Rights & Responsibilities: Canadian Citizenship Test Questions

Q1.Which of the following are responsibilities of Canadian citizenship?

• Owning property, joining a union, and learning French
• Obeying the law, taking responsibility for yourself and your family, and serving on a jury
• Voting for the Conservative Party and attending church
• Recycling, owning a business, and flying the flag

Answer: Responsibilities of citizenship include obeying the law, taking responsibility for yourself and your family, serving on a jury when called, voting in elections, helping others in the community, and protecting our heritage and environment.

Q2.What are the four fundamental freedoms protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

• Freedom of conscience and religion; thought, belief, opinion and expression; peaceful assembly; and association
• Freedom to vote, drive, marry, and travel
• Freedom of speech, the right to a passport, the right to vote, and the right to work
• Freedom from taxes, freedom to bear arms, free health care, and free education

Answer: The Charter lists four fundamental freedoms: (1) conscience and religion; (2) thought, belief, opinion and expression, which covers a free press; (3) peaceful assembly; and (4) association.

Q3.In what year was the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenched in the Constitution?

• 1867
• 1931
• 1982
• 1995

Answer: In 1982 Canada amended its Constitution and made the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms part of it.

Q4.True or False: There is compulsory (mandatory) military service in Canada.

• True
• False

Answer: False. Military service is not compulsory in Canada: joining the Canadian Armed Forces is voluntary.

Q5.Habeas corpus, which lets a person challenge being held unlawfully by the state, comes from which legal tradition?

• French civil law
• English common law
• The Quebec Act
• Aboriginal law

Answer: Habeas corpus protects anyone held unlawfully by the state. It comes from English common law.

Q6.What do 'mobility rights' guarantee Canadians?

• The right to free public transit
• The right to live and work anywhere in Canada, enter and leave the country, and apply for a passport
• The right to a driver's licence at 16
• The right to bring relatives to Canada

Answer: Mobility rights let Canadians live and work in any province or territory, come and go from Canada freely, and apply for a passport.

Q7.Canada's tradition of freedom under the law, more than 800 years old, traces back to which document signed in England in 1215?

• The Constitution Act
• Magna Carta
• The Royal Proclamation
• The British North America Act

Answer: Many of our freedoms go back to Magna Carta, signed in England in 1215 and also called the Great Charter of Freedoms.

Q8.What does the equality of men and women mean in Canada?

• Men and women must do the same jobs
• The law treats men and women as equals
• Women cannot serve in the military
• Men have legal authority over the household

Answer: Women and men have the same rights under Canadian law. Practices that tolerate spousal abuse, 'honour killings,' or other gender-based violence are crimes.

Q9.Which is an example of a responsibility that comes with the right to vote?

• Telling others how you voted
• Voting in federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal elections
• Joining a political party
• Donating to a campaign

Answer: With the right to vote comes a duty to take part in elections at every level: federal, provincial or territorial, and local.

Q10.Canadian law comes from several sources. Which of these is one of them?

• Only the decisions of the Prime Minister
• Laws passed by Parliament and legislatures, English common law, and the civil code of France
• Religious texts only
• The United Nations charter

Answer: Canadian law draws on several sources: the laws Parliament and the provincial legislatures pass, English common law, France's civil code, and the unwritten constitution that came to us from Britain.

Q11.Volunteering to help others in your community is best described as:

• A legal requirement for all citizens
• A responsibility of citizenship and a way to build skills and friendships
• Something only retired people do
• A requirement to keep your citizenship

Answer: Helping others in the community through volunteering is a responsibility of citizenship and an excellent way to gain skills, friends, and contacts.

Q12.True or False: Serving on a jury when you are called is a legal requirement in Canada.

• True
• False

Answer: True. When you are called to serve on a jury, you are legally required to do so. Juries help make the justice system work.

Q13.Which of the following is one of the legal rights guaranteed to people in Canada?

• The right to free housing
• The right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty
• The right to a government job
• The right to free university tuition

Answer: Legal rights include the right to life, liberty and security, protection against unreasonable search, and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Q14.What do the official-language rights in the Charter guarantee?

• That everyone must speak both English and French
• The equality of English and French in dealings with the federal government, plus minority-language education rights
• That French is the only official language
• Free language classes for newcomers

Answer: Official-language rights affirm the equality of English and French in Parliament and the federal government and include minority-language education rights.

Q15.What does the Charter say about multiculturalism?

• It bans all foreign customs
• It must be interpreted in a way consistent with preserving and enhancing Canada's multicultural heritage
• It applies only in Quebec
• It is not mentioned in the Charter

Answer: The Charter states that it shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with preserving and enhancing the multicultural heritage of Canadians.

Q16.What do 'Aboriginal and treaty rights' in the Charter protect?

• Only the right to vote
• The existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada
• Rights for recent immigrants
• Property rights for all Canadians

Answer: The Charter protects the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Q17.What does the freedom of peaceful assembly allow people in Canada to do?

• Carry weapons in public
• Gather and hold peaceful meetings, demonstrations, and protests
• Avoid paying taxes
• Refuse to obey any law

Answer: Freedom of peaceful assembly is one of the four fundamental freedoms and lets people gather peacefully, including for meetings and demonstrations.

Q18.The civil-law tradition used for private matters in Quebec originally comes from which country?

• England
• France
• Spain
• The United States

Answer: Quebec uses the civil code, a tradition from France, while the rest of Canada uses English common law for private law.

Q19.Helping to protect Canada's natural environment is best described as:

• A fundamental freedom
• A responsibility of citizenship
• A legal right
• A power of the Senate

Answer: Eliminating waste and pollution and protecting Canada's natural, cultural, and architectural heritage are responsibilities of citizenship.

Q20.What does the equality-rights section of the Charter guarantee?

• Everyone must earn the same income
• Equality before and under the law and equal protection without discrimination
• Free legal representation for everyone
• The right to hold any job

Answer: Equality rights mean every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection without discrimination.

Q21.Military service is voluntary in Canada. Which services make up the regular Canadian Forces?

• The navy, the army and the air force
• The army, the RCMP and the Coast Guard
• The navy, the Coast Guard and the fire service
• The army, the cadets and the police

Answer: Canada has no compulsory military service. People who choose to serve can join the regular Canadian Forces (the navy, the army and the air force) or the part-time reserves. Young people can join the cadets, and the Coast Guard, police and fire departments are other ways to protect your community.

Q22.Besides the armed forces, which of these is a way to serve and help protect your community?

• Joining a political party and campaigning for it
• Buying Canadian products and shopping at local stores
• Serving in the Coast Guard, a police force or a fire department
• Travelling across Canada to learn about its regions

Answer: Another way to serve is in the Coast Guard or in your community's emergency services, such as the police or the fire department. Helping to protect your community follows the example of the Canadians who made sacrifices for the country before you.

Q23.Which program helps young Canadians learn discipline, responsibility and skills?

• The Snowbirds
• The cadets
• The Order of Canada
• Legal aid

Answer: Young people can join the cadets, where they learn discipline, responsibility and useful skills. Adults can serve in the regular Canadian Forces or part-time in the reserves.

Q24.The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms begins by saying Canada is founded on principles that recognize what?

• The supremacy of Parliament and the Crown
• The will of the majority and free trade
• Equality and the right to own property
• The supremacy of God and the rule of law

Answer: Its first words describe Canada as founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law. This reflects the place of religious traditions in Canadian society and the value of every human being.

Q25.Freedom of the press is part of which fundamental freedom?

• Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression
• Freedom of peaceful assembly
• Freedom of association
• Freedom of conscience and religion

Answer: Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression includes freedom of speech and freedom of the press. The other three fundamental freedoms are freedom of conscience and religion, of peaceful assembly, and of association.

Q26.Which fundamental freedom protects your right to form and join groups of your choice?

• Mobility rights
• Freedom of the press
• Freedom of association
• Minority language education rights

Answer: Freedom of association, one of the four fundamental freedoms, protects your right to form and join groups such as clubs, associations and unions. The other three are freedom of conscience and religion; of thought, belief, opinion and expression; and of peaceful assembly.

Q27.What does the Government of Canada offer newcomers free of charge to help them prepare for citizenship?

• The citizenship test answers
• English or French language classes
• A university degree
• An exemption from the citizenship test

Answer: The Government of Canada offers English and French language classes free of charge. To prepare for the test you can also study the guide, practise questions with family or friends, and ask a local school, college or community centre about citizenship classes.

Q28.How does Canadian law treat spousal abuse, forced marriage and so-called 'honour killings'?

• As private family matters
• As acceptable if they are part of a cultural tradition
• As matters for religious leaders to settle
• As crimes that are severely punished

Answer: Canadian law treats men and women as equals. Forced marriage, spousal abuse, female genital mutilation, so-called 'honour killings' and other gender-based violence are all crimes, and Canada's criminal laws punish them severely.

Q29.Which of these is NOT one of the four fundamental freedoms?

• Freedom of conscience and religion
• Freedom of peaceful assembly
• Freedom of association
• Mobility rights

Answer: The four fundamental freedoms are freedom of conscience and religion; of thought, belief, opinion and expression; of peaceful assembly; and of association. Mobility rights (living and working anywhere in Canada, and entering and leaving freely) are a separate right set out in the Charter.

Q30.Multiculturalism is a fundamental characteristic of Canada's heritage and identity. What does it ask of Canadians?

• To respect pluralism and live together in harmony
• To keep each culture separate from the others
• To give up their own heritage
• To speak only one language at home

Answer: The Charter recognizes multiculturalism as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian heritage and identity. Canadians value one another's presence and work to respect pluralism and to live together in harmony.

Q31.Getting a job, caring for your family and working hard are important Canadian values. What does work contribute to?

• An exemption from jury duty and other civic duties
• The right to vote in federal and provincial elections
• Personal dignity and self-respect, and Canada's prosperity
• Faster approval of a citizenship application

Answer: Taking responsibility for yourself and your family is a responsibility of citizenship. Work brings personal dignity and self-respect, and it adds to Canada's prosperity.

Q32.Which of these is an example of helping others in your community, a responsibility of citizenship?

• Paying a parking ticket
• Volunteering at a food bank
• Renewing your passport
• Filing your income taxes

Answer: Millions of Canadians volunteer without pay: helping people in need, helping out at their children's school, working at a food bank or another charity, or helping newcomers settle in. Volunteering is also a good way to build skills and make friends and contacts.

Q33.Canadians have a responsibility to protect which kinds of heritage for future generations?

• Natural, cultural and architectural
• Military, royal and religious
• Industrial, financial and commercial
• Sporting, musical and literary

Answer: Every citizen has a part to play: avoiding waste and pollution, and looking after Canada's natural, cultural and architectural heritage so that future generations can enjoy it too.

Q34.Canadian citizens enjoy many rights. Besides obeying Canada's laws, what must they also respect?

• The decisions of their employer
• The views of the majority
• The wishes of their political party
• The rights and freedoms of others

Answer: Rights come with responsibilities: Canadians must follow the law and respect other people's rights and freedoms.

Q35.Where do the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens come from?

• From each new government, after every election
• From international treaties alone
• From Canada's history, and they are secured by Canadian law
• From the decisions of the courts alone

Answer: They have grown out of Canada's history, they are protected by Canadian law, and they reflect the traditions, identity and values that Canadians share.

Q36.In the Oath of Citizenship, new citizens pledge their loyalty to whom?

• The Prime Minister of Canada
• His Majesty King Charles the Third, King of Canada
• The Governor General
• The flag of Canada

Answer: New citizens swear (or affirm) loyalty to the King of Canada, His Majesty King Charles the Third, and to his heirs and successors. Canadians pledge loyalty to a person, the Sovereign, who represents all Canadians, rather than to a document or a flag.

Q37.Besides allegiance to the King, what else do new citizens promise in the Oath of Citizenship?

• To observe Canada's laws and fulfil their duties as Canadian citizens
• To serve two years in the Canadian Forces when called upon
• To support the party in power and vote for it at elections
• To live for five years in the province where they took the oath

Answer: New citizens also promise to obey the laws of Canada faithfully, including the Constitution, which recognizes the treaty and Aboriginal rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, and to carry out their duties as Canadian citizens.

Q38.What happens at a citizenship ceremony?

• You write the citizenship test and learn your score
• You are interviewed about your job and your income
• You take the oath and receive your citizenship certificate
• You give a short speech about why you chose Canada

Answer: Once you pass the test and meet the other requirements, you are invited to a citizenship ceremony. There you take the Oath of Citizenship, then sign the oath form, and are given your Canadian citizenship certificate. You are welcome to bring family and friends to celebrate.

Q39.Applicants of which ages must pass the citizenship knowledge test?

• 16 to 65
• 18 to 54
• 21 to 60
• All ages

Answer: Applicants aged 18 to 54 must show, in a test taken in English or French, that they know enough about Canada and about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Applicants aged 55 and over do not take the test.

Q40.To become citizens, applicants aged 18 to 54 must show adequate knowledge of which language?

• Both English and French
• English only
• French only, if they live in Quebec
• English or French

Answer: Applicants aged 18 to 54 need an adequate knowledge of English or French, Canada's two official languages. The citizenship test itself checks what you know about Canada, not your language ability, which is assessed separately.