Free Canadian Citizenship Test Study Guide

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

In 1982, the Constitution of Canada was amended to entrench the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter opens with the words, "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law." This phrase highlights the significance of religious traditions to Canadian society and the dignity and worth of every person.

The Charter seeks to summarize fundamental freedoms and also sets out additional rights. Among the most important are:

• Freedom of conscience and religion
• Freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of speech and of the press
• Freedom of peaceful assembly
• Freedom of association
• Mobility Rights — Canadians can live and work anywhere they choose in Canada, enter and leave the country freely, and apply for a passport
• Aboriginal Peoples’ Rights — The rights guaranteed in the Charter will not adversely affect any treaty or other rights or freedoms of Aboriginal peoples
• Official Language Rights and Minority Language Educational Rights — French and English have equal status in Parliament and throughout the government
• Multiculturalism — A fundamental characteristic of the Canadian heritage and identity

Citizenship Responsibilities

In Canada, responsibilities accompany rights. These include:

• Obeying the law — The rule of law is one of Canada’s founding principles. Laws, not arbitrary actions, govern both individuals and governments. No person or group stands above the law.
• Taking responsibility for oneself and one’s family — Finding employment, caring for one’s family and working hard according to one’s abilities are valued in Canadian society.
• Serving on a jury — You are legally required to serve when called upon. Jury service is a privilege that sustains the justice system, which relies on impartial juries composed of citizens.
• Voting in elections — Along with the right to vote comes a responsibility to participate in federal, provincial or territorial and local elections.
• Helping others in the community — Millions of volunteers give their time freely and without pay—assisting people in need, helping at your child’s school, volunteering at a food bank or other charity, or supporting newcomers as they integrate.
• Protecting and enjoying our heritage and environment — Every citizen plays a part in reducing waste and pollution and in safeguarding Canada’s natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations.

Defending Canada

Canada has no compulsory military service. However, serving in the regular Canadian Forces (navy, army and air force) is both a noble way to contribute to the country and an excellent career choice. By joining your local part-time navy, militia or air reserves, you can gain valuable experience, skills and contacts. Getting involved in the cadets offers young people an opportunity to learn discipline, responsibility and skills.

You may also choose to serve in the Coast Guard or in community emergency services such as a police force or fire department. Helping to protect your community means following in the footsteps of the Canadians before you who made sacrifices in the service of our country.

The Equality of Women and Men

Men and women are equal under Canadian law. The openness and generosity of Canada do not extend to barbaric cultural practices that tolerate spousal abuse, “honour killings,” female genital mutilation, forced marriage or other gender-based violence. Anyone found guilty of these crimes faces severe punishment under Canada’s criminal laws.

Who We Are

Around the world, Canada is recognized as a strong and free country. Canadians take pride in their unique identity. We have inherited the world’s oldest continuous constitutional tradition and are the only constitutional monarchy in North America. Our institutions uphold a commitment to Peace, Order and Good Government.

Knowing about our three founding peoples—Aboriginal, French and British—is essential to understanding what it means to be Canadian.

Aboriginal Peoples

It is believed that the ancestors of Aboriginal peoples migrated from Asia many thousands of years ago. Diverse, vibrant First Nations cultures were grounded in religious beliefs about their relationship to the Creator, the natural environment and each other. The Canadian Constitution includes Aboriginal and treaty rights. Today, the term Aboriginal peoples refers to three distinct groups: Indian (First Nations), Inuit and Métis.

English and French

For most people, English and French shape the reality of day-to-day life and serve as the country’s official languages. By law, the federal government must provide services throughout Canada in both English and French. Today, there are 18 million Anglophones and seven million Francophones. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province.

Diversity in Canada

Canada is frequently described as a land of immigrants. Over the past 200 years, millions of newcomers have helped build and defend our way of life. Many ethnic and religious groups live and work in peace as proud Canadians. Sharing a common Canadian identity, these diverse groups together form today’s multicultural society.

Canada Day

Each year on July 1st, Canadians celebrate Canada Day. This holiday marks the anniversary of Confederation in 1867, when the Dominion of Canada was created by the British North America Act. Originally known as “Dominion Day,” Canada’s national holiday is marked with parades, fireworks and community events throughout the country.

Remembrance Day

On November 11th, Remembrance Day is observed across Canada. Canadians wear the red poppy and hold a moment of silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to honour over a million brave men and women who have served, and the 110,000 who have given their lives. The poem “In Flanders Fields” was composed in 1915 by Canadian medical officer Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae.

Victoria Day

Celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25, Victoria Day honours the Sovereign’s birthday and marks the start of summer in Canada.

Other Important Days

• Sir John A. Macdonald Day — January 11
• Good Friday — Friday before Easter Sunday
• Easter Monday — Monday after Easter Sunday
• Vimy Day — April 9
• Fête nationale (Quebec) — June 24
• Labour Day — First Monday of September
• Thanksgiving Day — Second Monday of October
• Sir Wilfrid Laurier Day — November 20
• Christmas Day — December 25
• Boxing Day — December 26

In 1965, a new Canadian flag was raised for the first time. Its red-white-red pattern is drawn from the flag of the Royal Military College, Kingston, founded in 1876. Red and white had served as Canada’s national colours since 1921. For about 100 years, the Canadian Red Ensign was used as Canada’s flag and has been carried officially by veterans since 2005. Each province and territory also has its own flag reflecting its distinct traditions.

Many important symbols help define what it means to be Canadian and give expression to our national identity. Among them are the Crown, the maple leaf, the beaver, the fleur-de-lys, the Parliament Buildings, the Canadian coat of arms, and the national anthem “O Canada.”

Aboriginal Peoples

European explorers arriving in Canada found every region inhabited by native peoples, whom they called Indians because the earliest explorers believed they had reached the East Indies. These native people sustained themselves from the land — some through hunting and gathering, others by cultivating crops. The Huron-Wendat of the Great Lakes region, like the Iroquois, were both farmers and hunters. In the Northwest, the Cree and Dene lived as hunter-gatherers. The Sioux were nomadic, following the bison (buffalo) herd. The Inuit survived on Arctic wildlife, while West Coast natives preserved fish by drying and smoking.

The Canadian Constitution includes Aboriginal and treaty rights. King George III’s Royal Proclamation of 1763 first guaranteed territorial rights and laid the groundwork for negotiating treaties with the newcomers.

From the 1800s through the 1980s, many Aboriginal children were placed by the federal government in residential schools intended to educate and assimilate them into mainstream Canadian culture. These schools were poorly funded and caused great hardship for the students. A formal apology was issued by Ottawa to the former students in 2008.

Today, Aboriginal peoples in Canada enjoy renewed pride and confidence, having made significant achievements in agriculture, the environment, business and the arts.

The First Europeans

About 1,000 years ago, Vikings from Iceland who had colonized Greenland also reached Labrador and the island of Newfoundland. Their settlement remains at L’Anse aux Meadows are now a World Heritage site.

The expedition of John Cabot in 1497 marked the true beginning of European exploration; he was the first to draw a map of Canada’s East Coast.

Exploring a River, Naming Canada

Jacques Cartier made three voyages across the Atlantic between 1534 and 1542, claiming the land for King Francis I of France. When Cartier heard two captured guides speak the Iroquoian word kanata, meaning “village,” the name took hold. By the 1550s, Canada began appearing on maps.

Royal New France

French explorers Pierre de Monts and Samuel de Champlain established the first European settlement north of Florida in 1604. Champlain went on to build a fortress at what is now Québec City in 1608. The French and Aboriginal people worked together in the vast fur-trade economy.

Struggle for a Continent

King Charles II of England granted the Hudson’s Bay Company exclusive trading rights over the watershed draining into Hudson Bay in 1670. The British defeated the French in 1759 at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham at Québec City — marking the end of France’s empire in America.

Confederation

With British support, representatives of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada worked together from 1864 to 1867 to establish a new country. Known as the Fathers of Confederation, these men saw the British Parliament pass the British North America Act in 1867. On July 1, 1867, the Dominion of Canada was officially born.

Expansion of the Dominion

• 1867 — Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick
• 1870 — Manitoba, Northwest Territories
• 1871 — British Columbia
• 1873 — Prince Edward Island
• 1880 — Transfer of the Arctic Islands
• 1898 — Yukon Territory
• 1905 — Alberta, Saskatchewan
• 1949 — Newfoundland and Labrador
• 1999 — Nunavut

Canada’s First Prime Minister

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, a Father of Confederation, became Canada’s first Prime Minister in 1867. He was born in Scotland on January 11, 1815, and came to Upper Canada as a child. A lawyer in Kingston, Ontario, he was a gifted politician and a colourful personality. January 11 has been recognized by Parliament as Sir John A. Macdonald Day.

A Railway from Sea to Sea

After Ottawa promised to build a railway to the West Coast, British Columbia joined Canada in 1871. The Canadian Pacific Railway was completed on November 7, 1885, when Donald Smith drove the last spike. The CPR’s “ribbons of steel” fulfilled a national dream.

The First World War

Out of a total population of eight million, more than 600,000 Canadians served in the war, the majority of them volunteers. In April 1917, the Canadian Corps captured Vimy Ridge, with 10,000 killed or wounded, cementing the Canadians’ reputation for valour. The total cost was 60,000 Canadians killed and 170,000 wounded.

Each year on November 11, Remembrance Day, Canadians honour the sacrifices of our veterans.

Between the Wars

Following the First World War, the British Empire evolved into a free association of states known as the British Commonwealth of Nations. To this day, Canada remains a leading member of the Commonwealth. The “Roaring Twenties” were boom times, but the stock market crash of 1929 ushered in the Great Depression and the “Dirty Thirties.” In 1934, the Bank of Canada was created to manage the money supply and bring stability to the financial system.

The Second World War

Out of a population of 11.5 million, more than one million Canadians and Newfoundlanders served in the Second World War — a high proportion — and 44,000 of them were killed. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, 15,000 Canadian troops stormed and captured Juno Beach in Normandy. The Netherlands was liberated by the Canadian Army in 1944–45. By the end of the war, Canada possessed the third-largest navy in the world.

Trade and Economic Growth

Record prosperity marked postwar Canada. Canada’s modern energy industry began with the discovery of oil in Alberta in 1947. From 1945 to 1970, Canada grew into one of the strongest economies among industrialized nations, joining international organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, and NORAD.

A Changing Society

Over more than 50 years, changing social values made Canada a more flexible and open society. Multiculturalism gained a new impetus as a result of 19th- and 20th-century immigration. By the 1960s, one-third of Canadians had origins that were neither British nor French, and they took pride in preserving their distinct culture within the Canadian fabric. The Constitution was amended in 1982 to include the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Arts and Culture in Canada

Canadian artists have a long record of achievement. Founded in 1920, the Group of Seven developed a painting style that captured the rugged wilderness landscapes. Significant contributions to literature, music, film and sport have been made by Canadians. Canadian James Naismith invented basketball in 1891. Hockey remains Canada’s most popular spectator sport and the national winter sport.

Federal State

Canada has federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. The British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, 1867, defined the responsibilities of the federal and provincial governments.

Within our federal state, the federal government handles matters of national and international concern, including defence, foreign policy, interprovincial trade and communications, currency, navigation, criminal law and citizenship. Municipal government, education, health, natural resources, property and civil rights, and highways fall under provincial responsibility. Agriculture and immigration are areas of shared jurisdiction between the federal government and the provinces.

Each province has its own elected Legislative Assembly. Although the three northern territories do not hold the status of provinces, their governments and assemblies carry out many of the same functions.

Parliamentary Democracy

Under Canada’s parliamentary democracy, citizens elect members to the House of Commons in Ottawa and to the provincial and territorial legislatures. The role of these representatives is to pass laws, approve and monitor expenditures, and hold the government accountable.

Three parts make up Parliament: the Sovereign (Queen or King), the Senate and the House of Commons. The Lieutenant Governor and the elected Assembly comprise each provincial legislature.

The Prime Minister selects the Cabinet ministers in the federal government and bears responsibility for the operations and policy of the government. Made up of Members of Parliament elected by the people, traditionally every four years, the House of Commons serves as the representative chamber. The Governor General appoints Senators on the advice of the Prime Minister, and they serve until age 75. Before any bill can become law in Canada, it must be passed by both chambers and receive royal assent, which is granted by the Governor General on behalf of the Sovereign.

Constitutional Monarchy

Canada’s Head of State is a hereditary Sovereign (Queen or King), who reigns in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law as befits a constitutional monarchy. As a part of Parliament, the Sovereign plays an important, non-partisan role as the focus of citizenship and allegiance. Her Majesty symbolizes Canadian sovereignty, guards constitutional freedoms, and reflects our history.

The Governor General, appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister usually for five years, represents the Sovereign in Canada. The Lieutenant Governor represents the Sovereign in each of the ten provinces. In the three territories, a Commissioner represents the federal government and fulfils a ceremonial role.

Canada maintains a clear distinction between the head of state—the Sovereign—and the head of government—the Prime Minister, who actually directs the governing of the country.

Federal Elections

In elections, Canadians vote for the people they want to represent them in the House of Commons. The country is divided into 308 electoral districts, also known as ridings or constituencies, each represented by a Member of Parliament (MP). Legislation passed by Parliament requires that federal elections be held on the third Monday in October every four years.

Voting

The right to vote is one of the privileges of Canadian citizenship. You are eligible to vote in a federal election or cast a ballot in a referendum if you are:

• a Canadian citizen; and
• at least 18 years old on voting day; and
• on the voters’ list.

Secret Ballot

The right to a secret ballot is secured by Canadian law. No one can watch you vote and no one should look at how you voted. While you may choose to discuss how you voted with others, no one — including family members, your employer or union representative — has the right to insist that you tell them how you voted.

After an Election

Following an election, the Governor General ordinarily invites the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons to form the government. That party’s leader becomes the Prime Minister. The House of Commons currently has three major political parties represented: the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party, and the Liberal Party.

Provincial and Territorial Government

An elected legislature in each provincial and territorial government is where provincial and territorial laws are passed. Depending on the province or territory, members of the legislature are called Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), Members of the Provincial Parliament (MPPs) or Members of the House of Assembly (MHAs).

The Premier in each province fills a role similar to that of the Prime Minister in the federal government, just as the Lieutenant Governor’s role mirrors that of the Governor General. A Commissioner represents the federal government in the three territories and plays a ceremonial role.

Municipal Government

In the lives of our citizens, local or municipal government plays an important role. A council that passes laws called “by-laws” typically governs municipalities. Municipalities are normally responsible for urban or regional planning, streets and roads, sanitation, snow removal, firefighting, ambulance and other emergency services, recreation facilities, public transit and some local health and social services.

What chiefly distinguishes the three levels of government is that each one delivers different services.

The Federal Government is responsible for:

• National Defence
• Foreign Policy
• Citizenship
• Policing
• Criminal Justice
• International Trade
• Aboriginal Affairs
• Immigration (shared)
• Agriculture (shared)
• Environment (shared)

Provincial and Territorial Governments are responsible for:

• Education
• Health Care
• Natural Resources
• Highways
• Policing (Ontario, Quebec)
• Property and Civil Rights
• Immigration (shared)
• Agriculture (shared)
• Environment (shared)

Municipal Governments are responsible for:

• Social and Community Health
• Recycling Programs
• Transportation and Utilities
• Snow Removal
• Policing
• Firefighting
• Emergency Services

How a Bill Becomes Law

A bill becomes law through the following legislative steps:

Step 1: First Reading — The bill is read for the first time and printed.

Step 2: Second Reading — The bill’s principle is debated by members.

Step 3: Committee Stage — The bill is studied clause by clause by committee members.

Step 4: Report Stage — Additional amendments may be proposed by members.

Step 5: Third Reading — Members debate the bill and vote on it.

Step 6: Senate — A similar process is followed in the Senate.

Step 7: Royal Assent — Once passed by both Houses, the bill receives royal assent.

The Justice System

Due process under the law is guaranteed to everyone by the Canadian justice system. The presumption of innocence in criminal matters — meaning everyone is innocent until proven guilty — is the foundation of our judicial system.

A heritage that includes the rule of law, freedom under the law, democratic principles and due process forms the basis of Canada’s legal system.

Courts

Our country’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Canada. Matters concerning the federal government are handled by the Federal Court of Canada. Most provinces have an appeal court and a trial court, sometimes called the Court of Queen’s Bench or the Supreme Court. Provincial courts for lesser offences, family courts, traffic courts and small claims courts also exist.

Police

Keeping people safe and enforcing the law is the role of the police. You can ask the police for help in all kinds of situations. Throughout Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) enforce federal laws and serve as the provincial police in all provinces and territories except Ontario and Quebec. Ontario and Quebec have their own provincial police forces, and municipal police departments operate in all provinces. Remember, the police are there to help you.

A Trading Nation

Commerce has always been at the heart of Canada’s identity as a trading nation and continues to drive economic growth. Free trade with the United States was enacted in 1988, and Mexico joined as a partner in 1994 under the broader North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canada today has one of the ten largest economies in the world.

Canada’s Economy Includes Three Main Types of Industries:

• Service industries offer thousands of different jobs in areas such as transportation, education, health care, construction, banking, communications, retail services, tourism and government. More than 75% of working Canadians now hold jobs in service industries.
• Manufacturing industries produce goods for sale in Canada and around the world. Manufactured products include paper, high technology equipment, aerospace technology, automobiles, machinery, food, clothing and many other goods.
• Natural resources industries encompass forestry, fishing, agriculture, mining and energy. These industries have played a significant part in the country’s history and development. In many areas of the country, the economy still depends on developing natural resources today.

Canada’s Regions

As the second largest country on earth, Canada spans 10 million square kilometres. Three oceans border Canada’s frontiers: the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. The country is made up of ten provinces and three territories, each with its own capital city.

Five distinct regions encompass Canada’s many different geographical areas:

• The Atlantic Provinces: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
• Central Canada: Quebec and Ontario
• The Prairie Provinces: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta
• The West Coast: British Columbia
• The Northern Territories: Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon

Ottawa, situated on the Ottawa River, was chosen as the national capital in 1857 by Queen Victoria. Canada has a population of about 34 million people.

All Canadians working together to face the challenges of the future is what sustains our country’s prosperity and diversity. By seeking to become a citizen, you are joining a country that, with your active participation, will continue to grow and thrive.

How will you make your contribution to Canada?