Question 1

Which of the following statements is accurate?
A) Interest groups have unrestricted influence over Canadian politics due to freedom of expression.
B) Most special interest groups face enormous resource challenges and institutional barriers in engaging governments and achieving their policy objectives.
C) By law, Canadian social movements must remain organizationally separate from those in other countries.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Most special interest groups, despite their efforts to influence policy and engage with government officials, often encounter significant challenges such as limited financial resources, access to decision-makers, and navigating complex political and bureaucratic processes. These barriers can hinder their ability to effectively achieve their policy objectives.

Question 2

What is a political organization that seeks to influence public policy without competing for elected office?
A) interest group
B) social movement
C) lobbyist
D) think tank

Accepted Answer

Interest groups, also known as advocacy groups or pressure groups, are organizations that seek to influence public policy and decision-making without directly competing for elected office. They often do so through lobbying, public campaigns, and other forms of advocacy.

Question 3

Elections Canada refers to interest groups as ________, in the sense that they are actors outside the formal world of candidates and political parties.
A) second-class actors
B) third parties
C) the fourth estate
D) fifth bodies

Accepted Answer

Interest groups are referred to as "third parties" by Elections Canada because they operate outside the formal structures of candidates and political parties, influencing the political process without being directly involved in it.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is accurate?
A) Interest groups help promote or highlight public policy issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
B) At least one-in-ten citizens reports participating in one of the estimated 20,000 interest groups in Canada.
C) Select interest groups may actually serve on behalf of the government, monitoring compliance with state legislation or regulations, or even formally delivering programs and services on behalf of the government.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

All the statements are accurate. Interest groups play a crucial role in democracy by highlighting issues that may be overlooked, a significant portion of citizens participate in interest groups, and some interest groups work closely with the government to monitor compliance or deliver services.

Question 5

By law at the federal level, interest groups must register with ________ if they spend $500 or more on advertising during a federal election.
A) the Lobbying Commissioner
B) Elections Canada
C) the Prime Minister's Office
D) a political party

Accepted Answer

Interest groups in Canada must register with Elections Canada if they spend $500 or more on advertising during a federal election. This is part of the regulations to ensure transparency and accountability in political financing and election advertising.

Question 6

Some interest groups fake a public image to appear less elitist. This is called:
A) hacktivism
B) champagne socialism
C) astroturfing
D) lobbying

Accepted Answer

Astroturfing is the practice of creating a fake grassroots movement, where the appearance of widespread public support for a cause, policy, or product is actually orchestrated by a specific interest group or organization. This tactic is often used to make the group appear more populist or supported by the common people than it truly is, masking its potentially elitist or special interest nature.

Question 7

_____ interest groups are those that become highly structured and entrenched in the formal political system.
A) Grassroots
B) Westminister
C) Institutionalized
D) Special

Accepted Answer

Institutionalized interest groups are those that have become highly structured and have established a strong, formal presence within the political system, often engaging directly with policymakers and having a consistent influence on policy.

Question 8

Women's interest groups have been better funded and more influential at the federal level when:
A) the Conservative Party has been in government.
B) the Liberal Party has been in government.
C) the prime minister is a woman.
D) Progressive Conservative Party was led by a woman.

Accepted Answer

Women's interest groups have historically been better funded and more influential at the federal level when the Liberal Party has been in government, as this party has often been more supportive of policies and initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and women's rights.

Question 9

In Canada, lobbying is a(n) ________ activity with a ________ public image.
A) illegitimate; poor
B) illegal; positive
C) legitimate; poor
D) illegal; poor

Accepted Answer

Lobbying in Canada is a legitimate activity, regulated by laws and conducted by registered lobbyists. However, it often has a poor public image due to concerns about undue influence on politicians and government officials.

Question 10

Which of the following non-governmental organizations is frequently commissioned by governments to perform policy studies, including issuing independent reports on things like fiscal transfers and postal services?
A) The Conference Board of Canada
B) Greenpeace
C) Amnesty International
D) The Public Service Alliance of Canada

Accepted Answer

The Conference Board of Canada is known for its research and analysis on economic trends, public policy, and organizational performance, including being commissioned by governments to perform policy studies and issue independent reports on various topics such as fiscal transfers and postal services.

Question 11

What are loosely-organized political organizations that focus on one or two narrow concerns?
A) institutionalized interest groups
B) issue-oriented interest groups
C) social movements
D) pressure groups

Accepted Answer

Issue-oriented interest groups are specifically organized around and focus on particular issues or a narrow range of concerns, distinguishing them from broader political organizations or groups with wider agendas.

Question 12

________ promote policies that they feel will benefit broader society or a political minority.
A) Public interest groups
B) Private interest groups
C) Self-interested interest groups
D) Silent interest groups

Accepted Answer

Public interest groups are organizations that advocate for issues they believe will benefit the public at large or address the concerns of minority groups, rather than focusing on the benefits for their own members exclusively.

Question 13

Which of the following is true of self-interested interest groups?
A) They act to advance the interests of their membership.
B) They tend to represent a large membership.
C) They include organizations representing businesses and unions.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Self-interested interest groups act to advance the interests of their membership, often represent businesses and unions, and can vary in size, including both large and small memberships.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about Canadian interest group funding is accurate?
A) Some interest groups receive direct funding from governments.
B) Some interest groups have charitable status, allowing them to issue tax receipts to donors.
C) Some interest groups charge membership dues.
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

All of the statements are accurate regarding Canadian interest group funding. Some interest groups do receive direct funding from governments, others have charitable status which allows them to issue tax receipts to donors, and many charge membership dues to support their operations.

Question 15

A think tank is:
A) group of public servants drawn from across government to work on a policy problem.
B) the name given to a political science department affiliated with the party in power.
C) a policy shop within a political party.
D) a quasi-academic organization that uses research to promote improvements to public policy.

Accepted Answer

Think tanks are organizations that conduct research and engage in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. They aim to serve as a bridge between the academic and policy-making communities, often providing research and policy recommendations to improve public policy decisions. They are not limited to government personnel, political parties, or internal policy shops but operate independently or affiliated with universities, businesses, or non-profit entities.

Question 16

When advocacy groups initiate personal communication with public office holders in an effort to influence public policy, it is called:
A) public consultation
B) public engagement
C) litigation
D) lobbying

Accepted Answer

Lobbying refers to the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. It involves advocacy groups initiating personal communication with public office holders to influence public policy.

Question 17

Lobbyists tend to be which of the following?
A) retired public servants or politicians
B) employees of interest groups or corporations
C) independent consultants working for strategy firms
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

Lobbyists can come from various backgrounds including retired public servants or politicians, employees of interest groups or corporations, and independent consultants working for strategy firms. This diversity allows them to leverage different types of expertise and connections to influence public policy and decision-making.

Question 18

The Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada is:
A) an agent of Parliament.
B) the elected chair of the Government Relations Institute of Canada.
C) a judge who hears court cases involving interest groups and the federal government.
D) an Elections Canada official who oversees third party advertising.

Accepted Answer

The Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada is an independent agent of Parliament, responsible for regulating and monitoring lobbying activities to ensure transparency and ethical conduct in the government's dealings with lobbyists.

Question 19

What is a collection of members of the general public who share a societal concern and seek changes to social values and behaviour?
A) self-interested interest group
B) social movement
C) community league
D) think tank

Accepted Answer

Social movements are large, sometimes informal, groupings of individuals or organizations which focus on specific political or social issues. They aim to carry out, resist, or undo a social change. They are distinguished from other types of groups by their focus on grassroots participation and societal concerns.

Question 20

What is the notion that people whose interests are promoted by a group will benefit from its efforts whether or not they actively participate in the group's activities?
A) the collective action problem
B) the iron law of oligarchy
C) prisoner's dilemma
D) voter's paradox

Accepted Answer

The collective action problem describes the situation where individuals can benefit from the efforts of a group without actively participating, leading to a dilemma where everyone might choose not to participate, undermining the group's ability to achieve its goals.

Quiz 12: Interest Groups and Social Movements

Which of the following statements is accurate?

What is a political organization that seeks to influence public policy without competing for elected office?

Elections Canada refers to interest groups as ________, in the sense that they are actors outside the formal world of candidates and political parties.

Which of the following statements is accurate?

By law at the federal level, interest groups must register with ________ if they spend $500 or more on advertising during a federal election.

Some interest groups fake a public image to appear less elitist. This is called:

_____ interest groups are those that become highly structured and entrenched in the formal political system.

Women's interest groups have been better funded and more influential at the federal level when:

In Canada, lobbying is a(n) activity with a public image.

Which of the following non-governmental organizations is frequently commissioned by governments to perform policy studies, including issuing independent reports on things like fiscal transfers and postal services?

What are loosely-organized political organizations that focus on one or two narrow concerns?

________ promote policies that they feel will benefit broader society or a political minority.

Which of the following is true of self-interested interest groups?

Which of the following statements about Canadian interest group funding is accurate?

A think tank is:

When advocacy groups initiate personal communication with public office holders in an effort to influence public policy, it is called:

Lobbyists tend to be which of the following?

The Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada is:

What is a collection of members of the general public who share a societal concern and seek changes to social values and behaviour?

What is the notion that people whose interests are promoted by a group will benefit from its efforts whether or not they actively participate in the group's activities?