Can you Pass the Canadian Citizenship Test?

[theprestige]

Unless I'm considering emigrating to another country.

Anyway, my point is that knowing stuff is cool. It's its own reward. I don't know stuff because I want to show off to other people, I know stuff because learning new stuff is fun.

I'm sorry you can't see it like that.

I do see it like that. That's all it is, subjective entertainment. It's not practical. It's not good citizenship. It's not moral or intellectual superiority. It's not even cultural assimilation. It shouldn't be the basis for a citizenship test.

 

[arthwollipot]

I do see it like that. That's all it is, subjective entertainment. It's not practical. It's not good citizenship. It's not moral or intellectual superiority. It's not even cultural assimilation. It shouldn't be the basis for a citizenship test.

You don't think that in order to become a citizen of a country, one should know a few things about that country?

This is one of the few areas where random geographical trivia is practical.

 

[BazBear]

If you are thinking off leaving your current domocile and moving to Canada, you can practice the test here:

Canadian Citizenship Test

I just got 15 of 20 right! Not bad for a bloody Yank. It's good to know, just in case I need to take off to the great white north on or about 20 January 2025.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

What some people here are missing is the process leading up to the test.

The government suggests that every one who wants to take the test read the Study Guide – Discover Canada – The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship

You can read the whole thing here: Discover Canada. It is 68 pages long and covers a wide variety of topics (check the list of contents)

The actual test of twenty questions is a (presumably random) set of questions the answers of which are provided in the Study Guide. As the test taker does not know which questions will be asked, he/she will have to read (study, understand) the contents of the Guide. In doing so he/she will gain knowledge of all the contents of the Guide.

The test tests that you have read the Guide.

 

[arthwollipot]

Yeah it works the same way here too.

I just object to the idea that learning about the country you're applying for citizenship to is "useless trivia".

 

[theprestige]

Yeah it works the same way here too.

I just object to the idea that learning about the country you're applying for citizenship to is "useless trivia".

It's circular. The trivia you're expected to learn in order to pass the test is indeed useless for anything other than passing the test. That's why so many citizens forget about it the moment they graduate from middle school.

The entire premise is absurd. The makers of the Candian citizenship test assert that what makes a Canadian citizen is a headful of trivia that the majority lifelong Canadians have no use for. For the life of me I cannot understand why you're defending this.

 

[arthwollipot]

It's circular. The trivia you're expected to learn in order to pass the test is indeed useless for anything other than passing the test. That's why so many citizens forget about it the moment they graduate from middle school.

Okay. For a start, many countries don't even have "middle school" (mine doesn't) so you're showing your Americentric bias there. Second, who says they forget it? Show your data. Did you notice that I got 100% on my own citizenship test? There's one example of someone who learned stuff in school and didn't forget it. How did you go on your own? How much "useless trivia" do you know about your own country?

The entire premise is absurd. The makers of the Candian citizenship test assert that what makes a Canadian citizen is a headful of trivia that the majority lifelong Canadians have no use for. For the life of me I cannot understand why you're defending this.

Because my premise is that you are wrong and this is absolutely not "useless trivia" but important information that a citizen should know. This isn't "how many gigalitres is contained in Sydney Harbour?" but "what is the role of the Governor-General?" and "what is meant by the term 'freedom of expression'?" These are things that potential citizens should know in order to be good citizens.

I was about to go on a big rant about how being required to know some civics complements compulsory voting in Australia, but I thought better of it.

 

[theprestige]

Okay. For a start, many countries don't even have "middle school" (mine doesn't) so you're showing your Americentric bias there.

It's a figure of speech. Plus, people wear much more egregious national chauvinism on their sleeve as a point of pride around here. Stop whining.

Second, who says they forget it? Show your data.

It's right there in the OP. 75% of born Canadians can't pass their own citizenship test. Either the test isn't actually testing Canadianity, or Canadian primary education cold sucks.

Did you notice that I got 100% on my own citizenship test? There's one example of someone who learned stuff in school and didn't forget it.

Maybe Australia has a better school system than Canadia. Maybe Australia has a more realistic citizenship test. Maybe you're an outlier, and most Australians don't do much better than most Canadians.

How did you go on your own? How much "useless trivia" do you know about your own country?

I don't know, and I don't care. I learn and retain the trivia I do because it brings me personal satisfaction. I don't parade it around as a sign of intellectual superiority or good citizenship, because it's not.

And I learn and retain the useful knowledge I do because I have a pressing or recurring need of it. I have never had a pressing or recurring need to know the capital of the United States, even though it's a fact I happen to have retained.

Because my premise is that you are wrong and this is absolutely not "useless trivia" but important information that a citizen should know. This isn't "how many gigalitres is contained in Sydney Harbour?" but "what is the role of the Governor-General?" and "what is meant by the term 'freedom of expression'?" These are things that potential citizens should know in order to be good citizens.

It sounds like Australia might have a somewhat better test of citizenship than Canadia. On the other hand, when was the last time you had a pressing or recurring need to know off the top of your head what is meant by freedom of expression?

I was about to go on a big rant about how being required to know some civics complements compulsory voting in Australia, but I thought better of it.

I agree that knowing some civics should be a requirement for citizenship. Such doesn't seem to be the case in Canadia, where the majority of born citizens can't pass their own citizenship test. So either they're not being taught civics, or they're not being tested on civics, or both.

 

[arthwollipot]

Maybe Australia has a better school system than Canadia. Maybe Australia has a more realistic citizenship test. Maybe you're an outlier, and most Australians don't do much better than most Canadians.

I acknowledge that possibility, but a small amount of research suggests that most Australians can pass the citizenship test.

Incidentally, theprestige, I think you would have a good chance of passing this test. America and Australia, despite our friendly disagreements, do have broadly similar values. I'd be interested in seeing how you go.

 

[theprestige]

I acknowledge that possibility, but a small amount of research suggests that most Australians can pass the citizenship test.

That's good news.

Incidentally, the Australian Water Association lists the sydharb (PDF) as a conventional unit of measurement equaling about 500 gigaliters. I think a case could be made that it's a part of Australian cultural fabric that all "real" Australians should know about. I wouldn't make that case, but I could see it being made.

That is not something I will ever need to know for any practical reason, but I'll probably remember it for the rest of my life.

Incidentally, theprestige, I think you would have a good chance of passing this test. America and Australia, despite our friendly disagreements, do have broadly similar values. I'd be interested in seeing how you go.

I might take it, just to get some idea of how much of it is "useless trivia" and how much of it is serious civics.

 

[theprestige]

And the results are in! 80%, but missed too many "Australian values" questions to qualify for citizenship. It's probably for the best.

Here's the questions I missed, with their correct answers:

Question 2: What are the colours of the Australian Aboriginal Flag?

a. Black, red and yellow

Question 13: What is a referendum?

b. A vote to change the Australian Constitution

Question 15: Which of these is a role of the Governor-General?

b. Signing all Bills passed by the Australian Parliament into law

Question 17: Should people in Australia make an effort to learn English?

c. Yes, English is the national language of Australia and it helps to get an education, a job, and to integrate into the community​

I would say Questions 2, 13, and 15 are pretty low in practical value, at least to a non-Australian. Knowing the heraldry of ethnic groups within your country is probably more useful than not. Question 17 is obviously pretty important. I should have guessed that a nation with mandatory voting would also have an official language. What surprised me the most is that "referendum" is a term of art, denoting a very specific kind of vote, in Australia.

 

[arthwollipot]

And the results are in! 80%, but missed too many "Australian values" questions to qualify for citizenship. It's probably for the best.

Here's the questions I missed, with their correct answers:

Question 2: What are the colours of the Australian Aboriginal Flag?

a. Black, red and yellow

Question 13: What is a referendum?

b. A vote to change the Australian Constitution

Question 15: Which of these is a role of the Governor-General?

b. Signing all Bills passed by the Australian Parliament into law

Question 17: Should people in Australia make an effort to learn English?

c. Yes, English is the national language of Australia and it helps to get an education, a job, and to integrate into the community​

I would say Questions 2, 13, and 15 are pretty low in practical value, at least to a non-Australian. Knowing the heraldry of ethnic groups within your country is probably more useful than not. Question 17 is obviously pretty important. I should have guessed that a nation with mandatory voting would also have an official language. What surprised me the most is that "referendum" is a term of art, denoting a very specific kind of vote, in Australia.

The colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag probably wouldn't make much of an impact on you in America. We see it all over the place - especially here in the capital. 13 and 15 may be of little practical value to someone who is not intending to become a citizen, but I'd argue that they're important for someone who is. And I've only very recently realised that "referendum" isn't defined as a vote to change the constitution in other places. That was a surprise to me.

 

[Wildy]

And the results are in! 80%, but missed too many "Australian values" questions to qualify for citizenship. It's probably for the best.

Here's the questions I missed, with their correct answers:

Question 2: What are the colours of the Australian Aboriginal Flag?

a. Black, red and yellow

Question 13: What is a referendum?

b. A vote to change the Australian Constitution

Question 15: Which of these is a role of the Governor-General?

b. Signing all Bills passed by the Australian Parliament into law

Question 17: Should people in Australia make an effort to learn English?

c. Yes, English is the national language of Australia and it helps to get an education, a job, and to integrate into the community​

I would say Questions 2, 13, and 15 are pretty low in practical value, at least to a non-Australian.

Of the three, 2 is probably the most useful if you were to visit since you'd see the flag being flown in places.

For someone taking the test questions 13 and 15 are pretty important since they're about the political system. The Governor-General does other things as well, some of which show up on the news, so it's useful to know what that person does.

Knowing the heraldry of ethnic groups within your country is probably more useful than not.

If they wanted to make it harder they should have asked about the Torres Strait Islander flag.

Question 17 is obviously pretty important. I should have guessed that a nation with mandatory voting would also have an official language.

Australia doesn't have an official language. I'd say that the question exists there because in order to get by in most of the country you need to be able to understand English.

What surprised me the most is that "referendum" is a term of art, denoting a very specific kind of vote, in Australia.

It does make sense because non-Constitutional amendment referendums aren't compulsory. The last plebiscite we had was described as a "postal survey" because that's how it was conducted and only had a 79.52% turnout.

 

[theprestige]

Australia doesn't have an official language. I'd say that the question exists there because in order to get by in most of the country you need to be able to understand English.

If there's no official language, then this question and its "correct" answer seems heavily assimilationist.

It does make sense because non-Constitutional amendment referendums aren't compulsory. The last plebiscite we had was described as a "postal survey" because that's how it was conducted and only had a 79.52% turnout.

That is the most Australian thing I've read so far this year.

 

[arthwollipot]

If there's no official language, then this question and its "correct" answer seems heavily assimilationist.

Well, yeah. It is. This test has only been required since 2007, which was the very end of John Howard's Liberal government - as you know this is our conservative party. So the test was designed and implemented largely by white conservatives, which should tell you quite a bit.

 

[Wildy]

If there's no official language, then this question and its "correct" answer seems heavily assimilationist.

Yep. I actually had to stop and think about that question because they're asking for a definitive answer to an opinion based question.

While the answer they give makes sense considering ~97-99.9% of the Australian population won't be able to understand you it does run contrary to some things I've encountered about discriminatory behaviour in the past.

 

[malbui]

Some people think that if you're living in Toronto, you're not really living "in canada".

There is a certain undercurrent of resentment that many people feel towards Toronto, viewing the city as somehow "arrogant" and isolated from the rest of Canada. Of course the sports rivalries don't help things much either.

I have a couple of Canadian buddies I occasionally go to hockey with here in Geneva. They’re both from Montreal, so alongside telling me that European hockey is slow, sterile and pathetic*, they also tell me that Ontario is to be completely avoided.


* Although they force themselves to watch the games, eat melted cheese and drink plenty of cold lager.