Think about the sidewalks and roads that link our neighbourhoods and communities together. Consider the complex planning needed to provide us with fire protection and public health care. Look at the laws that define what behaviour is acceptable in society. These and other features of our society are not just an accident or coincidence. Their presence is the direct result of government.

But what is “government”? Several years ago in their book How are we Governed in the ‘80s?, Ricker, Saywell, and Skotch put forth a definition of government. It is still relevant today:

Government is the machinery that individuals set up to enable them to do with others what they cannot do on their own.

From laws that protect society from theft to policies providing everyone with health care and K-12 education, governments ideally will act in ways that help society achieve its goals.

So we now know what government is. But who is government?

In Canada, our governments are an extension of all of us—the people. Citizens democratically choose governments to reflect our wishes for our society. This means that government must respond to the will of the people.

Because citizens choose governments, it is the responsibility of every citizen to be well-informed. After all, when we are better informed, we choose better governments.

The Responsibilities of Municipal Governments

To understand how we, as citizens, can become involved in creating the rules that govern our lives, it is important to understand that each level of government has different responsibilities. In addition to First Nations’ governments, there are three levels of government in Saskatchewan: Federal, Provincial, and Municipal.

Municipal Governments are given their powers from the province. Through bylaws and other actions, municipalities can deal with a wide range of matters including:

• health and safety of its citizens
• activities in or near public places
• vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic
• streets and roads
• property taxes
• utilities such as water
• sewage and garbage disposal
• local police and fire protection
• parks and playgrounds
• building codes
• public transit
• local roadways and parking
• nuisances, such as noise, junked vehicles and litter
• store hours
• curfews
• animals and dangerous dogs