Free Discover Canada study guide practice: 17 questions; the real Canadian citizenship test has 20 questions and you need 15 right, per IRCC. How many can you get wrong?
How Canadians Govern Themselves
When is the Sovereign's role as the focus of citizenship and allegiance most visible?
Keyboard: A to D or 1 to 4 picks an answer. Enter moves on.
How Canadians Govern Themselves: questions and answers from Discover Canada
How Canadians Govern Themselves is part 5 of Discover Canada, the Canadian citizenship test study guide. Some people call the Canadian citizenship test the Discover Canada test, because its questions come from this guide.
Answers and explanations (text version)
All 17 questions in this practice set, each with the right answer, the reason, and where it is in Discover Canada. Try the questions first.
Question 1. When is the Sovereign's role as the focus of citizenship and allegiance most visible?
- A. During royal visits
- B. During federal budgets
- C. During court trials
- D. During hockey games
Answer: A. During royal visits
The Sovereign's role is most visible during royal visits to Canada.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Constitutional Monarchy)
Question 2. Who appoints the Lieutenant Governors?
- A. The Governor General, on the Prime Minister's advice
- B. The Premier of each province, acting alone
- C. The voters of each province, in a special provincial election
- D. The Senate, after a majority vote of its members
Answer: A. The Governor General, on the Prime Minister's advice
The Governor General appoints Lieutenant Governors on the Prime Minister's advice, normally for five years.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Constitutional Monarchy)
Question 3. As Head of the Commonwealth, what does the Sovereign do for Canada?
- A. Chooses Canada's Prime Minister after each election
- B. Writes Canada's budget
- C. Leads Canada's army in war
- D. Links Canada to other Commonwealth nations
Answer: D. Links Canada to other Commonwealth nations
The Sovereign, as Head of the Commonwealth, links Canada to many other nations.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Constitutional Monarchy)
Question 4. Who represents the Sovereign in Canada?
- A. The Prime Minister
- B. The Governor General
- C. The Speaker of the House of Commons
- D. The Chief Justice
Answer: B. The Governor General
The Governor General represents the Sovereign in Canada.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Constitutional Monarchy)
Question 5. Which of these is the federal government's job?
- A. National defence
- B. Education
- C. Highways
- D. Running cities and towns
Answer: A. National defence
The federal government looks after national and international matters such as defence, foreign policy and citizenship.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Federal State)
Question 6. True or false. The three northern territories have the same status as provinces.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: B. False
The territories have small populations and do not have provincial status, but their governments do many similar jobs.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Federal State)
Question 7. True or false. Parliament includes the Sovereign.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: A. True
Parliament has three parts: the Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Constitutional Monarchy)
Question 8. What is the last step before a bill becomes law?
- A. Third reading
- B. Committee stage
- C. First reading
- D. Royal Assent
Answer: D. Royal Assent
A bill becomes law when it receives Royal Assent after both houses pass it.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Making Laws)
Question 9. What are the two parts of a provincial legislature?
- A. The Premier and an appointed provincial Senate
- B. The Governor General and the federal Cabinet
- C. The mayors and councils of the province's cities
- D. The elected Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor
Answer: D. The elected Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor
A province's legislature is made up of its elected Legislative Assembly and the Lieutenant Governor.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Parliamentary Democracy)
Question 10. How often are members of the House of Commons traditionally elected?
- A. Every two years
- B. Every six years
- C. Every ten years
- D. Every four years
Answer: D. Every four years
Members of Parliament are traditionally elected every four years.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Parliamentary Democracy)
Question 11. Who is Canada's Head of State?
- A. The Prime Minister of Canada
- B. A Sovereign who inherits the throne
- C. The Chief Justice of Canada
- D. The Speaker of the Senate
Answer: B. A Sovereign who inherits the throne
Canada is a constitutional monarchy: its Head of State is a Sovereign who inherits the throne and reigns according to the Constitution.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Constitutional Monarchy)
Question 12. What is a bill?
- A. A proposed law
- B. A law that has been cancelled
- C. A court decision
- D. An election result
Answer: A. A proposed law
A bill is a proposed law. Both chambers of Parliament consider and review bills.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Parliamentary Democracy)
Question 13. What does each province have that is like the House of Commons?
- A. An appointed provincial Senate
- B. A royal court of nobles
- C. A council of judges
- D. An elected Legislative Assembly
Answer: D. An elected Legislative Assembly
Every province elects a Legislative Assembly of its own.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Federal State)
Question 14. What is the British North America Act now called?
- A. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- B. The Canada Act, 1982
- C. The Quebec Act
- D. The Constitution Act, 1867
Answer: D. The Constitution Act, 1867
The Constitution Act, 1867 is the current name for the 1867 British North America Act.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Federal State)
Question 15. According to the guide, what is one benefit of federalism?
- A. All provinces must have exactly the same laws
- B. Provinces can shape policies to fit their people
- C. The provinces can print and use their own money
- D. The Prime Minister runs every province directly
Answer: B. Provinces can shape policies to fit their people
Federalism lets each province tailor its policies to its people and try new ideas.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Federal State)
Question 16. After a bill passes the House of Commons, what happens next?
- A. It goes straight to the Supreme Court for review
- B. Each of the provinces votes on it
- C. It goes through a similar process in the Senate
- D. It becomes law at once, the same day
Answer: C. It goes through a similar process in the Senate
The Senate considers the bill in a similar way before Royal Assent.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Making Laws)
Question 17. Which levels of government does Canada have?
- A. Federal, provincial, territorial and municipal
- B. Federal and municipal only, with no provinces
- C. Federal and provincial only, with no cities
- D. National and regional only
Answer: A. Federal, provincial, territorial and municipal
Canada has government at four levels: federal, provincial, territorial and municipal.
In Discover Canada: How Canadians Govern Themselves (Federal State)
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