Action-Ed is showcasing TropiCanada, a country made up of Grade 11 social studies students from Fleetwood Park Secondary School, in Surrey, BC. If you would like to showcase your Civic Mirror Nation, email us your story. info@action-ed.com
SAD NEWS IN TROPICANADA
We begin our final post on TropiCanada with sad news: 13 citizens passed away at the end of the second simulated year, including Sukhi’s cousin Danny and Tricia’s son Rainbow … both due to homelessness. Sukhi – stricken with rage and grief – is already preparing another case against “Daniel the Landlord” for the upcoming year.
Many deaths in TropiCanada in the year 2001.
Note: You will have to ask Tricia if her son Rainbow struggled with his name at school. 🙂
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Government of TropiCanada, however, was able to address the nation’s energy crisis by developing another Energy/Industry (E/I) hex (see red arrow in picture below). Many citizens are excited as the added E/I units will help TropiCanada develop its economy. More E/I units means more opportunities to improve the health care, education, and housing shortages that are hampering the well-being of many TropiCanadian families.
Economic development of this kind won’t please everyone. For example, Brennan and his family saw the beautiful forest they lived beside suddenly turn into a polluting E/I factory (see picture below).
New Energy/Industry Hex; house-owner Brennan
Not only will this worsen the quality of TropiCanada’s environment, but it will directly decrease the quality of Brennan’s neighborhood. Whether he seeks compensation in court for this development remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, however: How TropiCanada develops its economy in the coming years will be rich with controversy.
GOVERNMENT OF TROPICANADA’S LEGISLATIVE TRACK RECORD
Before we reveal the results of TropiCanada’s 2002 election, we’ll show you some of the noteworthy legislation from the first government’s term in office:
War Measures Act ~ “In times of violence or rebellion, government has full power to intervene until problem has been solved if the majority of people vote yes.”
House vote of 3-3, Speaker voted in favor of bill, 4-3 passed
Hex Ownership Law ~ “No individual can own more than 5 hexes including government.”
House vote of 2-4, rejected.
War Measures Act amendment ~ “Starting now the poeple do not need to vote for the government to intervene with the problems. But the government has to make an announcement prior to the intervention.”
4-2 passed.
Hoarding Act ~ People are not allowed to hoard food. One family per food unit.
6-0 passed unanimously.
Caps Law ~ “Maximum cost of food per year is $500. Maximum shelter costs are: a) Apartment rent, $500, b) House rent, $750, c) Mansion rent, $1,000.”
6-0 passed
2002 ELECTIONS
Winds of change swept TropiCanada’s political landscape. For starters, one of the previous two political parties dissolved and a new one – The Danger Rangers – replaced it, running against The People’s Party for control over the country’s House of Commons. Both parties put forth similar platforms, calling for change, equality rights, and a better effort by the government to listen to the people’s concerns. In fact, both parties accused one another of stealing their political and economic ideas. Below we see the results of the 2002 election:
Voting results for TropiCanada’s”For The People” party.
Voting results for TropiCanada’s newly-formed “Danger Rangers” party.
Although difficult to tell from the pictures above, The People’s Party won the 2002 elections, winning a majority of seats in the House of Commons. The citizens called for change and change they got. Only two of the previous seven politicians were re-elected, and five new citizens will be taking hold of the reigns of political power. What mandate will they bring? What changes will they really make?
END NOTES
This ends our Four-Part series on TropiCanada. We hope you learned lots about The Civic Mirror, how it enlivens the study of government, economics, law, and citizenship, and – most of all – enjoyed reading it too!
Citizens of TropiCanada … send us updates when you begin your next simulated year, and email them to info@action-ed.com.
