't really taken in account because since 1983, we've had our own sovereignty and parliament can overturn any decision made by the queen.

Actually you really have that backwards. We have only been constitutional since 1983, before the only form of written constitution that we had was The Canada Act, which in effect made us not even a nation but in fact a colony. And the Queen can technically, through the Governor General, overturn any decision made by Parliament. All parliamentary decisions must be signed by the GG before they are passed into law.

The main difference that happened in 1983 was that our head of state ceased to be the Queen of England and became the Queen of Canada.

That being said, the monarchy knows in Canada as well as in England (and really all the nations in the Commonwealth) that if they did try to exercise their power they would likely face a revolt from the populations, so they've effectively become a rubber stamp.

Having a monarchy does serve one VERY important purpose however, and this is the main reason we haven't gone back on it: Parliament Hill could get nuked, we could lose all of our politicians, but constitutionality would still remain intact. In the states there's a list of 19 people, that should they all be killed, they would have absolutely no head of state and they would have a consitutional crisis on their hands. This is why one of the most important things that the President must know whenever there is a national emergency is where the Vice President is, so that they can stay the hell away from him.

[NinjaBoy]

Ah, my mistake. I was aware that the queen technically had two titles after 1983, but was under the impression any acts passed by her could be overturned. Although, as you said if she did try anything it wouldn't fly.

[ebbomega]

Within our constitution actually she can't make any acts - that power is reserved for Parliament. She, much like the Senate, only retains the power of veto. Her power is very limited in fact. Last winter was one of the first times since the King-Byng crisis (I think) that the Governor General was able to exercise any type of power. AFAIK, Byng was the last representative of the monarchy to ever deny a request of the Prime Minister. After that, the Statute of Westminster basically made it so that the Governor General is basically the PM's bitch.

[SEAN!]

Originally Posted by inside

To just comment.There have been some controversial recent events regaurding teachers and the pushing of thier political ideals onto students that are left wing and self serving.

Bit of a stickey subject.

You can examine and critique the political superstructure of a country with out geting into ideology or value judgements. It would likely be a worthwhile endeavor since the majority of the populace lack even a working understanding of how a westminster parlimentry system operates.