ACTIVITY THREE: Government: Then and Now

• A pen or pencil and a sheet of paper

Activity Steps

1) Visit "The Fur Trader Trades Careers," located on this website. You can find it by going to the site home page, then choosing "Tod's Adventures," then choosing "Tod's Travels." The green canoe is the one you want!

2) Divide your paper into two sections. Title one section "Same as Today," and the other section "Different from Today."

3) Write down all the ways that the Legislative Council of the Colony of Vancouver Island was the same as—or different from—governments you know today. Consider some of the following points:

a) Whether or not people in the government are elected or appointed.

b) Whether or not people in the government receive special privileges in the community.

c) Whether or not members of the government represent a specific group of people or a particular geographical area.

d) Whether or not certain members of the government have more power than the rest of the members.

e) Whether or not positions in the government are open to all people in the community.

f) Whether or not people in the government can be contacted by citizens outside the government.

For Teachers

• This activity facilitates discussion of citizenship, in terms of participation in the community.
• This activity facilitates discussion of equality and fairness in Canada.
• This activity identifies some government functions, and can be used to introduce discussion of the purposes of governments.

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