Canadian Citizenship Test

Canadian Symbols Flashcards

47 flashcards with the key facts of the chapter “Canadian Symbols”. Turn a card to see the answer.

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What is Canada's best-known symbol?

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  1. 1
    What is Canada's best-known symbol?
    Show answer
    The maple leaf is Canada's best-known symbol.
    Maple leaves were adopted as a symbol by French Canadians in the 1700s and have appeared on Canadian uniforms and insignia since the 1850s.
  2. 2
    What is the meaning of Canada's national motto, A mari usque ad mare?
    Show answer
    It is Latin for "from sea to sea."
    As an expression of national pride after the First World War, Canada adopted this official motto along with its coat of arms.
  3. 3
    What do the symbols on Canada's official coat of arms represent?
    Show answer
    The arms contain symbols of England, France, Scotland, and Ireland, as well as red maple leaves.
    The coat of arms can be seen on dollar bills, government documents, and public buildings.
  4. 4
    Which part of the Parliament Buildings is the only remaining piece from the original structure after the 1916 fire?
    Show answer
    The Library is the only part of the original building that survived the fire.
    The Centre Block was destroyed by an accidental fire in 1916 and was rebuilt in 1922. The Peace Tower was completed in 1927 in memory of the First World War.
  5. 5
    Who was the first member of the Canadian Corps not born in the British Empire to be awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.)?
    Show answer
    Corporal Filip Konowal, born in Ukraine, received the V.C. for his exceptional courage in the Battle of Hill 70 in 1917.
    The Victoria Cross is the highest honour available to Canadians, awarded for the most conspicuous bravery or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.
  6. 6
    What is Canada's official summer sport?
    Show answer
    Lacrosse is the official summer sport. It is an ancient sport first played by Aboriginal peoples.
  7. 7
    When was Canada's current national flag, featuring the maple leaf, first raised?
    Show answer
    A new Canadian flag was raised for the first time in 1965.
    The red-white-red pattern is based on the flag of the Royal Military College in Kingston. Red and white have been Canada's national colours since 1921.
  8. 8
    Who was the first black man to be awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.), Canada's highest honour?
    Show answer
    Able Seaman William Hall of Horton, Nova Scotia, was the first black man to be awarded the V.C.
    He received the award for his role in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
  9. 9
    Which animal, once a symbol of the Hudson's Bay Company, is featured on the Canadian five-cent coin?
    Show answer
    The beaver appears on the five-cent coin.
    This industrious rodent became an emblem of the St. Jean Baptiste Society in 1834 and is also on the coats of arms of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
  10. 10
    What are the three main objectives of the Official Languages Act passed in 1969?
    Show answer
    • Establish equality between French and English in government.
    • Maintain and develop official language minority communities.
    • Promote equality of French and English in Canadian society.
  11. 11
    What is considered to be Canada's national winter sport?
    Show answer
    Hockey is considered Canada's national winter sport.
    Ice hockey was developed in Canada in the 1800s. The National Hockey League plays for the championship Stanley Cup, donated by Lord Stanley, the Governor General, in 1892.
  12. 12
    What is the significance of the Peace Tower on the Parliament Buildings?
    Show answer
    It was completed in 1927 in memory of the First World War and contains the Books of Remembrance.
    The Memorial Chamber within the Tower contains the names of soldiers, sailors and airmen who died serving Canada in wars or while on duty.
  13. 13
    Who was the last Canadian to date to receive the Victoria Cross (V.C.)?
    Show answer
    Lieutenant Robert Hampton Gray, a navy pilot, was the last Canadian to receive the V.C.
    He was killed in August 1945 while bombing and sinking a Japanese warship, just a few days before the end of the Second World War.
  14. 14
    What does the Canadian Red Ensign represent in Canadian history?
    Show answer
    It served as the Canadian national flag for about 100 years before the current flag was adopted in 1965.
    Since 2005, the Canadian Red Ensign has been officially carried by veterans to honour their service.
  15. 15
    Which province adopted a flag in 1948 based on the Cross and the fleur-de-lys?
    Show answer
    Quebec adopted its own flag based on the Cross and the fleur-de-lys in 1948.
    The fleur-de-lys, a symbol of French royalty for over 1,000 years, was revived at Confederation and is a key element in Quebec's provincial flag.
  16. 16
    When was O Canada officially proclaimed as the national anthem?
    Show answer
    O Canada was proclaimed as the national anthem in 1980.
    Although it was first sung in Québec City in 1880, it took 100 years for it to become the official national anthem.
  17. 17
    From where does the red-white-red pattern of the Canadian national flag originate?
    Show answer
    The red-white-red pattern comes from the flag of the Royal Military College, Kingston, founded in 1876.
    Red and white had also been the national colours of Canada since 1921 before being featured on the new flag in 1965.
  18. 18
    For which sport is the Clarkson Cup awarded?
    Show answer
    The Clarkson Cup is awarded for women's hockey.
    The cup was established in 2005 by Adrienne Clarkson, the 26th Governor General of Canada.
  19. 19
    Who are exempted from the requirement of having adequate knowledge of English or French to become a Canadian citizen?
    Show answer
    Adult applicants 55 years of age or over are exempted from this requirement.
    While language proficiency is a key requirement for most applicants, an age-based exemption is provided in the citizenship rules.
  20. 20
    Who donated the Stanley Cup, the championship trophy for the National Hockey League, in 1892?
    Show answer
    Lord Stanley, the Governor General of Canada.
    The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America and is awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion.
  21. 21
    When was the Order of Canada, the country's own honours system, established?
    Show answer
    In 1967, to mark the centennial of Confederation.
    The Order of Canada was created to recognize outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation, replacing the previous reliance on British honours.
  22. 22
    Who was the first Canadian to be awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.)?
    Show answer
    Then Lieutenant Alexander Roberts Dunn.
    He received the V.C. for his actions during the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in 1854 during the Crimean War.
  23. 23
    The Quebec National Assembly building is an architectural treasure. In which style was it built?
    Show answer
    The French Second Empire style.
    This contrasts with the legislatures of other provinces, which often reflect Baroque, Romanesque, and neoclassical styles, highlighting Quebec's unique architectural heritage.
  24. 24
    What is the second most popular sport in Canada?
    Show answer
    Canadian football is the second most popular sport.
    While hockey is the most popular spectator sport, Canadian football ranks second in popularity among Canadians.
  25. 25
    The Parliament Buildings were largely destroyed by a fire in 1916. In what year was the rebuilt Centre Block completed?
    Show answer
    The rebuilt Centre Block was completed in 1922.
    An accidental fire destroyed the Centre Block in 1916. It was rebuilt in the same Gothic Revival style and completed in 1922. The Library is the only part of the original building that survived the fire.
  26. 26
    Besides the French Second Empire style of Quebec's legislature, what other architectural styles are reflected in the provincial legislatures of Canada?
    Show answer
    The legislatures of other provinces are built in Baroque, Romanesque and neoclassical styles.
    These architectural styles reflect the Greco-Roman heritage of Western civilization, where democracy originated.
  27. 27
    Who introduced the popular ice game of curling to Canada?
    Show answer
    Curling was introduced by Scottish pioneers.
  28. 28
    In which city and year was the song that would become Canada's national anthem, 'O Canada', first sung?
    Show answer
    It was first sung in Québec City in 1880.
    Although first sung in 1880, 'O Canada' was not proclaimed as the official national anthem until a century later, in 1980.
  29. 29
    What are Canada's two official languages, which are also important symbols of identity?
    Show answer
    English and French.
    The Official Languages Act was passed in 1969 to establish equality between French and English in Parliament and the Government of Canada.
  30. 30
    What major institutions of Canadian government and state does the Crown symbolize?
    Show answer
    The Crown symbolizes Parliament, the legislatures, the courts, police services, and the Canadian Forces.
    As a constitutional monarchy, the Crown has been a symbol of the state in Canada for 400 years and represents the continuity of government.
  31. 31
    The red and white in the Canadian flag have deep historical roots. In what year were they officially declared the national colours of Canada?
    Show answer
    Red and white were declared the national colours of Canada in 1921.
    These colours, which had been the colours of France and England since the Middle Ages, were adopted for Canada decades before the current national flag was raised in 1965.
  32. 32
    In 1834, the beaver became an emblem for which French-Canadian patriotic association?
    Show answer
    The St. Jean Baptiste Society.
    Long before being featured on the five-cent coin, the industrious beaver was adopted as a symbol by this important French-Canadian association.
  33. 33
    Captain Paul Triquet earned the Victoria Cross during the Second World War for leading an attack on which objective in Italy in 1943?
    Show answer
    He earned the V.C. for his leadership during the attack on Casa Berardi in Italy.
    Captain Triquet of Cabano, Quebec, earned Canada's highest honour for conspicuous bravery while leading his men and a handful of tanks during this difficult battle.
  34. 34
    What important items are contained within the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill?
    Show answer
    The Books of Remembrance, which list the names of Canadians who died serving in wars or while on duty.
    The Peace Tower was completed in 1927 as a memorial to the First World War. The Memorial Chamber is a solemn space within the tower dedicated to Canada's war dead.
  35. 35
    Who, as the 26th Governor General, established the Clarkson Cup for women's hockey in 2005?
    Show answer
    Adrienne Clarkson, who was also the first Governor General of Asian origin.
    While the Stanley Cup is awarded for men's professional hockey, the Clarkson Cup was created to be the equivalent championship trophy for women's hockey.
  36. 36
    During which war did the celebrated flying ace Captain Billy Bishop earn the Victoria Cross?
    Show answer
    The First World War.
    Captain Billy Bishop, born in Owen Sound, Ontario, earned the V.C. while serving in the Royal Flying Corps. He was later an honorary Air Marshal of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
  37. 37
    In what year did Queen Elizabeth II celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years as the Sovereign of Canada?
    Show answer
    In the year 2012.
    Queen Elizabeth II was Queen of Canada from 1952 until her death in 2022. She marked her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2002 and her Diamond Jubilee (60 years) in 2012.
  38. 38
    According to tradition, in what year did the French king adopt the lily flower ("fleur-de-lys") as a symbol?
    Show answer
    The year 496.
    The fleur-de-lys became the symbol of French royalty for over a millennium and was used in the colony of New France. It is now a key element in the flag of Quebec.
  39. 39
    Which sport in Canada has the most registered players?
    Show answer
    Soccer has the most registered players of any game in Canada.
    While hockey and lacrosse are Canada's official national sports for winter and summer respectively, soccer boasts the highest number of registered participants across the country.
  40. 40
    Canada's official coat of arms was adopted as an expression of national pride after which major conflict?
    Show answer
    Canada adopted its official coat of arms after the First World War.
    Following the significant contributions and sacrifices of the First World War, Canada sought to express its growing sense of national pride and identity by adopting its own official coat of arms and motto.
  41. 41
    The Canadian Red Ensign, which served as a national flag for about 100 years, has been officially carried by which group since 2005?
    Show answer
    The Canadian Red Ensign has been carried officially by veterans since 2005.
    In recognition of its historical significance and the service of those who fought under it, the Canadian Red Ensign was approved for use by veterans' associations for commemorative purposes.
  42. 42
    The guide identifies the "Snowbirds" as a Canadian icon. What is their official squadron designation?
    Show answer
    The Snowbirds' official designation is 431 Air Demonstration Squadron.
    The Snowbirds are the military aerobatics flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
  43. 43
    What is the official Royal Flag of Canada?
    Show answer
    The Union Jack is our official Royal Flag.
    The Union Jack reflects Canada's history as a constitutional monarchy and its ties to the Sovereign.
  44. 44
    The Parliament Buildings in Ottawa were built in an architectural style popular during Queen Victoria's time. What is this style called?
    Show answer
    Gothic Revival architecture.
    The towers, arches, and sculptures of the Parliament Buildings embody this style, which was popular when the original structures were completed in the 1860s.
  45. 45
    Able Seaman William Hall was the first black man to be awarded the Victoria Cross. For his role in which specific event was he awarded this honour?
    Show answer
    For his role in the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
    William Hall, whose parents were American slaves, demonstrated exceptional bravery during this siege, earning him Canada's highest honour for valour.
  46. 46
    When is Canada Day, the day celebrating the anniversary of Confederation, observed?
    Show answer
    July 1.
    Canada Day is a national public holiday marking the anniversary of the Constitution Act, 1867.
  47. 47
    According to the list of important dates, which day is designated to honour Canada's first Prime Minister, and when is it observed?
    Show answer
    Sir John A. Macdonald Day is observed on January 11.
    This day commemorates the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald, a Father of Confederation and the first Prime Minister of Canada.