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Canadian citizenship practice test 51

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 did the Constitutional Act of 1791 do?

    1. It united Upper and Lower Canada into a single Province of Canada
    2. It granted responsible government to the British North American colonies
    3. It divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada
    4. It joined four provinces together into the Dominion of Canada
    Show answer

    Answer: It divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada and Lower Canada. The Constitutional Act of 1791 divided the Province of Quebec into Upper Canada (mainly Loyalist and English-speaking) and Lower Canada (mainly French-speaking). The union into the Province of Canada came later, in 1840, and Confederation in 1867.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  2. Which British North American colony was the first to attain full responsible government?

    1. The Province of Canada
    2. Nova Scotia
    3. Upper Canada
    4. New Brunswick
    Show answer

    Answer: Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia was the first British North American colony to attain full responsible government, in 1847-48. The united Province of Canada followed in 1848-49 under La Fontaine and Baldwin.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  3. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms begins with the words 'Peace, Order and Good Government.'

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: False. False. The Charter begins with the words 'Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.' 'Peace, Order and Good Government' is a key phrase from Canada's original constitutional document of 1867, the British North America Act.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  4. After a bill has been passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate, who grants royal assent to make it law?

    1. The Prime Minister
    2. The Speaker of the House of Commons
    3. The Chief Justice of Canada
    4. The Governor General, in the Sovereign's name
    Show answer

    Answer: The Governor General, in the Sovereign's name. A bill becomes law only after both chambers pass it and it receives royal assent, which is granted by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign. The Prime Minister heads the government but does not grant royal assent.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  5. What did Laura Secord do during the War of 1812?

    1. She made a dangerous 19-mile (30-km) journey on foot to warn of a planned American attack
    2. She led the capture of Detroit alongside Chief Tecumseh
    3. She commanded the Canadien militia at the Battle of Chateauguay
    4. She died defending Queenston Heights against an American invasion
    Show answer

    Answer: She made a dangerous 19-mile (30-km) journey on foot to warn of a planned American attack. In 1813, Laura Secord, pioneer wife and mother of five children, made a dangerous 19-mile (30-km) journey on foot to warn Lieutenant James FitzGibbon of a planned American attack. Her bravery contributed to victory at the Battle of Beaver Dams.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  6. How do Canadians become Senators, and how long do they serve?

    1. They are elected by voters in each province for four-year terms
    2. They are appointed by the Sovereign for life
    3. They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75
    4. They are chosen by provincial legislatures and serve until age 70
    Show answer

    Answer: They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75. Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75. Members of the House of Commons, by contrast, are elected by voters.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  7. More than half of Canada's people live in which region, known as the industrial and manufacturing heartland of the country?

    1. The Prairie Provinces
    2. Central Canada
    3. The Atlantic Provinces
    4. The West Coast
    Show answer

    Answer: Central Canada. More than half the people in Canada live in cities and towns near the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River in southern Ontario and Quebec, known as Central Canada. Together the two provinces produce more than three-quarters of all Canadian manufactured goods.

    Study this in Canada’s regions.

  8. Donald Smith (Lord Strathcona), the Scottish-born director of the Canadian Pacific Railway, drove the last spike on November 7, 1885.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. True. On November 7, 1885, a powerful symbol of unity was completed when Donald Smith (Lord Strathcona), the Scottish-born director of the Canadian Pacific Railway, drove the last spike. The railway fulfilled a promise made to British Columbia when it joined Canada in 1871.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  9. After a federal election, which party ordinarily forms the government?

    1. The party whose leader is personally chosen by the Governor General
    2. The party that wins the most votes nationwide, regardless of seats
    3. The party with the most members in the Senate
    4. The party with the most elected members in the House of Commons
    Show answer

    Answer: The party with the most elected members in the House of Commons. After an election, the party with the most seats in the House of Commons ordinarily forms the government, and its leader becomes Prime Minister. It is seats won in the House of Commons, not the nationwide vote total, that determines who governs.

    Study this in Federal elections.

  10. The RCMP serves as the provincial police in every province and territory except which two?

    1. Ontario and Quebec
    2. Alberta and Saskatchewan
    3. British Columbia and Manitoba
    4. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
    Show answer

    Answer: Ontario and Quebec. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police enforce federal laws across Canada and serve as the provincial police everywhere except Ontario and Quebec, which have their own provincial police forces.

    Study this in The justice system.

  11. Who, in 1497, was the first explorer to draw a map of Canada's East Coast?

    1. Jacques Cartier
    2. John Cabot
    3. Samuel de Champlain
    4. Henry Hudson
    Show answer

    Answer: John Cabot. John Cabot, an Italian immigrant to England, was the first to draw a map of Canada's East Coast in 1497. Jacques Cartier made his voyages for France between 1534 and 1542, and Champlain built a fortress at Quebec in 1608.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

  12. What does Canada's official motto, 'A mari usque ad mare,' mean?

    1. Peace, order and good government
    2. The true North strong and free
    3. Glorious and free
    4. From sea to sea
    Show answer

    Answer: From sea to sea. Canada's motto, 'A mari usque ad mare,' means 'from sea to sea.' The other phrases come from the Constitution and the national anthem, not the coat of arms.

    Study this in Canadian symbols.

  13. In a federal election, your employer or union representative has the right to insist that you tell them how you voted.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: False. False. Canadian law secures the right to a secret ballot. You may choose to discuss how you voted with others, but no one, including family members, your employer or a union representative, has the right to insist that you tell them how you voted.

    Study this in Federal elections.

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

    1. The Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the House of Commons
    2. The Governor General, the House of Commons and the Supreme Court
    3. The Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons
    4. The Senate, the House of Commons and the provincial legislatures
    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 belongs to the judicial branch, not to Parliament.

    Study this in How Canadians govern themselves.

  15. Magna Carta, also known as the Great Charter of Freedoms, was signed in England in which year?

    1. 1215
    2. 1265
    3. 1512
    4. 1689
    Show answer

    Answer: 1215. Canadian rights secure an 800-year-old tradition of ordered liberty that dates back to the signing of Magna Carta in 1215 in England, also known as the Great Charter of Freedoms. It includes freedoms such as conscience and religion, speech, peaceful assembly and association.

    Study this in Rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

  16. What share of working Canadians now have jobs in service industries?

    1. More than 45%
    2. More than 55%
    3. More than 65%
    4. More than 75%
    Show answer

    Answer: More than 75%. More than 75% of working Canadians now have jobs in service industries, which provide thousands of different jobs in areas like transportation, education, health care, construction, banking, communications, retail services, tourism and government.

    Study this in Canada’s economy.

  17. To vote in a federal election, a person must be:

    1. A permanent resident who is at least 18 years old on voting day
    2. A Canadian citizen who is at least 16 years old and on the voters' list
    3. A Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old on voting day, and on the voters' list
    4. A Canadian citizen at least 21 years old who has lived in Canada for five years
    Show answer

    Answer: A Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old on voting day, and on the voters' list. To vote in a federal election you must be a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old on voting day, and on the voters' list. Permanent residents cannot vote until they become citizens.

    Study this in Federal elections.

  18. The Canadian maple leaf flag was raised for the first time in 1965.

    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer

    Answer: True. True. The new Canadian flag was raised for the first time in 1965. Its red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College, Kingston.

    Study this in Canadian symbols.

  19. In Canada's legal system, what is meant by 'due process'?

    1. The right of every citizen to appeal any decision to the Supreme Court of Canada
    2. The principle that the government must respect all the legal rights a person is entitled to under the law
    3. The rule that new laws must be reviewed by both Houses of Parliament
    4. The requirement that all court proceedings be completed within a fixed time
    Show answer

    Answer: The principle that the government must respect all the legal rights a person is entitled to under the law. Canada's legal system is based on a heritage that includes the rule of law, freedom under the law, democratic principles and due process. Due process is the principle that the government must respect all the legal rights a person is entitled to under the law.

    Study this in The justice system.

  20. Who became the first head of a responsible government in Canada in 1849?

    1. Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine
    2. Sir John A. Macdonald
    3. Lord Durham
    4. Sir George-Etienne Cartier
    Show answer

    Answer: Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine. Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine, a champion of democracy and French language rights, became the first head of a responsible government (similar to a prime minister) in Canada in 1849. Sir John A. Macdonald became Canada's first Prime Minister later, in 1867.

    Study this in Canada’s history.

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.