Government and Politics: Citizenship Test Practice Questions
Government and Politics is one of the seven topics in Discover Canada, the official guide every real test question comes from. It covers: How Canadians govern themselves: federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government, the three branches of government, Parliament, the Constitution, elections and how laws are made.
Of the 280 questions in our practice bank, 40 are Government and Politics questions. On a typical 20-question test you can expect roughly 3 from this topic. Below are 9 sample questions with answers and explanations to show you exactly what to prepare for.
Sample Government and Politics Questions and Answers
Try each question before expanding the answer. Every question below also appears in one of our free practice tests.
1. What are the three types of government in Canada?
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Explanation
Canada is a constitutional monarchy, a parliamentary democracy, and a federal state. This means the Sovereign is the head of state, the Parliament makes laws through elected representatives, and powers are shared between federal and provincial governments.
2. Who is Canada's Head of State?
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Explanation
Canada's Head of State is the Sovereign, currently the King of Canada. The Sovereign is also the head of state for the other Commonwealth realms. In Canada, the Sovereign's duties are carried out by the Governor General.
3. Who represents the Sovereign in Canada?
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Explanation
The Governor General represents the Sovereign in Canada. The Governor General is appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister and carries out the royal duties in Canada on behalf of the King or Queen.
4. What does the Governor General do?
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Explanation
The Governor General carries out the duties of the Sovereign on a day-to-day basis. Key responsibilities include giving Royal Assent to bills passed by Parliament (which is required for them to become law), opening and closing sessions of Parliament, and reading the Speech from the Throne.
5. How is voting done in Canadian elections?
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Explanation
Voting in Canadian elections is done by secret ballot. This means that no one can watch you vote and no one should ask you who you voted for. The secret ballot ensures that citizens can vote freely without pressure or intimidation from others.
6. What are the three levels of government in Canada?
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Explanation
Canada has three levels of government: federal (national), provincial/territorial, and municipal/local. Each level has its own responsibilities and areas of jurisdiction as defined by the Constitution.
7. What is the leader of a provincial government called?
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Explanation
The leader of a provincial government in Canada is called the Premier. The Premier is the head of the provincial executive council and is typically the leader of the political party that holds the most seats in the provincial legislature.
8. Who represents the Crown in each province?
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Explanation
The Lieutenant Governor represents the Crown (the Sovereign) in each province of Canada. They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister and perform duties similar to those of the Governor General at the provincial level.
9. After a federal election, how is the government formed in Canada?
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Explanation
Ordinarily after an election, the leader of the political party with the most seats in the House of Commons is invited by the Governor General to form the government. After being appointed by the Governor General, the leader of this party becomes the Prime Minister. If the party in power holds at least half of the seats, this is called a majority government; if less than half, it is called a minority government.
Practise Government and Politics Until It Sticks
The app has 14 dedicated category tests, so you can practise Government & Politics questions on their own. All 16 mock exams, every question in 13 languages, and weak-spot tracking, all in the app.
Study This Topic First
Prefer to read before you practise? Our Government and Politics study guide breaks down everything this part of Discover Canada tests.
Read the Government and Politics study guide