Practice Test 6

Answer key

1. 1. Legislative branch — The legislative branch — Parliament — is responsible for debating and passing laws.
2. 2. A proposed law introduced in Parliament — A bill is a proposed law that must pass through several readings and votes in both the House of Commons and the Senate before becoming law.
3. 3. 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.
4. 4. Leader of the Official Opposition — The leader of the largest party not forming the government holds the formal title of Leader of the Official Opposition.
5. 5. True — The secret ballot is a cornerstone of Canadian democracy, ensuring that no one can be pressured or penalised for how they vote.
6. 6. Member of Parliament — MP stands for Member of Parliament — an elected representative in the House of Commons who represents a specific riding.
7. 7. 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.
8. 8. Ontario and Quebec — Central Canada refers to Ontario and Quebec, which together contain the majority of Canada's population.
9. 9. Toronto — Toronto is the capital of Ontario. Note that Ottawa, the national capital of Canada, is also located in Ontario but is not Ontario's provincial capital.
10. 10. Edmonton — Edmonton is the capital of Alberta. Calgary is larger by population but Edmonton serves as the provincial capital.
11. 11. Halifax — Halifax is the capital and largest city of Nova Scotia, and is also the largest city in the Atlantic region.
12. 12. St. John's — St. John's is the capital and largest city of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is also one of the oldest European settlements in North America.
13. 13. Iqaluit — Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut, Canada's newest and largest territory. It is located on Baffin Island.
14. 14. Undefended border — The Canada-US border is often called the world's longest undefended border, reflecting the peaceful and open relationship between the two countries.
15. 15. Western Canada through British Columbia and Alberta — The Rocky Mountains extend through western Canada, primarily through British Columbia and Alberta, forming a dramatic natural boundary between the Prairies and the Pacific coast.
16. 16. Yukon — Canada's three territories are Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Labrador is part of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Baffin Island and Vancouver Island are islands, not territories.
17. 17. Mexico — NAFTA was a free trade agreement between Canada, the United States, and Mexico that came into force in 1994. It was later modernized and replaced.
18. 18. The Canadian dollar — Canada's official currency is the Canadian dollar. The one-dollar coin is nicknamed the 'loonie' because it features a common loon, but the official name is the Canadian dollar.
19. 19. 1982 — The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms became part of the Constitution of Canada in 1982, when the Constitution Act was passed.
20. 20. Freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression — Section 2(b) of the Charter protects freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other media.