School of English and

Liberal Studies
PROFESSOR’S ADDENDUM TO COURSE

Course Code: CAN190

Title: The Canadian Political System
Term: Fall 2022

Professor: Marc Menard

Contact Info: [email protected]

Virtual Office Hours: Thursdays from 9:00 to 10:30am

Approved by: Amanda Nowensky, Chair

☐ Online Asynchronous (OA) Online Exam

☐ Online Synchronous and Asynchronous (OB) Alternate
Assessment
✘ In-person (P)
HyFlex (HF).
Hybrid: In Person dates Click or tap here to enter text.

Comments:
Unless otherwise instructed by your professor, classes will be in-person, in the assigned room every
week. See your schedule for specific campus, times, and room locations.

Introduction
Welcome to CAN190!
Some political theorists have argued that Canada is one of the most successful
democracies in the history. Yet, Canada is a country of contradictions. It is racked by
tensions between its founding cultures and its regions; at the same time, it is considered a
model of cooperation and diversity. This subject examines the historical, social and
political foundations of the Canadian political process.

Please read this addendum to the general subject outline carefully. It is your guide to the
subject requirements and activities in my class. Be sure to read the outline containing key
course information at https://apps.senecacollege.ca/ssos/login.do .
Texts & Materials

All students are required to use the Seneca Libraires Guide to Research & Citation APA
Style for their assignments, which can be found
at https://library.senecacollege.ca/citingsources
The textbooks for this course are

1. Required: Brooks, Stephen & Marc Menard. Canadian Democracy: A Concise

Introduction,2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, Toronto, 2017,
2. Optional: Marc Menard, Political Argument, A Guide to Researching, Writing and
Debating, Oxford University Press, Toronto, 2015.

Also available in hard copy combo pack ISBN9780199030194.

E-texts for the required textbooks are available via the Seneca College
Bookstore https://www.bkstr.com/senecacollegestore/home

Students can refer to the Addendum to the Course Outline and MySeneca BlackBoard
for titles and/or copies of additional readings.

Academic Integrity & Copyright

Most of the materials posted in this course are protected by copyright. It is a violation of
Canada's Copyright Act and Seneca's Copyright Policy to share, post, and/or upload course
material in part or in whole without the permission of the copyright owner. This includes
posting materials to third-party file-sharing sites such as assignment-sharing or homework
help sites. Course material includes teaching material, assignment questions, tests, and
presentations created by faculty, other members of the Seneca community, or other
copyright owners.

It is also prohibited to reproduce or post to a third-party commercial website work that is

either your own work or the work of someone else, including (but not limited to) assignments,
tests, exams, group work projects, etc. This explicit or implied intent to help others may
constitute a violation of Seneca’s Academic Integrity Policy and potentially involve such
violations as cheating, plagiarism, contract cheating, etc.

These prohibitions remain in effect both during a student’s enrollment at the college as well
as withdrawal or graduation from Seneca.

Grading/Assignments
Quizzes, Short Written Assignments and Group Work 20%
Annotated Bibliography (part I) Week 3 10%
Outline (part II) Week 5 10%
Essay (part III) Week 9 20%
Team Debates (part IV) Commencing Week 10 10%
Comprehensive In-Person Exam Week 14 30%*

TOTAL MARKS 100%

*The value of the take-home exam is lower than the 30% stated in CAN190's Course Outline
if the exam is on-line and unsupervised.
 Student/faculty online consultation

Ways to communicate with your professor:

Marc Menard will be available for in-person consultations on the Newnham Campus,
Room B3025 on Tuesdays, and Wednesdays between 10:45am and 11:30am, or
virtually, by appointment only, on Thursdays between 9:00am and 10:30am. Use my
email contact to arrange an on-line appointment via Zoom.

Student will be able to communicate with the professor during weekly classes, in-
person office hours, online Zoom, or regular email. Allow 24 hours (excluding
Saturdays and Sundays or statutory holidays) for a response.

Tentative Weekly Schedule Fall 2022

*Please note that the CAN190 NBA schedule will be modified to accommodate
Labour Day & Thanksgiving statutory holidays. See the Weekly Folder on
BlackBoard for details.
Week Topic Reading Online Activities/ %
Assignment
1 Topic I. The Canadian Democracy On-line quizzes and short written 20
Sept 06 – 09 Nature of Chapter 1- Introduction to assignments almost every week
Sept 06 – term begins
Politics and Political Life (total 20%)
Sept 05 – Labour Day -
Staying
College Closed Informed Political Argument Chap 1
- Valuing Political
(* N.B CAN190 Argument & Research
NBA Section
modified
schedule due to
week 2 due to
Labour Day
closure. Please
refer to our
weekly folder on
BlackBoard)
2 Topic I. The Role Canadian Democracy IMPORTANT -
Sept 12 - 16 of the State Chapter 1- Introduction to COME TO CLASS THIS WEEK!!!
Sept 12 – last day to add
Political Life
course(s)
Your debate teams and your essay
Political Argument Chap topics will be selected this week.
2- Research

3 Topic II. The Canadian Democracy Annotated Bibliography (10%) is 10

Sept 19 – 23 Societal Context: Chapter 2 - Political due this week.
Sept 19 – last day to DROP
Political Life and Culture
course(s) without receiving
the State Do the survey at
a grade and with a refund www.politicalcompass.org
for 14 wk class.
Political Argument:
Chap 2 - Research
4 Topic II: The Chapters 4 & 7 -
Sept 26 – 30 Societal Context Regionalism and Canadian
- Regionalism & Politics / Federalism
Canadian
Federalism Political Argument: Chap
3 - The Writing Process
5 Topic II. The Canadian Democracy - Outline (10%) is due 10
Oct 03 – 07 Societal Context Chapter 6
- Regionalism &
Canadian Political Argument: Chap
Federalism 4 - Preparing the
Argument

6 Topic III. Canadian Democracy -

Oct 11 – 14 Structures of Chapter 6
Oct 10 – Thanksgiving
Governance -
College Closed
The Constitution Political Argument: Chap
4 - Preparing the
(* N.B CAN190 Argument
NBA Schedule
will be modified
to
accommodate
Thanksgiving
Holiday closure.
Refer to our
weekly folder on
BlackBoard)
7 Topic III. Canadian Democracy -
Oct 17 – 21 Structures of Chapter 6
Governance -
The Charter of
Human Rights Political Argument: Chap
and Freedoms 4 - Preparing the
Argument
Oct 24 – 28 Study Week – NO CLASSES

8 Topic III. Chapter 8 - The Executive

Oct 31 – Nov 4 Structures of
Governance - i. Political Argument: Chap
The Executive 4 - Preparing the
Argument

9 Topic III. Chapter 8 - The The Essay (20%) is due this week. 20
Nov 07 – 11 Structures of Legislature
Nov 11 - Last day to drop
Governance - ii.
courses and receive a DNC
The Legislature Political Argument: Chap
grade 5 - The Debate
10 Topic III. Chapter 8 - The Judiciary The Debates (10%) begin. 10
Nov 14 – 18 Structures of
Governance - Political Argument: Chap
The Judiciary 5 - The Debate

11 Topic IV. Chapter 9 - Political The Debates (10%) continue.

Nov 21 – 25 Political Parties and Elections
Participation -
Political Parties Political Argument: Chap
& Elections 5 - The Debate

12 Topic IV. Chapter 9 - Political The Debates (10%) continue.

Nov 28 – Dec 02 Political Parties and Elections Course Review
Participation -
Political Parties
& Elections

13 Course Review Course Review & Exam Final Exams (30%) 30

Dec 05 – 09 & Exam Preparation
Thurs & Fri Final Preparation Final Assessments to be
scheduled from Thursday
Assessments
December 8 until December
Wednesday December 14

13 EXAM WEEK END OF SEMESTER Final Exam 100

Dec 12 – 14 In-Person Exam (30%). Time and
Fall term ends location to be determined.
Wednesday December
14th Instructions to follow.
Week of Final
Assessments
Please retain this document for future
educational and/or employment use.
Promotion Policy

Evaluation of Work

Evaluation is based on correct language usage, organization and mastery of the subject at
a post-secondary level. Students are expected to learn professional standards of
performance in the subject areas, and tests and assignments will be graded on that basis.
To be successful in this subject, you must complete all course work as specified and
achieve an overall grade of D (50%) or more.

Grading Policy

Grade Range

A+ 90% to 100%
A 80% to 89%
B+ 75% to 79%
B 70% to 74%
C+ 65% to 69%
C 60% to 64%
D+ 55% to 59%
D 50% to 54%
F 0% to 49% (Not a Pass)
OR

EXC Excellent
SAT Satisfactory
UNSAT Unsatisfactory

Missed Tests / Presentations / In-Class Assignments

Students who miss scheduled tests, presentations or in-class assignments will receive a
grade of zero. If there are valid reasons for missing the test, presentation or in-class
assignment, the student MUST:
a) Contact the professor or student advisor either by phone or by email prior to the start
time of the test, presentation or in-class assignment and b) By the next class,
present the professor with appropriate documentation. At the professor’s discretion,
a make-up test/in-class assignment or new date for the presentation may be
granted.
Late Assignments

Any student in need of an extended deadline must negotiate a reasonable extension with
the faculty in advance of the published deadline. Only under extenuating circumstances will
late assignments be accepted without communication prior to the deadline. Documentation
of the extenuating circumstances must be provided by the student upon request. At the
discretion of the faculty, deductions may be applied for any late assignment submissions.
Student assessment policy is available at Student Assessment Policy website.

Late assignments will result in a penalty of 5% per day to a maximum of five

consecutive days. Assignments will not be accepted after five consecutive days or as
otherwise indicated by your professor.

Attendance and Participation

Considerate classroom conduct, adequate class preparation, and constructive

participation will enhance your academic experience and that of your colleagues. In
particular, you are asked to be prompt, courteous, responsible and collaborative.
Consistent attendance is important for success in this subject.

Learning Centre

The Learning Centre offers academic support to all Seneca students in the form of one- on-
one tutoring, small group tutoring, and workshops and are located in the libraries of the
Newnham, Markham, York and King campuses. More information regarding learning center
workshops and schedules, please visit Learning Centre website.

Dropping a Subject

There are two deadlines for dropping this subject. If you drop by Day 10 of the semester,
the subject will not appear on your transcript. If you drop by the last drop date (see Student
handbook), the subject will appear on your transcript with a grade of DNC. To drop, please
notify your professor, complete a “Timetable Change Form,” and return it to Registration
by the deadline. Discuss any possible negative consequences of dropping the subject with
the Coordinator/advisor.
Academic Regulations

It is your responsibility as a student of Seneca College to be aware of and abide by

the academic and behavioural policies outlined in the College Academic Policy and
the Student Handbook. Here are some key policies:
Academic Integrity

Seneca College takes Academic Integrity very seriously. Therefore, all assignments in this
course must be completed independently (unless otherwise stated), and with integrity.
Copying and pasting from any source without correct quoting, paraphrasing, and citations
will be considered plagiarism. This or any other contravention of Seneca's Academic
Integrity Policy, including cheating, sharing, collusion, using Spinbots, Contract Cheating,
Falsification, Impersonation, or submitting a previously-submitted assignment will be
reported to the Academic Integrity Committee. Please review the Academic Integrity Policy.

To learn more about academic integrity and for resources to help you ensure academic
integrity in all your course work, see Seneca Libraries Guides.

Student Appeals
Students have the right to appeal academic decisions of the College. The procedures for
informal and formal appeals are outlined in Academic Policy. If a student disagrees with the
evaluation of an assignment or with a final grade, s/he must first discuss the matter with the
professor in an attempt to resolve the matter informally. If the matter is not resolved, the
student should discuss the problem with the Co-ordinator or the Chair. Students must keep all
assignments (including drafts and outlines) and exercises until they receive their final grade.
No appeal will be considered unless a complete file is submitted at the time of the appeal.

For more information regarding appeal process, please read Academic Appeal Policy.

Copyright

Copyright means sole right to produce, reproduce and copy a work. In Canada, all original
creative works are automatically protected by copyright upon their creation and protection
applies whether or not a copyright symbol appears on the material. Only the copyright
owner or its authorized licensees have the right to decide when and how the work is to be
copied, altered or made available. Regardless of format, the use, reproduction and
distribution of copyright protected materials are subject to limits and restrictions.
More copyright information is available at Seneca Copyright Policy website.
Fair dealing for copyright-protected work information is available at Seneca Fair Dealing for
Copyright Protected Work Policy website.
Online sessions may be recorded and made available to students registered in this
class for their reference.

Information Technology Acceptable Use

Official College E-mail is available to all employees and students. Faculty, staff and students
are required to use College-provided e-mail when corresponding electronically about
College-related matters.
For further information regarding the IT acceptable use policy, please refer to Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Policy

Student Conduct

It is the policy of Seneca College that all employees and students have a right to work and
study in an environment that asserts the personal worth and dignity of each individual. For
example, this includes interactions during Seneca related activities, student group work
and communications being held online or in-person. The Student Conduct Office works
with the Seneca community to address non-academic issues, disruptive behaviours and
reports of sexual violence. Examples of issues that may be referred to this office for
resolution include, but are not limited to: disturbing behaviour that interrupt the educational
process, harassment, abusive behaviour of any kind, and dangerous conduct such as
assault or fighting.

In addition to Seneca’s Student Code of Conduct Policy, students also have rights and
responsibilities under the laws of local, provincial and federal governments, other Seneca
policies and guidelines or regulations that may be administered by an academic school or
area within Seneca. Student are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these policies.
More information and assistance are available through the Student Conduct Office ,
extension 22078 or via email at [email protected].

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

Seneca is committed to providing an accessible teaching, learning, living and working

community that is barrier-free and inclusive for all individuals. If you require
accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Office by phone at your
campus extension or email at [email protected] to schedule an
appointment. Appointments can be provided by phone, email or video chat.
 King Campus: 416.491.5050 ext. 55157
 Markham Campus: 416.491.5050 ext. 77508
 Newnham Campus: 416.491.5050 ext. 22900
 Seneca@York Campus: 416.491.5050 ext. 33150