Canadian Citizenship Test: English and French practice questions

English and French have equal status in Parliament and in the federal public service. One of them is enough for the citizenship language requirement. New Brunswick is the only province that gives both languages that status in its own government.

Question 1

The two languages with equal status in the federal Parliament are

  1. English and French
  2. English and Inuktitut
  3. French and Cree
  4. English and Spanish

Answer: English and French

English and French have equal status in Parliament and in the federal government. Inuktitut is a language of government in Nunavut, and Cree is widely spoken, but neither replaces French or English in the federal Parliament. Spanish is not a language of Parliament.

Question 2

Which province gives English and French equal status in its own legislature and government?

  1. British Columbia, because its capital is on an island
  2. New Brunswick
  3. Nunavut, which is a province
  4. Alberta, since 1867

Answer: New Brunswick

New Brunswick is the only province whose legislature and government work in both English and French, a status the Charter records. Nunavut is a territory, not a province. British Columbia's island capital and Alberta's date of joining do not decide language status.

Question 3

The languages Act passed in 1969 requires the federal government to

  1. replace English with French in Ontario schools
  2. make every municipal by-law bilingual
  3. provide federal services in English and French
  4. stop the use of English in Parliament

Answer: provide federal services in English and French

The 1969 Act requires federal institutions to serve the public in English and French. Provinces run schools, so Ontario's curriculum is not reset by that Act. Cities are not all required to write every by-law in both languages. Parliament continues to use English as well as French.