Category: Canadian Citizenship Test

Year Event Description 1215 Magna Carta signed in England. 1497 John Cabot’s voyage marked the beginning of European exploration, with the first map of Canada’s East Coast. 1534-1542 Jacques Cartier completed three voyages, claiming Canadian land for King Francis I of France. 1550s The name “Canada” started to appear on maps. 1604 French explorers Pierre…

Canada is the second largest country on earth—10 million square kilometres. Three oceans line Canada’s frontiers: the Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic Ocean in the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north. Along the southern edge of Canada lies the Canada-United States boundary. Both Canada and the U.S.A. are committed to a…

Canada has many important symbols — objects, events, and people that have special meaning. Together they help explain what it means to be Canadian and express our national identity. Important Canadian symbols appear throughout this booklet. Mace of the House of Commons in Ottawa, Canadian flag of 1965, The Royal Arms of Canada, Parliament at…

The Canadian justice system guarantees everyone due process under the law. Our judicial system is founded on the presumption of innocence in criminal matters, meaning everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Canada’s legal system is based on a heritage that includes the rule of law, freedom under the law, democratic principles and due process. Due…

Canadians vote in elections for the people they want to represent them in the House of Commons. In each election, voters may re-elect the same members of the House of Commons or choose new ones. Members of the House of Commons are also known as members of Parliament or MPs. Under legislation passed by Parliament,…

There are three key facts about Canada’s system of government: our country is a federal state, a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II opening the 23rd Parliament (1957) and Parliament Hill, Ottawa. Federal State There are federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments in Canada. The responsibilities of the federal and provincial governments…

Trade and Economic Growth Postwar Canada enjoyed record prosperity and material progress. The world’s restrictive trading policies in the Depression era were opened up by such treaties as the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), now the World Trade Organization (WTO). The discovery of oil in Alberta in 1947 began Canada’s modern energy industry.…

Aboriginal Peoples When Europeans explored Canada they found all regions occupied by native peoples they called Indians, because the first explorers thought they had reached the East Indies. The native people lived off the land, some by hunting and gathering, others by raising crops. The Huron-Wendat of the Great Lakes region, like the Iroquois, were farmers…

Canada is known around the world as a strong and free country. Canadians are proud of their unique identity. We have inherited the oldest continuous constitutional tradition in the world. We are the only constitutional monarchy in North America. Our institutions uphold a commitment to Peace, Order and Good Government, a key phrase in Canada’s…

Canadian citizens have rights and responsibilities. These come to us from our history, are secured by Canadian law, and reflect our shared traditions, identity and values. Canadian law has several sources, including laws passed by Parliament and the provincial legislatures, English common law, the civil code of France and the unwritten constitution that we have…