Our Government Our Election

Objective
Students will consider ways to involve themselves in the political process.

Procedure
1. On the board, create five columns that students can line up in front of. Label columns:
Strongly Agree • Agree • Neutral • Disagree • Strongly Disagree
Read the statement: “It is important to express your thoughts about how we are governed.” Ask students to stand in the column with the stance they most agree with. Allow class discussion of various stances, then give students opportunity to change their position. Ask those who moved to share why they changed their opinion.

2. Read Participating in the Political Process.
KEY QUESTIONS

• What kind of interest groups and political groups exist in the community?
• If you express opposition to a law or policy, should you also propose an alternative?
• Is it important to voice your support when you agree with a law or policy?

3. To demonstrate how citizen engagement can create change, read the case study “We’re not afraid to admit we made a mistake”: Saving Saskatchewan Libraries.

4. To broaden understandings of citizen participation in society, have students participate in any of the listed activities in Participating in the Political Process. For example, students could observe a rally put on by organised labour or a civil society group, write a letter, speak at a public meeting, volunteer with a community group, or report on or create posters with political messages.

FURTHER EXPLORATIONS
5. To understand how Saskatchewan law allows citizens to propose legislation, check out Direct Democracy: Plebiscites and Referendums.

6. For further consideration of the ways that citizens have come to the rescue of libraries, check out the case study “Bypassing the Saskatoon Public Library” in Lesson 6 of Municipalities Matter.