Renewable energy and different levels of Canadian government

Levels of Canadian government

1. Pull up the “Renewable energy and different levels of Canadian government” slide show.
2. Provide each student with a copy of the “Renewable energy and different levels of Canadian government” student handout. Encourage students to take notes on the back of the handout or separate sheet of paper.
3. At slide 2, start by asking students to talk with a partner to explore why we have different levels of government. They may share that this creates a balance of power, that local issues are better understood at a municipal level, creating cohesion across the country and ensuring efficient governance.
4. Slide 3 shows the different positions of governance within the federal government. Ask students which are elected positions. Explain that the governor general and senate are not elected positions. The governor general is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minster and senators are appointed by the governor general.
5. At slide 4 share the roles and responsibilities of the federal government.
6. At slide 5 ask students who was the first and only female prime minister in Canada. The answer is revealed on slide 6. Kim Campbell was the 19^th prime minister of Canada from June to November 1993.
7. Slide 7 shows the different positions of governance within the provincial government.
8. At slide 8 ask students why provincial government is important. They may share examples such as Provincial Parks, lawmaking and legislation, and highway construction/maintenance. Ask students who is the current Premier of British Columbia and what party they represent.
9. Slide 9 shows the roles and responsibilities of the provincial government.
10. At slide 10 have students hold up their fingers to answer the question. The answer is revealed on slide 11. In 1871 British Columbia became the sixth province to join Canada’s Confederation and was a significant milestone in history expanding the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
11. Slide 12 shows the different positions of governance within the municipal government. Ask students what they think are the responsibilities of a municipal government. Students may share providing essential local services, creating bylaws and building community.
12. Slide 13 shows the roles and responsibilities of a municipal government.
13. At slide 14 ask students to consider what is an essential service. Slide 15 reveals the answer that clean water, sewer systems and parks and recreation are all essential services.
14. Slide 16 shows different kinds of municipalities.
15. To summarize the levels of government in Canada show the video: The Levels of Government 

Energy issues and solutions

1. Refer students to the front side of the “Renewable energy and different levels of Canadian government” student handout. Invite students to fill in their ideas as you explore and discuss different energy sources on the following slides. 
2. At slide 18 ask students what some effects are of using fossil fuels for energy. Slide 19 shows some of our ideas that fossil fuels contribute to: air and water pollution, oil spills, deforestation, habitat destruction, pollution caused disease and climate change. 
3. At slide 20 ask students what are the consequences of climate change? They may share increase in droughts, water scarcity, fires, rising sea levels, flooding, storms, forced migration and declining biodiversity. Slide 21 reveals some of our ideas.
4. At slide 22 ask students to consider why we continue to rely on fossil fuels as a main energy source? Students may share that it’s more cost effective and that our current infrastructure is reliant on fossil fuels.
5. Next share with students that renewable energy sources are an alternative to fossil fuels and have lower environmental impact. Ask students to share examples of renewable energy sources like wind, solar and hydro. 
6. Slide 23 shows examples of hydropower; falling water, tides, waves and rainwater used to generate electricity. 
7. At slide 24 ask students what level of government is primarily responsible for electricity?  The answer is revealed on slide 25.
8. At slide 26 ask students what role the federal government should play in providing clean energy. They may share regulating interprovincial and international power lines, providing funding and incentives for clean energy, enforcing environmental laws and supporting Indigenous consultation.
9. At slide 27 ask students which level(s) of government – municipal, provincial, federal – should be responsible for promoting household solar panel use, and which should oversee the development of large-scale solar farms? Why? They may share that municipal governments should control local permitting and zoning for solar panel installation, provincial governments should regulate utilities such as electricity lines and electricity metering and buy and sell electricity to ensure its availability and the federal government should provide funding and tax credits as well as support research and development of clean energy sources to meet national climate goals. All levels of government should encourage and promote clean energy by creating rebates, tax incentives and education.
10. Slide 28 shows geothermal which is another example of a renewable energy source.
11. At slide 29 ask students what impacts geothermal heat. The answer is revealed on slide 30 that geothermal heat is impacted by tectonic activity.
12. Slide 31 describes wind energy. Ask students to discuss the impact of wind turbines being spread evenly across the country. They may believe that even distribution is “fairer” or think it would be better to put more turbines in places with more wind.
13. At slide 32 have students answer what energy source releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The answer is revealed on slide 33 that natural gas releases carbon dioxide contributing to climate change.
14. At slide 34 ask students how different levels of government can encourage innovation around renewable energy? Encourage students to brainstorm with a partner and then share ideas as a class. Students may share all levels of government should scale up grants and incentives, increase research and development funding for universities and start-ups, support long term infrastructure upgrades to our electrical power systems and support indigenous led clean energy projects. 
15. Slide 35 summarizes our ideas. Discuss how we, as the public, can influence the promotion of renewable energy? Students may share by voting, voicing concerns, educating others, writing to politicians, running as an elected official, reducing personal fossil fuel consumption and peaceful protesting. We have listed some of our ideas on slide 36.
16. Slide 37 demonstrates the effectiveness of protests highlighting the Indigenous led Idle No More movement.
17. Complete the activity by inviting students to complete the handout.