Close X
Friday, November 15, 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

Hot weekend weather sets record

Hot weekend weather sets record
The warm temperatures come a day after records were broken on Friday in cities like Victoria and Abbotsford. Temperatures Sunday afternoon have fallen below 28 degrees, with rain in the forecast Monday for several interior cities.

Hot weekend weather sets record

Body found in Vancouver blaze

Body found in Vancouver blaze
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services say they responded to a fire Saturday at 9:30 p-m on Dunlevy Avenue, in the back of the Asian Canadian Benevolent Association building. Police say they found the body of a 50-year-old man in the electrical room in the parking lot, where the fire is believed to have started accidentally.

Body found in Vancouver blaze

Flood watches around BC prompt evacuation orders

Flood watches around BC prompt evacuation orders
The Village of Cache Creek, nearly 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, has issued an evacuation order for a single property along the Trans Canada Highway due to an “existing or imminent” threat of flooding.

Flood watches around BC prompt evacuation orders

Avian flu at a poultry farm in BC

Avian flu at a poultry farm in BC
The agency says it will now set up additional primary control zones as needed around the infected zone, currently centred around the communities of Yarrow and Barrowtown 90 kilometres east of Vancouver. Since an outbreak began in 2022, H-5-N-1 has forced farms in B-C and across Canada to cull millions of birds when an infection is found.

Avian flu at a poultry farm in BC

Wildfires in BC put communities on alert

Wildfires in BC put communities on alert
The B-C Wildfire Service says the Dripping Water wildfire discovered on Thursday 600 kilometres north of Vancouver has now reached over 200 hectares. Meanwhile, the Lost Valley Road wildfire over 400 kilometres northeast of Vancouver discovered on Saturday has now reached over 100 hectares.  

Wildfires in BC put communities on alert

Abbotsford man charged for assaulting Uber Driver

Abbotsford man charged for assaulting Uber Driver
The Abbotsford Police Department says the Uber driver was injured and extremely shaken during an attack on April 18. Police say the investigation involved help from Uber and other law enforcement partners to identify a suspect.

Abbotsford man charged for assaulting Uber Driver