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Canadian citizenship practice test 39

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. How was the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway financed?

    1. Entirely by the federal government
    2. By British and American investment bankers
    3. By the Hudson's Bay Company
    4. By French banks
    Show answer

    Answer: By British and American investment bankers. The Canadian Pacific Railway was financed by British and American investment bankers and built by both European and Chinese labour.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  2. How are members of the Senate of Canada chosen?

    1. They are elected by voters every four years
    2. They are chosen by the provincial premiers
    3. They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister
    4. They are elected by the members of the House of Commons
    Show answer

    Answer: They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Senators are not elected. They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  3. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms begins with the words 'Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.'

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. The Charter, entrenched in the Constitution in 1982, opens with these words, emphasizing the importance of religious traditions and the rule of law.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  4. Which natural resources have historically been important to the Atlantic provinces?

    1. Fishing, farming, forestry and mining
    2. Cattle ranching and oil sands
    3. Potash and uranium mining
    4. Fur trading and whaling
    Show answer

    Answer: Fishing, farming, forestry and mining. The Atlantic provinces' coasts and natural resources, including fishing, farming, forestry and mining, have made them an important part of Canada's history and development.

    Study this in Canada’s economy.

  5. Who became the first woman elected to the House of Commons, in 1921?

    1. Emily Stowe
    2. Laura Secord
    3. Agnes Macphail
    4. Mary Ann Shadd Cary
    Show answer

    Answer: Agnes Macphail. In 1921, Agnes Macphail, a farmer and teacher, became the first woman Member of Parliament.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  6. Which of the following is a responsibility of the federal government?

    1. Education
    2. National defence and foreign policy
    3. Highways
    4. Health care
    Show answer

    Answer: National defence and foreign policy. The federal government is responsible for matters of national and international concern such as defence, foreign policy and citizenship; education, highways and health care are provincial responsibilities.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  7. Which province is known as the birthplace of Confederation?

    1. Nova Scotia
    2. Ontario
    3. Quebec
    4. Prince Edward Island
    Show answer

    Answer: Prince Edward Island. Prince Edward Island is known as the birthplace of Confederation because Charlottetown hosted the 1864 conference that led to Confederation.

    Study this in Canada’s regions.

  8. To become law, a bill must be approved in both the House of Commons and the Senate and then receive royal assent.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. A bill goes through readings and approval in both chambers of Parliament and becomes law only after royal assent is granted in the Sovereign's name.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  9. The discovery of which metal in the 1890s drew thousands of prospectors to the Yukon?

    1. Silver
    2. Copper
    3. Nickel
    4. Gold
    Show answer

    Answer: Gold. Gold was discovered in the Yukon in the 1890s, setting off the Gold Rush that brought thousands of miners north.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  10. What is the role of the police in Canada?

    1. To make the laws
    2. To keep people safe and enforce the law
    3. To decide guilt or innocence at trials
    4. To appoint judges
    Show answer

    Answer: To keep people safe and enforce the law. The police are there to keep people safe and to enforce the law. Courts decide cases, and Parliament and legislatures make the laws.

    Study this in The justice system.

  11. Which neutral agency is responsible for running federal elections in Canada?

    1. The Senate
    2. The RCMP
    3. Elections Canada
    4. The Office of the Governor General
    Show answer

    Answer: Elections Canada. Elections Canada is the neutral agency of Parliament responsible for federal elections, including maintaining the National Register of Electors and mailing voter information cards.

    Study this in Federal elections.

  12. Which statement about the law in Canada is correct?

    1. Judges are exempt from the laws they apply
    2. Politicians are above the law while in office
    3. It applies to everyone, including judges, politicians and the police
    4. It applies only to Canadian citizens
    Show answer

    Answer: It applies to everyone, including judges, politicians and the police. The law in Canada applies to everyone, including judges, politicians and the police. Laws are made by elected representatives, the courts settle disputes, and the police enforce the laws.

    Study this in The justice system.

  13. The name 'Canada' comes from a French word meaning 'northern land'.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: False. This is false. 'Canada' comes from 'kanata', the Huron-Iroquois word for 'village', which Jacques Cartier heard in the 1530s.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  14. What is the Royal anthem of Canada?

    1. O Canada
    2. God Save the King (or Queen)
    3. The Maple Leaf Forever
    4. Vive la Canadienne
    Show answer

    Answer: God Save the King (or Queen). God Save the King (or Queen) is the Royal anthem of Canada, while O Canada is the national anthem.

    Study this in Canadian symbols.

  15. Who represents the Sovereign in each of Canada's provinces?

    1. The Premier
    2. The Commissioner
    3. The provincial Chief Justice
    4. The Lieutenant Governor
    Show answer

    Answer: The Lieutenant Governor. A Lieutenant Governor represents the Sovereign in each province, while the Governor General represents the Sovereign federally; territories have a Commissioner who represents the federal government.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  16. Which of the following is one of the fundamental freedoms listed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

    1. Freedom of conscience and religion
    2. The right to a guaranteed income
    3. The right to free housing
    4. The right to a government job
    Show answer

    Answer: Freedom of conscience and religion. Freedom of conscience and religion is one of the fundamental freedoms protected by the Charter.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  17. Which police force was founded in 1873 to help bring law and order to the Canadian West?

    1. The Ontario Provincial Police
    2. The Canadian Rangers
    3. The Sûreté du Québec
    4. The North West Mounted Police
    Show answer

    Answer: The North West Mounted Police. The North West Mounted Police was founded in 1873 to pacify the West and is the forerunner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  18. Alberta's vast cattle ranches help make Canada one of the world's major beef producers.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. Alberta is renowned for agriculture, especially its vast cattle ranches, which make Canada one of the world's major beef producers.

    Study this in Canada’s economy.

  19. Which symbol, associated with French royalty since the year 496, appears on the flag of Quebec?

    1. The fleur-de-lys
    2. The maple leaf
    3. The Union Jack
    4. The beaver
    Show answer

    Answer: The fleur-de-lys. The fleur-de-lys, adopted by French royalty, appears on the Quebec flag, which was adopted in 1948.

    Study this in Canadian symbols.

  20. Getting a job, taking care of one's family and working hard are described in Discover Canada as part of which citizenship responsibility?

    1. Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family
    2. Obeying the law
    3. Serving on a jury
    4. Protecting the environment
    Show answer

    Answer: Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family. Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family, including getting a job and working hard in keeping with one's abilities, is a responsibility of citizenship.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

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.