Discover Canada – Citizenship Study Guide Flashcards

A comprehensive set of question-and-answer flashcards covering key concepts, history, rights, responsibilities, geography, government, symbols and facts presented in the Discover Canada study guide.

To whom do Canadians pledge loyalty in the Oath of Citizenship?

To the Sovereign (the Queen or King of Canada) and their heirs and successors.

What two basic requirements are evaluated in the citizenship test?

1) Knowledge of Canada and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; 2) Adequate knowledge of English or French.

Between what ages must applicants prove language ability for citizenship?

18 to 54 years old.

Which adult age group is exempt from writing the citizenship test?

Applicants 55 years of age and over.

Name four fundamental freedoms protected for Canadians.

Freedom of conscience and religion; freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression (including speech and press); freedom of peaceful assembly; freedom of association.

What are Mobility Rights under the Charter?

Canadians can live and work anywhere in Canada, enter and leave freely, and apply for a Canadian passport.

What Charter rights protect French and English minorities?

Official Language Rights and Minority Language Educational Rights.

What is Habeas Corpus?

The right to challenge unlawful detention by the state.

Give three key responsibilities of Canadian citizens.

Obeying the law; serving on a jury when called; voting in elections.

How can citizens help protect Canada’s heritage and environment?

By avoiding waste and pollution and protecting natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations.

Is military service compulsory in Canada?

No. Service is voluntary, but citizens may join the Canadian Forces, reserves, Coast Guard or local emergency services.

What practices are contrary to Canadian law on equality of women and men?

Spousal abuse, honour killings, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and other gender-based violence.

Who are Canada’s three founding peoples?

Aboriginal, French, and British peoples.

What does the word “Inuit” mean?

“The people” in Inuktitut.

Who are the Métis?

A distinct people of mixed Aboriginal and European ancestry, mainly in the Prairie provinces, with their own culture and Michif language.

Which European group reached Newfoundland and Labrador about 1,000 years ago?

The Vikings from Iceland.

Who made the first map of Canada’s East Coast in 1497?

John Cabot.

Which explorer claimed Canada for France and helped give the country its name?

Jacques Cartier, during his voyages 1534–1542.

In what year was Québec City founded by Samuel de Champlain?

1608.

What 1759 battle ended France’s empire in North America?

The Battle of the Plains of Abraham at Québec City.

What Act of 1774 granted religious freedom to Catholics in Quebec?

The Quebec Act.

Who were the United Empire Loyalists?

People loyal to the Crown who fled the American Revolution (over 40,000 came to Canada).

What did the Constitutional Act of 1791 achieve?

Divided Quebec into Upper Canada (English-speaking) and Lower Canada (French-speaking) and created elected assemblies.

What was the main result of the War of 1812 for Canada?

It secured Canada’s independence from the United States and shaped today’s border.

What was the recommendation of Lord Durham after the 1837–38 rebellions?

Merge Upper and Lower Canada and grant responsible government.

Which province first attained full responsible government (1847–48)?

Nova Scotia.

On what date was the Dominion of Canada born?

July 1, 1867.

Who was Canada’s first Prime Minister?

Sir John A. Macdonald.

What did the Canadian Pacific Railway symbolize when completed in 1885?

Unity from sea to sea and fulfillment of a national dream.

Who led the Métis uprisings and is considered the father of Manitoba?

Louis Riel.

What policing body was founded in 1873 to pacify the West?

The North West Mounted Police, now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Which tax targeted Chinese workers after the railway was built?

The Head Tax (race-based entry fee).

Which Prime Minister promoted immigration to the Prairies around 1900?

Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

What victory in 1917 is seen as the birth of Canadian nationhood?

The capture of Vimy Ridge during the First World War.

When did most Canadian women gain the right to vote federally?

1918.

Who was Canada’s first woman Member of Parliament?

Agnes Macphail (elected 1921).

What was Canada’s unemployment peak during the Great Depression?

About 27 % in 1933.

Which beach did Canadians capture on D-Day, 6 June 1944?

Juno Beach in Normandy, France.

What wrongdoing toward Japanese-Canadians was apologized for in 1988?

Their forcible relocation and property confiscation during the Second World War.

Name two key social programs created after 1945.

Old Age Security (1927, expanded post-war) and the Canada/Quebec Pension Plans (1965).

What 1969 law made services in both official languages mandatory federally?

The Official Languages Act.

Give one milestone constitutional change passed in 1982.

Entrenchment of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Who invented the telephone while in Canada?

Alexander Graham Bell.

What medical breakthrough did Banting and Best achieve in 1921?

Discovery of insulin to treat diabetes.

What Canadian invention is a robotic arm used in space?

The Canadarm.

When was the current red-and-white Canadian flag first raised?

1965.

Which animal is an official emblem appearing on the five-cent coin?

The beaver.

What are the three parts of the Parliament of Canada?

The Sovereign (represented by the Governor General), the Senate, and the House of Commons.

Name Canada’s three branches of government.

Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

Who appoints the Governor General?

The Sovereign, on the advice of the Prime Minister.

How often, by law, must federal elections be held?

Every four years on the third Monday in October (unless called earlier).

Approximately how many electoral districts (ridings) are there federally?

308 (per the guide; number may change with redistribution).

What is required to be eligible to vote in federal elections?

Canadian citizenship, at least 18 years old on voting day, and being on the voters’ list.

What is a secret ballot?

A voting method where no one can see how you voted, ensuring privacy and freedom of choice.

What defines a majority government in Canada?

The governing party holds at least half the seats in the House of Commons.

List two federal areas of responsibility.

Defence; foreign policy (other valid answers: citizenship, criminal law, currency, etc.).

List two provincial areas of responsibility.

Education; health care (other valid answers: natural resources, property & civil rights, highways, etc.).

What is the capital city of Canada?

Ottawa, Ontario.

Name the five geographical regions of Canada.

Atlantic Provinces; Central Canada; Prairie Provinces; West Coast; Northern Territories.

Which province is the smallest by land area?

Prince Edward Island.

Where is Canada’s highest mountain, Mount Logan, located?

Yukon Territory.

Why is the North called the “Land of the Midnight Sun”?

Because in summer daylight can last up to 24 hours, while in winter darkness lasts for months.

Identify Canada’s three main industry sectors.

Service industries; manufacturing industries; natural resources industries.

What international trade agreement links Canada, the U.S.A. and Mexico?

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Name the three oceans that border Canada.

Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Arctic Ocean.

What is Canada’s national motto in Latin and English?

“A mari usque ad mare” — “From sea to sea.”

What national order was created in 1967 to honour outstanding Canadians?

The Order of Canada.

What is Canada’s national winter sport?

Ice hockey.

Describe the composition of the Senate.

Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and serve until age 75.

What is the meaning of the maple leaf symbol?

A long-standing emblem of Canada, representing the land and its people; it appears on the national flag and military insignia.

What does NAFTA represent in terms of population and trade (per guide)?

Over 444 million people and more than $1 trillion in merchandise trade (2008 figures).

What is the significance of November 11 in Canada?

Remembrance Day, honouring those who served and died in wars; marked by wearing the poppy and a moment of silence at 11 a.m.

Who composed the poem 'In Flanders Fields'?

Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae in 1915.

What are the official languages of Canada?

English and French.

Which city is Canada’s largest and main financial centre?

Toronto, Ontario.

What bridge links New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island?

The Confederation Bridge.

Which national police force is a major Canadian symbol?

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

What is the highest honour Canadians can receive for bravery in combat?

The Victoria Cross.

Who are Anglophones and Francophones?

Anglophones speak English as a first language; Francophones speak French as a first language.

What electoral document tells you when and where to vote?

The voter information card sent by Elections Canada.

What is a minority government?

A government whose party holds fewer than half the seats in the House of Commons.

What is the role of the Supreme Court of Canada?

It is the highest court, making final decisions on legal cases and interpreting the Constitution.

Which Act ensures basic principles of Canada’s health-care system?

The Canada Health Act.

What is the population of Canada stated in the guide?

About 34 million people.

Name two Canadian holidays observed nationwide.

Canada Day (July 1); Remembrance Day (November 11) (other valid answers: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, etc.).