Practice test
Practice Test 5
20 questions, just like the real test. Attempt them, then check the answer key below — or take the timed, auto-scored version in Canadian Citizenship Test 2026.
Take this test timed and scored, with your predicted pass result — free to start in the app.
Download on theApp Store1. The British North America Act of 1867 united which original provinces into the Dominion of Canada?
- A. Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick
- B. Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Manitoba
- C. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland
- D. Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan
2. The Fathers of Confederation were the politicians who worked to create the Dominion of Canada in 1867.
- A. True
- B. False
3. The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in:
- A. 1867
- B. 1871
- C. 1885
- D. 1900
4. The Canadian government has apologized for the Chinese head tax imposed after the completion of the CPR.
- A. True
- B. False
5. Canada is best described as what type of state?
- A. A unitary republic
- B. A federal state
- C. A confederation with no central authority
- D. An absolute monarchy
6. Which level of government is primarily responsible for education in Canada?
- A. Federal government
- B. Municipal government
- C. Provincial and territorial governments
- D. A joint federal-municipal board
7. Canada's system of government is a parliamentary democracy. What does this mean?
- A. Citizens vote directly on every law
- B. An elected parliament makes laws on behalf of the people
- C. A council of judges governs the country
- D. The monarch personally runs the government
8. How are Canadian senators chosen?
- A. They are elected in provincial elections
- B. They are appointed
- C. They are selected by a jury of citizens
- D. They inherit their seats
9. Who represents the Sovereign at the federal level in Canada?
- A. The Prime Minister
- B. The Chief Justice
- C. The Governor General
- D. The Speaker of the Senate
10. What are the three parts of Canada's Parliament?
- A. The Prime Minister, the Cabinet, and the Supreme Court
- B. The Sovereign, the Senate, and the House of Commons
- C. The House of Commons, the Senate, and the Governor General
- D. The federal government, provincial governments, and municipal governments
11. Which branch of government is responsible for making laws?
- A. Executive branch
- B. Judicial branch
- C. Legislative branch
- D. Municipal branch
12. Which branch of government carries out the laws and runs the day-to-day affairs of the country?
- A. Judicial branch
- B. Legislative branch
- C. Municipal branch
- D. Executive branch
13. What must happen to a bill before it becomes law in Canada?
- A. The Prime Minister must sign it personally
- B. It must be approved by a national referendum
- C. It must pass both chambers of Parliament and receive Royal Assent
- D. All provincial premiers must unanimously approve it
14. Who becomes Prime Minister of Canada after a federal election?
- A. The candidate who wins the most individual votes across Canada
- B. The leader of the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons
- C. The leader chosen by a majority of senators
- D. The Governor General selects the most qualified candidate
15. What is 'the Opposition' in Canada's Parliament?
- A. Members of the public who protest government decisions
- B. The party or parties that did not form the government and hold the government accountable
- C. Senators who vote against bills proposed by the House of Commons
- D. Provincial premiers who disagree with federal policy
16. What is the minimum age to vote in a Canadian federal election?
- A. 16
- B. 18
- C. 19
- D. 21
17. Voting in a Canadian federal election is conducted by secret ballot.
- A. True
- B. False
18. What is a federal electoral district (riding)?
- A. A polling station in a school or community centre
- B. A geographic area that elects one Member of Parliament
- C. A region represented by a senator
- D. A zone where only federal employees live
19. What is a majority government in Canada?
- A. A government formed by two parties in a formal coalition
- B. A government whose party holds more than half of the seats in the House of Commons
- C. A government supported by a majority of provinces
- D. A government that wins more than 60% of the popular vote
20. In Canada, voting is considered both a right and a responsibility of citizenship.
- A. True
- B. False
Answer key
- 1. Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick — The British North America Act united the Province of Canada (split into Ontario and Quebec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick on July 1, 1867. Other provinces joined later.
- 2. True — The Fathers of Confederation were the delegates from the British North American colonies who attended the Charlottetown, Quebec, and London conferences and worked to draft the British North America Act, creating Canada in 1867.
- 3. 1885 — The last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven at Craigellachie, British Columbia, on November 7, 1885, completing the transcontinental rail link from sea to sea.
- 4. True — In 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally apologized in Parliament for the Chinese head tax, acknowledging it as a discriminatory and unjust policy.
- 5. A federal state — Canada is a federal state, meaning powers are divided between a national (federal) government and provincial/territorial governments.
- 6. Provincial and territorial governments — Education is a provincial and territorial responsibility under Canada's federal system.
- 7. An elected parliament makes laws on behalf of the people — In a parliamentary democracy, elected representatives in Parliament pass laws and govern on behalf of citizens.
- 8. They are appointed — Senators are appointed rather than elected; they represent regional interests and review legislation passed by the House of Commons.
- 9. The Governor General — The Governor General is the representative of the Sovereign in Canada at the federal level and carries out many of the head-of-state duties.
- 10. The Sovereign, the Senate, and the House of Commons — Parliament consists of the Sovereign (represented by the Governor General), the Senate, and the House of Commons.
- 11. Legislative branch — The legislative branch — Parliament — is responsible for debating and passing laws.
- 12. Executive branch — The executive branch — led by the Prime Minister and Cabinet — is responsible for implementing laws and governing the country.
- 13. It must pass both chambers of Parliament and receive Royal Assent — A bill must pass readings in both the House of Commons and the Senate, then receive Royal Assent (the Governor General's approval on behalf of the Sovereign) to become law.
- 14. The leader of the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons — The leader of the party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons is asked by the Governor General to form the government and becomes Prime Minister.
- 15. The party or parties that did not form the government and hold the government accountable — The Opposition is made up of elected members from parties that did not form the government; their role is to scrutinize and challenge government decisions.
- 16. 18 — Canadian citizens who are 18 years of age or older on election day are eligible to vote in federal elections.
- 17. True — The secret ballot is a cornerstone of Canadian democracy, ensuring that no one can be pressured or penalised for how they vote.
- 18. A geographic area that elects one Member of Parliament — Canada is divided into electoral districts, also called ridings or constituencies, each of which elects one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons.
- 19. A government whose party holds more than half of the seats in the House of Commons — A majority government is one in which the governing party holds more than half of all seats in the House of Commons, giving it the ability to pass legislation without relying on other parties.
- 20. True — Voting is protected as a right under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and is also viewed as a civic responsibility of all eligible citizens.