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Canadian citizenship practice test 36

20 questions drawn from Discover Canada, the official study guide, in the format of the citizenship test: multiple choice and true or false, with 15 correct answers needed to pass. The real test allows 45 minutes; aim to finish this one in 30.

16 multiple-choice and 4 true-or-false questions · free, no account needed · answers explained

The 20 questions

  1. What are the three parts of Canada's federal Parliament?

    1. The House of Commons, the Senate and the Supreme Court
    2. The Sovereign, the Cabinet and the House of Commons
    3. The Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons
    4. The Governor General, the Cabinet and the Senate
    Show answer

    Answer: The Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons. Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign (King or Queen), the Senate and the House of Commons. The Supreme Court and the Cabinet are not parts of Parliament.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  2. Which province joined Canada in 1871 after Ottawa promised to build a railway to the Pacific coast?

    1. Manitoba
    2. British Columbia
    3. Prince Edward Island
    4. Saskatchewan
    Show answer

    Answer: British Columbia. British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871 after Ottawa promised to build a railway link to the West Coast. That promise led to the Canadian Pacific Railway.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  3. What are the three main types of industries in the Canadian economy?

    1. Natural resources, manufacturing and service industries
    2. Agriculture, tourism and banking industries
    3. Fishing, forestry and mining industries
    4. Technology, transportation and construction industries
    Show answer

    Answer: Natural resources, manufacturing and service industries. Canada's economy is made up of three main types of industries: natural resources, manufacturing and services. Fishing, forestry and mining are all parts of the natural resources sector.

    Study this in Canada’s economy.

  4. In Canada, men and women are equal under the law.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. The equality of women and men is a fundamental Canadian value. Canada's openness and generosity do not extend to practices that violate this equality.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  5. Who became the first French-Canadian Prime Minister since Confederation in 1896 and encouraged immigration to the West?

    1. Sir John A. Macdonald
    2. Sir George-Étienne Cartier
    3. Louis Riel
    4. Sir Wilfrid Laurier
    Show answer

    Answer: Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Sir Wilfrid Laurier became Prime Minister in 1896 as the first French-Canadian Prime Minister since Confederation, and he encouraged immigration to Western Canada.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  6. By law, when must federal elections normally be held?

    1. On the first Monday of June every five years
    2. On the third Monday of October every four years following the most recent general election
    3. On July 1 every four years
    4. On the second Monday of March every three years
    Show answer

    Answer: On the third Monday of October every four years following the most recent general election. Federal elections must be held on the third Monday of October every four years following the most recent general election.

    Study this in Federal elections.

  7. Which of the following is a fundamental freedom protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

    1. The freedom to avoid paying taxes
    2. The right to a government job
    3. Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression
    4. The freedom to drive without a licence
    Show answer

    Answer: Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. The Charter protects fundamental freedoms including freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, which includes freedom of speech and of the press.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  8. In what year was the Canadian Pacific Railway completed with the driving of the last spike?

    1. 1867
    2. 1871
    3. 1905
    4. 1885
    Show answer

    Answer: 1885. The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in 1885, when the last spike was driven in British Columbia, fulfilling the promise that brought B.C. into Confederation.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  9. Senators are elected by Canadian voters in each province.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: False. Senators are not elected. They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister; only members of the House of Commons are elected by voters.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  10. In Canada's justice system, a person charged with a crime is presumed to be what?

    1. Innocent until proven guilty
    2. Guilty until proven innocent
    3. Guilty if arrested by the police
    4. Innocent only if they hire a lawyer
    Show answer

    Answer: Innocent until proven guilty. The presumption of innocence means everyone charged with an offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is a foundation of Canada's legal heritage.

    Study this in The justice system.

  11. Which city did Queen Victoria choose as Canada's capital in 1857?

    1. Toronto
    2. Montreal
    3. Ottawa
    4. Kingston
    Show answer

    Answer: Ottawa. Ottawa, located on the Ottawa River, was chosen as the capital by Queen Victoria in 1857 and is the centre of the National Capital Region.

    Study this in Canada’s regions.

  12. According to Discover Canada, who built the Canadian Pacific Railway?

    1. Both European and Chinese labourers
    2. Only soldiers of the British Army
    3. Only American workers
    4. Only prisoners of war
    Show answer

    Answer: Both European and Chinese labourers. British and American investors financed the CPR, and European and Chinese labourers built it. Afterwards, Chinese immigrants faced discrimination, including the Head Tax.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  13. What is a majority government?

    1. The party in power holds fewer than half of the seats in the House of Commons
    2. The party in power holds at least half of the seats in the House of Commons
    3. All parties agree to share Cabinet positions equally
    4. The Sovereign selects the Prime Minister directly
    Show answer

    Answer: The party in power holds at least half of the seats in the House of Commons. When the party in power holds at least half of the seats in the House of Commons, it is called a majority government; with fewer than half, it is a minority government.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  14. The Canadian flag with the red maple leaf was raised for the first time in 1965.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. The red and white maple leaf flag was raised for the first time in 1965. Red and white are Canada's official colours.

    Study this in Canadian symbols.

  15. Which of the following are Canadians legally required to do when called upon by the justice system?

    1. Join a political party
    2. Own property in Canada
    3. Speak both official languages
    4. Serve on a jury
    Show answer

    Answer: Serve on a jury. Serving on a jury is a citizenship responsibility: when called to do so, you are legally required to serve. The jury system makes the law work, since juries are made up of citizens.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  16. What did the Government of Canada do in 2006 regarding the head tax once paid by Chinese immigrants?

    1. It formally apologized for the head tax
    2. It introduced a new immigration tax
    3. It ended all immigration from Asia
    4. It transferred the money to the provinces
    Show answer

    Answer: It formally apologized for the head tax. In 2006, the Government of Canada apologized for the head tax, a race-based fee that Chinese immigrants had been forced to pay after the railway was completed.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  17. Which province was once known as the 'breadbasket of the world' and the 'wheat province'?

    1. Ontario
    2. Saskatchewan
    3. Nova Scotia
    4. British Columbia
    Show answer

    Answer: Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan was once known as the 'breadbasket of the world' and the 'wheat province' for its grain production on some of the world's most fertile farmland.

    Study this in Canada’s economy.

  18. In Canada, people who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer have no way to get legal help.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: False. This is false. If you cannot pay for a lawyer, legal aid services are available in most communities.

    Study this in The justice system.

  19. What does Canada's motto 'A mari usque ad mare' mean?

    1. Peace and prosperity
    2. Strong and free
    3. From sea to sea
    4. Unity in diversity
    Show answer

    Answer: From sea to sea. The motto on Canada's coat of arms, 'A mari usque ad mare', is Latin for 'from sea to sea'.

    Study this in Canadian symbols.

  20. After a federal election, who normally becomes Prime Minister?

    1. The Speaker of the House of Commons
    2. The senator with the longest service
    3. A leader chosen by the Supreme Court
    4. The leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons
    Show answer

    Answer: The leader of the party with the most seats in the House of Commons. The party with the most seats in the House of Commons is invited to form the government, and its leader becomes the Prime Minister.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

What your score means

15 or more correct is a pass. Below that, open the questions you missed and follow the link under each answer: the test is drawn entirely from Discover Canada, so the chapter it points to is exactly what to revise. A score that is a pass here is a good sign, not a guarantee; the real test draws different questions from the same guide.

More practice

Questions are written from the Government of Canada study guide, Discover Canada, which is the authority on what the test covers. They are practice questions, not the official test.