Canadian Citizenship British Columbia 5

Question 1

During World War II, the Canadian government forcibly displaced Japanese Canadians from the BC coast. Approximately how many people were affected by this policy?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 22,000 people

Answer

Approximately 22,000 Japanese Canadians — the vast majority of whom were Canadian citizens or permanent residents — were forcibly relocated from the BC coast under the War Measures Act. Their property was seized and sold. In 1988, the Canadian government formally apologized and provided redress payments, acknowledging this as one of the most serious violations of civil liberties in Canadian history.

Question 2

The Fraser River Gold Rush of 1858 prompted a significant political change in what is now British Columbia. What was it?

Accepted Answer

The Colony of British Columbia was established as a separate Crown Colony

Answer

The influx of tens of thousands of American gold seekers alarmed Britain over sovereignty of the mainland. In 1858, Britain created the Colony of British Columbia as a distinct Crown Colony (separate from the existing Colony of Vancouver Island) to assert control. The two colonies were united in 1866, and then joined Confederation as the province of BC in 1871.

Question 3

What is British Columbia's official provincial motto, and what does it mean in English?

Accepted Answer

"Splendor Sine Occasu" — Splendour Without Diminishment

Answer

BC's motto is "Splendor Sine Occasu," Latin for "Splendour Without Diminishment" — a reference to the sun never setting on the British Empire, as BC is at its western edge. The other options are real mottos but belong to different jurisdictions: "Fortis et Liber" is Alberta's, "Ad Mare Usque Ad Mare" is Canada's national motto, and "Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet" is Ontario's.

Question 4

Under Canada's Constitution, how many seats does British Columbia hold in the Senate?

Accepted Answer

6 Senate seats

Answer

British Columbia holds 6 seats in the Canadian Senate, as part of the Western division, which includes BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba — each assigned 6 senators for a divisional total of 24. This allocation has been a long-standing source of frustration in BC given its large population, and Senate reform has been a recurring political issue in the province.

Question 5

When the Canadian Pacific Railway was completed in 1885 — fulfilling the promise that brought British Columbia into Confederation — where was the ceremonial 'last spike' driven?

Accepted Answer

Craigellachie, British Columbia

Answer

The last spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway was driven at Craigellachie in Eagle Pass, BC, on November 7, 1885. This completed the transcontinental railway that the federal government had promised BC within 10 years as a condition of joining Confederation in 1871 — a promise that was nearly broken and caused a serious political crisis.

Canadian Citizenship Practice Test

Canadian Citizenship Practice Test

Canadian Citizenship British Columbia 5