Elections Canada

The right to vote is one of our most important rights in Canada. But what happens at election time? How did we get to where we are? Who can vote? Is the Queen still our Monarch and what the heck does that mean?

The Elections Canada website answers these questions and many more.

With it's searchable database, information on post elections, history of Elections, FAQ's, registration information and much more, Elections Canada website is an indispensable tool to use for educators wanting to teach about Federal Elections, how they work and why they work the way they do.

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The Elections Canada website is best used in Unit One: Political Decision Making and Unit Three: Ideology in the Decision Making Process in Social Studies 10.

Both units focus on the role and importance of Government in Canada and the world stage.

The Elections Canada website would fit best in Unit One: Political Decision Making though as that details the Political Process and Making Decisions in a Parliamentary Democracy.

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The best way to use this website in a high school would be to hold a mock election in the class. The instructions (from the Parliament of Canada) for having a mock election are easy to follow and can be found here at the bottom of this page.

The mock election should be the last element of the unit because by then the students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the following:

• Structure of parties
• Financing of elections
• Party policies
• Steps to an election
• Campaigning
• Polls
• Conducting an election

This unit will also help them to:

broaden their vocabulary as they explore parliament conduct research using various resources access and interpret media reports on elections interpret data relating to polls conduct their own polls identify special interest groups and their methods of operation experience their rights as a citizen of Canada through the election process gain a greater appreciation for democracy

There are also a number of Teaching Tools available from the Government that are available for ordering.