Key Questions:
1) What is citizenship?
2) How can you tell if someone is a “good” citizen?
3) What are the rights of citizenship?
4) What are the responsibilities of citizenship?
5) How do citizens make decisions?
6) What symbols represent citizenship in Canada?

    A citizen is a person who lives in a particular place and has both a formal and an informal relationsbip with other people in that place.  Canada has laws that define citizenship.  Canadian citizens are allowed to vote and to have a say in governing the country.

    Citizenship is the exercising of rights, privileges and responsibilities as a meber of society.

    We are all citizens of the world (global community).

    Our Governor-General is Adrienne Clarkson.  She represents the Queen in Canada.
    Our Lieutenant-Governor is Lynda Haverstock.  She represents the Queen in Saskatchewan.

1. people born in Canada or naturalized citizens have certain rights and responsibilities
2. all persons born here, except children of foreign diplomats, are citizens
3. all children born abroad to a Canadian parent are citizens, but must register intent to retain Canadian citizenship
4. people who live permanently in Canada for three years and who meet certain other conditions may become citizens
5. the Minister of Immigration may grant citizenship under special circumstances
6. a Canadian citizen can hold other citizenships at the same time
7. Canadians have special status in Commonwealth countries and Ireland
8. Canadian citizens may not renounce their citizenship if they are living here.  If they renounce and later decide to become citizens again, they must live here for at least one year and then meet other requirements similar to those expected of immigrants who become new citizens

     A group’s behaviour does not just happen.  It is shaped by thoughts and feelings and opinions, which are called values or attitudes. Values are our opinions about how things ought to be.  A person’s or a group’s values guide behaviour.  The decisions that people or groups make reflect their values and attitudes.

     Comparing the way something actually is with the way we think it should be is called making a value judgement (real vs ideal). If there is a great deal of difference, we may feel unhappy or angry.

     Values provide a goal for life and give human beings direction.  They are shaped by experience.  As we get older, our values become more refined.

     All of a person’s values make up his or her belief system.  Some people have a religious belief system.  Other peoples’ beliefs center around material things, so they are said to have a secular belief system.

     When people have to choose between two things that they think are good, they have a value conflict.  Sometimes this means they have to balance what is good for the group against what is good for the individual.  Groups usually decide in favour of the group good in this situation.  If they have to override individual rights, democratic governments may offer the individual compensation intended to make up for and to show respect for the person’s rights.

     A sanction is something that is done to make a group decision stick.  Sanctions may be positive or negative.  Punishment is a negative sanction.  Rewards are positive sanctions.  The more important the rule, the tougher the sanction.  The rules or expected ways of group behaviour are called norms, and they are enforced by sanctions.

     When they work together as a group, individuals give up some freedom of action in order to get something that is beyond their power as individuals.  Working together as a group increases power but reduces individuality.  Sometimes a group may have to give up an individual freedom to get something of value for the whole group.  The greater the individual’s freedom of action, the weaker the group.

     Change can be good or bad for a group.  A group will act to protect its traditional values and behaviours from change.  However, a group will accept a change if it feels that the change will do more good than harm.  To be seen as good, a change must not run against a group’s basic values.

     Groups allow limited individual rights and freeedoms of action.  The group will cease to exist if it allows total freedom for its members.  Even in a democracy, individuals are not allowed to do anything they want.

     Even though the group may limit individual freedom of action, it also protects individual rights.  Individuals are not allowed to violate each other’s rights.  If the individual’s actions do not threaten the group, the group will usually tolerate or even encourage individual behaviours.  It is the responsibility of individuals to use their freedom wisely, in ways that will not hurt or interfere with others.

     If necessary for group survival, groups will force individuals to comply with rules or to join organizations.  This is called conscription.  Democratic groups only conscript individuals in times of extreme need or emergency.  They usually try to compensate the individual by providing money, food, shelter or other necessities.  They will also try to keep the conscription period as short as possible.  The conscripted person is usually praised for helping the group.
 
 

    Each person within a group usually plays many roles.  Before allowing an individual to play certain roles, a group often requires the individual to prove himself in some way (possibly by earning qualifications).

     Some roles are thought to be more important than others, so they have higher status and the people in these roles are given a lot of respect.

     To qualify for a high-status role, a person often has to train and be tested.  When the person passes the tests, a special ceremony may be held to tell everyone that the person now has a new role.  These ceremonies are often called rites of passage.  Sometimes the person receives something that shows his or her new status.  This is called a status symbol.

     Groups that allow their members to compete for various roles are called open societies.  The best qualified people will get the role, but anyone can try to achieve them.  People who get the role are said to have acquired their status.

     Sometimes, certain roles are restricted to people of a certain gender or with certain family connections.  Groups that do not allow their members to compete for various roles are called closed societies.  The people who have the roles have been given them, so their status is ascribed.

     When groups do things a particular way because common sense tells them to, it is called a custom.  Specific rules that are enforced by sanctions are called mores.  The most serious rules or norms are called laws.  Breaking a law is a crime, with severe sanctions.

     An organization that helps make sure rules are made in a sensible way, that taxes are collected and used properly, and that rules are consistently enforced is called a government.

     To run smoothly, all groups need leadership, as well as a set of rules and procedures to follow.  This gives the group order.  Because the norms of the group are enforced, the group has security.  Governments are required to provide leadership, order and security for the entire group.

     Governments have long-term goals, carried out by people with particular roles.  This type of organization is called an institution.

     A government body that looks after making laws is called the legislative part of the group.  Its job is to give the group direction.  The parts of the group that carry out the group’s laws are called the executive parts of government.  They provide order.  The part of the government that deals with people who break the laws is called the judicial part of government.  It gives the group protection or security.

     Governments require groups to give up some of their individuality and conform to the group’s wishes.  However, the government’s power is limited because individuals are guaranteed certain rights.  These might include free choice about what to say and think, how to earn a living, what religion to follow, and who to have as friends.  These rights are often called civil liberties, and they may be outlined in a charter of rights and freedoms.

    There also may be a limit on how long a person or group can stay in government (before calling a new election), and a way for every citizen or group member to have a say in who gets elected to government.  These rules limit a government’s power.
 
 

     You are probably already familiar with the decision-making process from Lifestyles.  The following information provides a review.

     An issue is a problem that asks you to choose one of several courses of action.  It often involves choosing between two or more things that we thing are good.  The things that we think are good reflect our values.  Problems that involve choosing between two or more good things are called value issues.  Making this kind of choice is called making a value decision or value judgement.  It often means choosing either/or.

     Some value issues are open-ended and have more than two possible “good” solutions.  Sometimes you must focus on the issue to get a clear picture of the problem to be solved.  Sometimes making a set of research questions makes it easier to choose.  You may want to answer them as questions or make a research question chart.
 

Examples:
What do you need to know to resolve the issue?
 What would happen if we chose one course of action over the other(s)?  (predicting the consequences)
 Who would be affected?
 How would they be affected?
 What would be needed to bring about this course of action?  (estimating of resources)
 What would have to be done?  (setting the tasks or roles)
 Who would carry out the various tasks?

You might incorporate these questions into a chart similar to the one following:

Description of the course of action
 1. 2.
Consequences of the course of action

Requirements needed to carry out the action

Who is affected
 

How he/she is affected
 

Tasks to be done
 

People and resources needed
 
 

     Gathering the information needed to answer the research questions is called gathering the data.  Sometimes you will add to the list of questions.  This is called feedback, or rethinking a position.  It means that you are using new information to improve a decision you already made.  It is a sign of mature thinking.

     After you have collected the data, you need to analyze it.  Did you collect the right kind of data?  Have you gathered enough data?  If not, you may need to gather more information before you make the decision.

     Next, you need to synthesize the data.  This means you will “put together” the data in a form that will help you to resolve the issue and make a choice or decision.  You may want to use a pro and con chart, or a PMI chart (plus-minus-interesting)   Put each bit of data you collected into one column of your chart, depending upon whether it suggests the course of action is good or bad.  If it is neither, you should put it in the I column.    Counting the number of data bits in each column may give you an idea of which choice is best.

     To resolve the issue, you must consider whether one of the choices will make you do something you consider absolutely wrong.  If it will violate your moral code, pass it by.

     Does the course of action hurt anyone, or violate their rights?  Is there any way to compensate or make up for this?

     Is the course of action possible?  Do you have the people, things and money you need to carry out the plan?  If not, it is a bad choice.

     Does the course of action give the greatest amount of good for the least amount of time, effort, material and discomfort?  This is called doing a cost/benefit analysis.

     Next, you need to apply the decision.  List the tasks to be done, indicate who will carry out each task, figure out what resources are needed to carry out the task, indicate how the plan will be implemented, and indicate when it will be carried out.  Create a sequence (order) and a time line.  Once you have made the plan, do a feasibility check to make sure the plan is achievable and that you have enough time, resources and people.

     Finally, you evaluate the decision.  If the issue goes away, you have solved the problem.  If it does not, you may need to go through the decision-making process in order to come up with another plan that may work better.