Close X
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
ADVT 
National

Think you could pass the citizenship test? Poll shows most Canadians would flunk

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Jun, 2023 10:07 AM
  • Think you could pass the citizenship test? Poll shows most Canadians would flunk

Canadians' hearts may be brimming with pride as Canada Day approaches, but a new poll suggests their minds aren't full of the knowledge needed to pass a citizenship test.

In a survey of 1,512 Canadian adults, Leger found that only 23 per cent would pass the citizenship test, based on their answers to 10 randomly selected questions.

People who wish to become Canadian need to answer 20 questions about citizens' rights and responsibilities, as well as Canada's history, geography, economy, government, laws and symbols.

They need to score at least 75 per cent to pass, but the average score of the Canadians who were surveyed was only 49 per cent.

The questions focused on things like famous Canadians (Who is John Buchan?), history (Who established the first European settlements in Canada?) and national symbols (Whose portrait is on the Canadian $10 bill?).

The correct answers, for those struggling along with most survey respondents, are: a popular governor general, the French and Viola Desmond.

History questions seemed to trip up respondents the most: For example, only 24 per cent knew that the House of Commons recognized in 2006 that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada.

Only 29 per cent knew the Constitutional Act granted legislative assemblies elected by the people, and only 41 per cent knew that English settlement began in 1610.

They fared slightly better when it came to national symbols and influential people: 49 per cent knew that Marjorie Turner-Bailey is an Olympian and descendant of black loyalists, and 42 per cent recognized Canada's motto, "From sea to sea."

Most Canadians were also in-the-know about the main groups of Indigenous Peoples in the country, with 79 per cent correctly identifying First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

People in Western Canada scored slightly better than their East Coast counterparts, with average scores in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia at 50 per cent.

Those in Atlantic Canada scored the lowest, with a 44 per cent on average.

When the results were broken down by political affiliations, People's Party of Canada supporters had the lowest average score at 47 per cent, while people who vote for the Bloc Québécois scored the highest, at 51 per cent.

There was one question most people seemed to have no problem answering: 81 per cent said they were proud to be Canadian.

The poll cannot be assigned a margin of error because online surveys are not considered truly random samples.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Coyote killed after attack on two-year-old child in Port Coquitlam, B.C., park

Coyote killed after attack on two-year-old child in Port Coquitlam, B.C., park
 The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says on Twitter that the attack happened Wednesday after 8 p.m. at Lions Park near the town centre. The service says the public should not feed dangerous wildlife under any circumstances, and violators will incur "enforcement action as warranted." 

Coyote killed after attack on two-year-old child in Port Coquitlam, B.C., park

Former NDP minister joins BC United

Former NDP minister joins BC United
Harry Lali, who was a transportation and highways minister in the late 1990s for the New Democrats, says the N-D-P is now an urban interest party with little focus on issues and challenges facing rural communities.

Former NDP minister joins BC United

Drugs, guns, counterfeit cash seizure: Metro Transit Police

Drugs, guns, counterfeit cash seizure: Metro Transit Police
Police say they seized 10 firearms, 38-hundred rounds of ammunition, illicit drugs, 50-thousand-dollars in counterfeit cash, and a Mercedes believed to have been purchased using criminal proceeds.  

Drugs, guns, counterfeit cash seizure: Metro Transit Police

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in Japan

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in Japan
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is in Niigata, Japan for a G-7 finance ministers' meeting that will discuss ways to support Ukraine and pressure Russia to end the war. Ukraine's finance minister is taking part online in the first session.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in Japan

Indian authorities aim to have Canadians sent to face charges in border deaths

Indian authorities aim to have Canadians sent to face charges in border deaths
Chaitanya Mandlik, deputy commissioner of police for Ahmedabad's crime branch in the state of Gujarat, said authorities are looking to send Vancouver residents Fenil Patel and Bitta Singh, who also goes by Bittu Paji, to face charges in India. 

Indian authorities aim to have Canadians sent to face charges in border deaths

Uber gets the green light for Victoria and Kelowna

Uber gets the green light for Victoria and Kelowna
The board rejected Uber's application for launching in Victoria and Kelowna several years ago, at the same time the tribunal approved the company to operated in the Lower Mainland.

Uber gets the green light for Victoria and Kelowna