A LOOK AT CANADA

 
Citizenship Test: Questions

The questions in the citizenship test are based on information provided in this booklet. The test includes questions about

• the right to vote in elections in Canada;
• the right to run for elected office;
• voting procedures in Canada and how to register yourself as a voter;
• Canada’s main historical and geographical features;
• the rights and responsibilities of a citizen;
• the structure of Canadian government; and
• Confederation.

You should also be ready to answer more specific questions about your region’s economy, geography and history. Use the questions below to prepare for your test. All the answers to the questions in Section I can be found in this booklet.

Section II contains questions about your region. You will have to find the answers to these questions yourself.

 
Section I: Questions about Canada

Aboriginal Peoples

1. Who are the Aboriginal peoples of Canada?
   
   
2. What are the three main groups of Aboriginal peoples?
   
   
3. From whom are the Métis descended?
   
   
4. Which group of Aboriginal peoples make up more than half the population of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut?
   
   
5. Why are the Aboriginal peoples of Canada working toward self-government?

 
History (answers can be found in the sections on regions of Canada)

1. Where did the first European settlers in Canada come from?
   
   
2. Why did the early explorers first come to Atlantic Canada?
   
   
3. What three industries helped the early settlers build communities in the Atlantic region?
   
   
4. Who were the United Empire Loyalists?
   
   
5. When did settlers from France first establish communities on the St. Lawrence River?
   
   
6. Which trade spread across Canada, making it important to the economy for over 300 years?
   
   
7. What form of transportation did Aboriginal peoples and fur traders use to create trading networks in North America?
   
   
8. What important trade did the Hudson’s Bay Company control?
   
   
9. What did the government do to make immigration to western Canada much easier?

 
Confederation/Government

1. What does Confederation mean?
   
   
2. What is the Canadian Constitution?
   
   
3. What year was Confederation?
   
   
4. When did the British North America Act come into effect?
   
   
5. Why is the British North America Act important in Canadian history?
   
   
6. Which four provinces first formed Confederation?
   
   
7. Which was the last province to join Canada?
   
   
8. When is Canada Day and what does it celebrate?
   
   
9. Who was the first Prime Minister of Canada?
   
   
10. Why is the Constitution Act, 1982 important in Canadian history?

 
Rights and Responsibilities

1. What part of the Constitution legally protects the basic rights and freedoms of all Canadians?
   
   
2. When did the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms become part of the Canadian Constitution?
   
   
3. Name two fundamental freedoms protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
   
   
4. Name three legal rights protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
   
   
5. List three ways in which you can protect the environment.
   
   
6. Who has the right to apply for a Canadian passport?
   
   
7. What does equality under the law mean?
   
   
8. Name six responsibilities of citizenship.
   
   
9. Give an example of how you can show responsibility by participating in your community.
   
   
10. List four rights Canadian citizens have.
    
    
11. What will you promise when you take the Oath of Citizenship?

 
Languages

1. What are the two official languages of Canada?
   
   
2. Give an example of where English and French have equal status in Canada.
   
   
3. Where do most French-speaking Canadians live?
   
   
4. Which province has the most bilingual Canadians?
   
   
5. Which province is the only officially bilingual province?

 
Symbols

1. What does the Canadian flag look like?
   
   
2. What song is Canada’s national anthem?
   
   
3. Give the first two lines of Canada’s national anthem.
   
   
4. Where does the name “Canada” come from?
   
   
5. Which animal is an official symbol of Canada?
   
   
6. What is the tower in the centre of the Parliament buildings called?

 
Geography

1. What is the population of Canada?
   
   
2. What three oceans border on Canada?
   
   
3. What is the capital city of Canada?
   
   
4. Name all the provinces and territories and their capital cities.
   
   
5. Name the five regions of Canada.
   
   
6. Which region covers more than one-third of Canada?
   
   
7. In which region do more than half the people in Canada live?
   
   
8. One-third of all Canadians live in which province?
   
   
9. Where are the Canadian Rockies?
   
   
10. Where are the Great Lakes?
    
    
11. Which mountain range is on the border between Alberta and British Columbia?
    
    
12. Where are the Parliament buildings located?
    
    
13. Which country borders Canada on the south?
    
    
14. What are the Prairie provinces?
    
    
15. Which province in Canada is the smallest in land size?
    
    
16. What is a major river in Quebec?
    
    
17. On what date did Nunavut become a territory?

 
Economy

1. What are the three main types of industries in Canada?
   
   
2. In what industry do most Canadians work?
   
   
3. What country is Canada’s largest trading partner?
   
   
4. Which region is known as the industrial and manufacturing heartland of Canada?
   
   
5. Which region of Canada is known for both its fertile agricultural land and valuable energy resources?

 
Federal Government

1. Who is Canada’s Head of State?
   
   
2. Who is the Queen’s representative in Canada?
   
   
3. What is the name of the Governor General?
   
   
4. What do you call the Queen’s representative in the provinces?
   
   
5. What is Canada’s system of government called?
   
   
6. What are the three parts of Parliament?
   
   
7. Explain how the levels of government are different.
   
   
8. What do you call a law before it is passed?
   
   
9. How are members of Parliament chosen?
   
   
10. Who do members of Parliament represent?
    
    
11. How does a bill become law?
    
    
12. What are the three levels of government in Canada?
    
    
13. Name two responsibilities for each level of government.
    
    
14. What is the government of all of Canada called?

 
Federal Elections

1. How many electoral districts are there in Canada?
   
   
2. In what electoral district do you live?
   
   
3. Who has the right to vote in federal elections?
   
   
4. What three requirements must you meet in order to vote in a federal election?
   
   
5. What is written on a federal election ballot?
   
   
6. What do you mark on a federal election ballot?
   
   
7. How is the government formed after an election?
   
   
8. How is the Prime Minister chosen?
   
   
9. When does an election have to be held according to the Constitution?
   
   
10. Name all the federal political parties in the House of Commons and their leaders.
    
    
11. Which party becomes the official opposition?
    
    
12. What is the role of the opposition parties?
    
    
13. Which party is the official opposition at the federal level?
    
    
14. Name the Prime Minister of Canada and his party.
    
    
15. Name your member of Parliament and the party he or she belongs to.
    
    
16. What is a voter information card?
    
    
17. Who has the right to run as a candidate in federal elections?
    
    
18. Who do Canadians vote for in a federal election?
    
    
19. What do political parties do?
    
    
20. Which federal political party is in power?
    
    
21. How are senators chosen?
    
    
22. What should you do if you do not receive a voter information card telling you when and where to vote?
    
    
23. After a federal election, which party forms the new government?

 
Section II. Questions about your region

1. What is the capital city of the province or territory in which you live?
   
   
2. List three natural resources important to your region’s economy today.
   
   
3. Who is your city councillor, alderperson, reeve or regional councillor?
   
   
4. What is the name of your mayor?
   
   
5. What is the name of your provincial representative (member of the Legislative Assembly, member of the provincial Parliament, member of the National Assembly or member of the House of Assembly)?
   
   
6. What is the name of the premier of your province or territory?
   
   
7. Which political party is in power in your province or territory?
   
   
8. What is the name of the leader of the opposition in your province?
   
   
9. What is the name of your lieutenant governor or commissioner?

These questions have been developed as a study guide. Your citizenship test is made up of similar questions.

Sample Question

Answer this question. Draw a circle around the letter beside the correct answer.

What are the colours of the Canadian flag?

	red, white and blue
	red and white
	blue and white
	red, orange and green

The answer to this question is (b). You should have put a circle around the (b) like this:

	red, white and blue
	red and white
	blue and white
	red, orange and green

There is only one correct answer to each question.