This quiz has 20 practice questions on how Canada is governed. It covers three chapters of the study guide: government, federal elections and the justice system. These chapters use many English words that sound alike, such as Prime Minister and Premier, or Senate and House of Commons. A quiz is a good way to check that you can tell them apart.
Please note: we wrote these practice questions ourselves, using facts from the official study guide, Discover Canada. They are not questions from the real test. The real test checks the same facts, but the wording and the options will be different. So learn the fact behind each question, not the exact words.
Before you start
- Cover each answer and choose your own answer first. Write it down.
- There are 8 questions on government, 7 on elections and 5 on justice. Most are multiple choice with four options, and one is true or false.
- Many questions ask “who” or “which level”. Before you answer, ask yourself: is this federal, provincial or municipal? Is this person elected or appointed?
- The real test has 20 questions on all parts of the guide. You need 15 correct answers to pass.
Chapter 5: How Canadians Govern Themselves
These questions cover the type of government Canada has, how Parliament makes laws, and which level of government does what. Study the How Canadians Govern Themselves chapter primer, see who’s who in Canadian government, and learn the steps in how a bill becomes law.
1. Canada is a constitutional monarchy.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer: A. True Canada has a Sovereign, King Charles III, whose role is set out and limited by the Constitution and the rule of law.
2. Who is the head of government in Canada?
- A. The Prime Minister
- B. The King
- C. The Governor General
- D. The Speaker of the House of Commons
Answer: A. The Prime Minister The Prime Minister is head of government and runs the government day to day. The King is head of state, which is a different role.
3. In which city does the Parliament of Canada meet?
- A. Toronto
- B. Ottawa
- C. Montreal
- D. Quebec City
Answer: B. Ottawa Parliament sits in Ottawa, the national capital. Toronto and Quebec City are provincial capitals, where provincial legislatures meet.
4. In Canada’s parliamentary democracy, what are elected representatives responsible for?
- A. Granting Royal Assent to bills
- B. Choosing the Sovereign
- C. Appointing senators
- D. Passing laws, approving spending and holding the government to account
Answer: D. Passing laws, approving spending and holding the government to account Elected representatives pass laws, approve and monitor government spending, and keep the government accountable. Royal Assent is given by the Governor General, who also appoints senators.
5. After a bill passes third reading in the House of Commons, where does it go next?
- A. To the Senate
- B. To the Supreme Court
- C. To the provincial legislatures
- D. Back to first reading
Answer: A. To the Senate The bill then goes to the Senate, which follows a similar process. Only after both chambers pass it can it receive Royal Assent.
6. When Canada was formed in 1867, powers were divided between which two levels of government?
- A. Federal and municipal
- B. Provincial and municipal
- C. Federal and provincial
- D. Federal and territorial
Answer: C. Federal and provincial In 1867 powers were divided between the federal government and the provinces. Municipal governments receive their powers from the provinces.
7. Which level of government is responsible for citizenship?
- A. Provincial
- B. Municipal
- C. Federal
- D. Shared by provincial and municipal governments
Answer: C. Federal Citizenship is a federal responsibility. That is why you apply to the Government of Canada, not to your province, to become a citizen.
8. What are laws passed by a municipal council called?
- A. Bills
- B. Acts of Parliament
- C. Orders
- D. By-laws
Answer: D. By-laws A city or town council passes by-laws, which apply only in that local community. Acts of Parliament are federal laws.
Chapter 6: Federal Elections
These questions cover ridings, who can run for office, and what happens when you vote. Study the Federal Elections chapter primer, then read how elections work in Canada.
9. How many Members of Parliament does each federal riding elect?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. One
- D. It depends on the riding’s population
Answer: C. One Each riding sends exactly one MP to the House of Commons. Provinces with more people have more ridings, but every riding still elects only one member.
10. How is the winner chosen in each federal riding?
- A. The candidate with the most votes wins
- B. The party leader picks the winner
- C. The Governor General appoints the winner
- D. There is always a second round between the top two
Answer: A. The candidate with the most votes wins In each riding, the candidate who gets the most votes becomes the MP, even without more than half of all votes. Federal elections have no second round.
11. Who may run as a candidate in a federal election?
- A. Any permanent resident aged 21 or older
- B. Only people chosen by the Prime Minister
- C. Any Canadian citizen aged 25 or older
- D. Any Canadian citizen aged 18 or older
Answer: D. Any Canadian citizen aged 18 or older Any Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old can be a candidate. Permanent residents cannot run, and there is no higher minimum age such as 21 or 25.
12. Which organization runs federal elections in Canada?
- A. Statistics Canada
- B. The Prime Minister’s Office
- C. Elections Canada
- D. The Senate
Answer: C. Elections Canada Elections Canada organizes federal elections and prepares the voters’ lists. It is independent of the government and the political parties, so no party controls the vote.
13. What does your voter information card tell you?
- A. Which candidate you should vote for
- B. When and where you can vote
- C. Your citizenship certificate number
- D. How your neighbours voted
Answer: B. When and where you can vote The voter information card shows when and where you can vote. It never tells you whom to vote for, and it is not proof of citizenship.
14. What does a secret ballot mean?
- A. Candidates’ names are kept secret until election day
- B. No one may watch you vote or see how you voted
- C. Votes are never counted in public
- D. Only the government knows the results
Answer: B. No one may watch you vote or see how you voted With a secret ballot, you vote in private and no one may watch you or look at your choice. The results are still counted and announced publicly.
15. How do you mark a federal election ballot?
- A. Write the candidate’s full name
- B. Put an X in the circle beside your chosen candidate
- C. Sign your name beside your choice
- D. Number every candidate in order of preference
Answer: B. Put an X in the circle beside your chosen candidate You mark an X in the circle next to the candidate you choose. You never sign the ballot, because that would show who you are.
Chapter 7: The Justice System
These questions cover the rule of law, the police, the courts and where to get legal help. Study the Justice System chapter primer and read Canada’s justice system and police explained.
16. Who must obey the law in Canada?
- A. Only Canadian citizens
- B. Everyone, including judges, politicians and the police
- C. Everyone except police officers
- D. Only adults born in Canada
Answer: B. Everyone, including judges, politicians and the police Canadian law applies equally to everyone. Judges, politicians and police officers are not above it.
17. What is the main job of the police?
- A. To keep people safe and enforce the law
- B. To pass new laws
- C. To decide guilt in a trial
- D. To provide free lawyers
Answer: A. To keep people safe and enforce the law Police protect the public and enforce the law. Deciding guilt is the job of the courts, and laws are passed by elected lawmakers.
18. Which court hears civil cases about small amounts of money?
- A. The Supreme Court of Canada
- B. The Federal Court
- C. Small claims court
- D. A court of appeal
Answer: C. Small claims court Small claims courts handle civil disputes over modest sums of money, such as an unpaid bill. They offer a simpler, faster process than the higher courts.
19. If you cannot afford a lawyer, what service may help you in most communities?
- A. Legal aid
- B. Jury duty
- C. Employment insurance
- D. The Federal Court
Answer: A. Legal aid Legal aid offers free or low-cost legal services to people who cannot pay for a lawyer. Jury duty is a citizen’s responsibility, not a source of legal help.
20. Who can give you legal advice and represent you in court?
- A. Your Member of Parliament
- B. A police officer
- C. A jury member
- D. A lawyer
Answer: D. A lawyer Lawyers help people with legal problems and can act for them in court. If you cannot afford one, legal aid may be available.
How did you do?
| Your score | What to do next |
|---|---|
| 18–20 | Very good. You know how Canada is governed. Take a full practice test to check the other chapters too. |
| 15–17 | A pass, but only just. Find the chapter where you lost the most points and read its primer again. |
| Below 15 | Not a pass yet. Make a small table of who does what (federal, provincial, municipal), study it, and try again in a few days. |
Most mistakes in these chapters come from mixing up two similar things: two levels of government, two chambers of Parliament, or an elected and an appointed role. When you review a wrong answer, write down both the right answer and the option you chose, and the difference between them.
Keep practising: try our Canadian history quiz next, or our 20 sample questions from all chapters. Then take Practice Test 1, a full set of 20 questions like the real test.
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