Could you become a Canadian

[mykalberta]

19/20 - why is the leader of the official oppositions name in BC important.

What a joke.

MYK

[Frank the Tank]

I am shocked at how badly I did at that. I feel shame.

[OilersBaby]

I got 16/20.......the US one was much easier, but I haven't lived in Canada since 2000, so maybe that had to do with it..........also, I have NO clue what province has the most bilingual people, and also wtf is this question doing on a NATIONAL citizenship test? Thank goodness they didn't ask who the Governor of Nebraska was on the US Citizenship test! The Canadian one is hard!

Which political party is in power in British Columbia?
a. New Democratic Party.
b. Liberal Party.
c. Social Credit Party.
d. Green Party.

How am I supposed to know?

[Daradon]

My first girlfriend was Polish, I helped her study for the tests and even took (reaffirmed) the oath of citizenship with her.

I would recommend that to anyone, you can go reaffirm with any group (at least you could a few years ago). For people who are born here it's a good exercise and a eye opener, and even a little bit emotional. Well was for me. We can have a tendancy to take things for granted being born in thist country. When you hear some of the new citizens stories from their old countries, or why they choose to become a citizen it can really give you pause.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by OilersBaby

Which political party is in power in British Columbia?
a. New Democratic Party.
b. Liberal Party.
c. Social Credit Party.
d. Green Party.

How am I supposed to know?

Read the paper? Watch the news? I could name most of the ruling parties for all provinces without doing any research (which would obviously destroy the point of the test). Going into a test, I'd know all 12 easy.

Heck I know that the NDP ruled before the libs got in years ago in BC.

Took the test and I even got the BC official opposition leader correct. (What's with all the questions about BC?)

Got one wrong out of 20, I guess Quebec City counts as central Canada... who knew? (and not sure I agree )

[OilersBaby]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Read the paper? Watch the news? I could name most of the ruling parties for all provinces without doing any research (which would obviously destroy the point of the test). Going into a test, I'd know all 12 easy.

Heck I know that the NDP ruled before the libs got in years ago in BC.

Well, I live in the US and my newspaper/news doesn't give me that information. I'd have to go online and read Canadian news to find that information. It's prolly similar as if I asked you who the Governer of Kentucky was. How would u know, right? Same thing. If I lived in Canada and got the media coverage, Im sure I'd know cuz I care what goes on in the world. However, like I mentioned, the US media unfortunately does not provide you with such information as who the ruling party in a Canadian province is. I only know who the PM of Canada is cuz Im Canadian and American (I have dual)....Im thinking about 95% of the rest of the US couldnt name who the leader of Canada was, let alone the leader of a province.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by OilersBaby

Well, I live in the US and my newspaper/news doesn't give me that information. I'd have to go online and read Canadian news to find that information. It's prolly similar as if I asked you who the Governer of Kentucky was. How would u know, right? Same thing. If I lived in Canada and got the media coverage, Im sure I'd know cuz I care what goes on in the world. However, like I mentioned, the US media unfortunately does not provide you with such information as who the ruling party in a Canadian province is. I only know who the PM of Canada is cuz Im Canadian and American (I have dual)....Im thinking about 95% of the rest of the US couldnt name who the leader of Canada was, let alone the leader of a province.

Was not aware you lived in the U.S. Sorry.

If it really bothered or interested you, it would be fairly easy to look up though. I probably (99%) know and can name way more U.S. political figures then most Americans can. It's how much we look at the news and the world around us. Agreed, it's easier to get U.S. news in Canada than Canadian news in the States, but still, it's good to know about the world around you, regardless of what people around you know or don't know. We know the U.S. population in general is crap at knowing anything outside of the U.S. and pretty crap at knowing anything within the U.S. so that's not much of a comparison.

I agree it would be harder for you and wouldn't come up much. There would still be lots of ways to find out though if you wanted to keep in touch with your Canadian heritage.

[Devils'Advocate]

I got 19/20.

But I have an issue with some of the questions. Like "From which country did the first European settlers originate?". Doesn't building a whole village (L'Anse aux Meadows) count as having "settled"?

I agree.. the questions must come from B.C.. 99% of Canadians don't know which party is ruling in every party. Even less would know the name of the Official Opposition leader in each province.

[Superflyer]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I got 19/20.

But I have an issue with some of the questions. Like "From which country did the first European settlers originate?". Doesn't building a whole village (L'Anse aux Meadows) count as having "settled"?

That is one that always got me as well. In school they teach us that the vikings came here and set up villages in the Newfoundland area but they are never the ones that "settled" the area. That always goes to the British (or the French if you ask someone in Quebec). Even though they cames many many years before anyone else.

[Looger]

same old cultural filter - vikings are 'savages' and 'godless pagans' etc. so they didn't do sh*t.

in north america there have been bones discovered that are ~40,000 years old, that look like the ploynesian ainoo people in japan, who settled much of the planet riding major currents in stupid little reed boats that probably had a low survival rate - as one example of proof of people before the land bridge asians.

i just don't see all these theories as mutually exclusive - people came here, died out due to climate technology etc., and others came later - what's the big deal, we have to ignore all the land bridge proof now that it doesn't look like they were the first north americans? what horse sh*t.

EDIT: rant is in wrong thread, oops!!!

[burn_baby_burn]

I got three wrong. The one about the head of the oppositon in the BC legislature ( I had no clue and guessed), the one about the constitution (I should have know 1982, I watched in on TV, but I rushed and didn't read the question properly). I also got the bilingual one wrong. I would have guessed Quebec. But I thought that maybe it was Nova Scotia for some reason. Guess I woudn't be eligable to be a Canadain citizen if wasn't born here.

Actually I think some of the questions are meaningless. Really, does a person applying to be a Canadian citizen need to know things that the average Canadian doesn't even know them selves. Personally I feel that the geography and history questions are not that important. What would be most important to me, would be questions about Canadain values. Freedom of religion, speech. How our parlimentary government works. Questions of that nature.

[Ayrahb]

Actually, the BC politics thing is a part of the test AND MOST OF YOU FAILED.

Seriously though, Alberta residents would get the equivalent questions for Alberta. Come to think of it, Albertan applicants have it easy--it's a consistently one party ruling system.

And Shazam, your list of questions should include something about "homo" milk. I remember using that name for it in Philly stores just to see their reaction.

PS:In my opinion, the rights of citizenship (not to be confused with civil rights) should never be automatically granted in any country.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by OilersBaby

Well, I live in the US and my newspaper/news doesn't give me that information. I'd have to go online and read Canadian news to find that information. It's prolly similar as if I asked you who the Governer of Kentucky was. How would u know, right? Same thing. If I lived in Canada and got the media coverage, Im sure I'd know cuz I care what goes on in the world. However, like I mentioned, the US media unfortunately does not provide you with such information as who the ruling party in a Canadian province is. I only know who the PM of Canada is cuz Im Canadian and American (I have dual)....Im thinking about 95% of the rest of the US couldnt name who the leader of Canada was, let alone the leader of a province.

In my experience, most Americans don't know who the governor of Kentucky is either--unless they happen to live there.

I think the problem is that news coverage is less serious in the states. I mean the 24-hour news networks had wall-to-wall coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's death for like 6 days. My students don't have a clue about their own history and geography. I sometimes remark on the irony that I, a Canadian, am teaching them an American literary history class.....

[peter12]

Perfect score! I guess my Political Science degree is good for something.

[nfotiu]

Would many British Columbians even know this one:
What is the name of the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia?

[Ayrahb]

Things to know about your region (from CIC's website):

Section II. Questions about your region

1. What is the capital city of the province or territory in which you live?
   
   
2. List three natural resources important to your region’s economy today.
   
   
3. Who is your city councillor, alderperson, reeve or regional councillor?
   
   
4. What is the name of your mayor?
   
   
5. What is the name of your provincial representative (member of the Legislative Assembly, member of the provincial Parliament, member of the National Assembly or member of the House of Assembly)?
   
   
6. What is the name of the premier of your province or territory?
   
   
7. Which political party is in power in your province or territory?
   
   
8. What is the name of the leader of the opposition in your province?
   
   
9. What is the name of your lieutenant governor or commissioner?

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by SaskaBushFire

20/20 Imo it needs to be harder.

20/20 as well. And why does it need to be harder? You're from here, of course youre going to know it all. For someone new coming to the country, its hard enough. Actually if anything its almost too hard. There were alot of regional Q's in there. What else do you feel they need to know that theyre not getting in this test??

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

20/20 as well. And why does it need to be harder? You're from here, of course youre going to know it all. For someone new coming to the country, its hard enough. Actually if anything its almost too hard. There were alot of regional Q's in there. What else do you feel they need to know that theyre not getting in this test??

I think the test is really easy and the questions almost answer themselves in most cases. The whole LG of BC and Leader of the official opposition of BC - if I lived in BC I would know that, I barely remember the name of the leader of the official opposition in Alberta.

I am aware of the leaders names across the country and their party but the official opposition leader's name in Manitoba - who the frack knows.

MYK

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Ayrahb

And Shazam, your list of questions should include something about "homo" milk. I remember using that name for it in Philly stores just to see their reaction.

My brother and sister used to laugh over this all the time. I still see kids laugh about this in the grocery store.

[OilersBaby]

Originally Posted by Ayrahb

And Shazam, your list of questions should include something about "homo" milk.

Hahaha my sis and I (she lives in San Francisco, I live in San Jose) still refer to it as homo milk when we're talking to each other. Since we often sleep over at each others houses and have friends over also, everyone's always like wtf did you just call that milk? Considering the large homosexual population in the San Francisco/San Jose area, people sometimes take offense to it or else they just laugh. Why do Canadians (and hey, Im one of them too) call whole milk "homo milk". Isn't all milk homogenized?