Canadian Citizenship Canadian Government and Democracy 2

Question 1

How many members are in the Canadian Senate, and how are they appointed?

Accepted Answer

105 senators appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister

Answer

The Canadian Senate has 105 members appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. Since 2016, many appointments have been made through an Independent Advisory Board process to reduce partisan patronage.

Question 2

What happens when a Canadian federal government loses a vote of non-confidence in the House of Commons?

Accepted Answer

The government must resign or request the Governor General to dissolve Parliament for an election

Answer

When a government loses a confidence vote, the Prime Minister can either resign (allowing the Governor General to invite another party to try to govern) or request dissolution of Parliament and a general election.

Question 3

What is the role of the Auditor General of Canada?

Accepted Answer

To independently audit federal government spending and report to Parliament on whether public money was spent wisely and as intended

Answer

The Auditor General is an independent officer of Parliament who audits federal government departments and Crown corporations to assess whether public funds were managed responsibly and reports findings to Parliament.

Question 4

Canada uses what type of electoral system for federal elections?

Accepted Answer

First-past-the-post (FPTP) in single-member constituencies

Answer

Canada uses a first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system, where each of the 338 ridings (constituencies) elects one Member of Parliament — the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they have a majority.

Question 5

What is the function of a 'Whip' in the Canadian Parliament?

Accepted Answer

A party official responsible for ensuring members attend votes and vote according to party direction

Answer

A party Whip is responsible for ensuring members attend key votes, communicating party positions, and generally maintaining caucus discipline and cohesion within their party in the House of Commons.

Canadian Citizenship Practice Test

Canadian Citizenship Practice Test

Canadian Citizenship Canadian Government and Democracy 2