S
shibuya
Guest
Adults applying for Canadian citizenship are required to demonstrate “an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship”. This knowledge is demonstrated through a 30-minute test that is known as the “Citizenship Test”. The test contains 20 questions, of which applicants must answer 15 correctly. In November, 2009, the Conservative government introduced a new citizenship study guide called Discover Canada: the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. In March, 2010, a new test was introduced to reflect Discover Canada. This test was much harder than the previous one, and test-takers were required to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the political, geographical, and cultural characteristics of Canada. As the test was more difficult, the pass-rate predictably fell.
On September 30, 2010, the government amended the Citizenship Regulations to introduce further changes to the citizenship test. Pursuant to the amendments, the “rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship” will now be tested.
The Amendments
Previously, the relevant portion of the Citizenship Regulations read:
15. The criteria for determining whether a person has an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship are that, based on questions prepared by the Minister, the person has a general understanding of
(a) the right to vote in federal, provincial and municipal elections and the right to run for elected office;
(b) enumerating and voting procedures related to elections; and
(c) one of the following topics, to be included at random in the questions prepared by the Minister, namely,
(i) the chief characteristics of Canadian social and cultural history,
(ii) the chief characteristics of Canadian political history,
(iii) the chief characteristics of Canadian physical and political geography, or
(iv) the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, other than those referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b).
Pursuant to the amendments, the section now reads:
15. (1) A person is considered to have an adequate knowledge of Canada if they demonstrate, based on their responses to questions prepared by the Minister, that they know the national symbols of Canada and have a general understanding of the following subjects:
(a) the chief characteristics of Canadian political and military history;
(b) the chief characteristics of Canadian social and cultural history;
(c) the chief characteristics of Canadian physical and political geography;
(d) the chief characteristics of the Canadian system of government as a constitutional monarchy; and
(e) characteristics of Canada other than those referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d).
(2) A person is considered to have an adequate knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship if they demonstrate, based on their responses to questions prepared by the Minister, that they have a general understanding of the following subjects:
(a) participation in the Canadian democratic process;
(b) participation in Canadian society, including volunteerism, respect for the environment and the protection of Canada’s natural, cultural and architectural heritage;
(c) respect for the rights, freedoms and obligations set out in the laws of Canada; and
(d) the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship other than those referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).
Analysis
So what’s new?
First, as has become the fashion with the Conservative government, the test for determining adequate knowledge of Canada and the test for determining awareness of the privileges of citizenship have been broken out into two sections. This undoubtedly improves clarity and is more reflective of the corresponding provision in the Citizenship Act.
Second, the amount of testable subjects to determine “knowledge of Canada” has been expanded upon. While potential citizens previously essentially only had to understand the voting system and one other characteristic of Canadian history as enumerated in s. 15(c), the regulations suggest that they will now be expected to know all the topics contained in Discover Canada. As well, new topics have been added. Prospective citizens will be expected to know key points about Canadian military history and to know the characteristics of Canada’s system of government as a constitutional monarchy. Personally, I can’t wait to see a question asking “In 2008, which Prime Minister prorogued Parliament to avoid the prospect of a coalition government?”
Third, the test for determining the “responsibilities and privileges of citizenship” have also been expanded upon. When the “Strengthening the Value of Canadian Citizenship Act” was introduced, I commented on how I thought that the Bill’s title completely misunderstood how citizenship is valued by prospective immigrants, and, indeed, probably by most Canadians. I argued that the value of Canadian citizenship wasn’t determined by difficult it was to obtain, but rather by how strong Canada’s economy and how greatly are individual liberties are protected. I have a similar issue with the “responsibilities and privileges of citizenship” section. Previously, this meant testing voting and an understanding of Canada’s electoral system. Now, a plethora of new subjects from volunteerism and architecture are introduced. Since when is volunteerism and the protection of Canada’s architectural heritage a feature of being a Canadian citizen? Personally, I think the old system of testing an understanding of the democratic process, the ability in which to participate in is what distinguishes citizens from permanent and temporary residents, is the only topic that should be tested under the “rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship section”.
Mandatory Questions Removed
Previously, the citizenship test contained certain mandatory questions which needed to be answered correctly by applicants in order to pass. These questions tested the applicant’s knowledge of “the right to vote”, the “right to run for elected office”, and “voting procedures related to elections”. Remarkably, these three questions, which I believe are the only true questions that test an understanding of the rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship, are no longer mandatory.
Applicants who have failed the test for incorrectly answering one (or more) of the mandatory questions, and who have as of October 14th have not yet been scheduled for a hearing or retest will no longer need to re-write the test, and will instead be referred to a citizenship judge.
Applicants who have failed the test for incorrectly answering one (or more) of the mandatory questions and who as of October 14th have been scheduled for a retest will also no longer have to have to re-write the test.
Where a hearing resulting from a re-test has been scheduled, then the citizenship judge will decide whether they will conduct a paper review or proceed with a full hearing.
On September 30, 2010, the government amended the Citizenship Regulations to introduce further changes to the citizenship test. Pursuant to the amendments, the “rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship” will now be tested.
The Amendments
Previously, the relevant portion of the Citizenship Regulations read:
15. The criteria for determining whether a person has an adequate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship are that, based on questions prepared by the Minister, the person has a general understanding of
(a) the right to vote in federal, provincial and municipal elections and the right to run for elected office;
(b) enumerating and voting procedures related to elections; and
(c) one of the following topics, to be included at random in the questions prepared by the Minister, namely,
(i) the chief characteristics of Canadian social and cultural history,
(ii) the chief characteristics of Canadian political history,
(iii) the chief characteristics of Canadian physical and political geography, or
(iv) the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, other than those referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b).
Pursuant to the amendments, the section now reads:
15. (1) A person is considered to have an adequate knowledge of Canada if they demonstrate, based on their responses to questions prepared by the Minister, that they know the national symbols of Canada and have a general understanding of the following subjects:
(a) the chief characteristics of Canadian political and military history;
(b) the chief characteristics of Canadian social and cultural history;
(c) the chief characteristics of Canadian physical and political geography;
(d) the chief characteristics of the Canadian system of government as a constitutional monarchy; and
(e) characteristics of Canada other than those referred to in paragraphs (a) to (d).
(2) A person is considered to have an adequate knowledge of the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship if they demonstrate, based on their responses to questions prepared by the Minister, that they have a general understanding of the following subjects:
(a) participation in the Canadian democratic process;
(b) participation in Canadian society, including volunteerism, respect for the environment and the protection of Canada’s natural, cultural and architectural heritage;
(c) respect for the rights, freedoms and obligations set out in the laws of Canada; and
(d) the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship other than those referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c).
Analysis
So what’s new?
First, as has become the fashion with the Conservative government, the test for determining adequate knowledge of Canada and the test for determining awareness of the privileges of citizenship have been broken out into two sections. This undoubtedly improves clarity and is more reflective of the corresponding provision in the Citizenship Act.
Second, the amount of testable subjects to determine “knowledge of Canada” has been expanded upon. While potential citizens previously essentially only had to understand the voting system and one other characteristic of Canadian history as enumerated in s. 15(c), the regulations suggest that they will now be expected to know all the topics contained in Discover Canada. As well, new topics have been added. Prospective citizens will be expected to know key points about Canadian military history and to know the characteristics of Canada’s system of government as a constitutional monarchy. Personally, I can’t wait to see a question asking “In 2008, which Prime Minister prorogued Parliament to avoid the prospect of a coalition government?”
Third, the test for determining the “responsibilities and privileges of citizenship” have also been expanded upon. When the “Strengthening the Value of Canadian Citizenship Act” was introduced, I commented on how I thought that the Bill’s title completely misunderstood how citizenship is valued by prospective immigrants, and, indeed, probably by most Canadians. I argued that the value of Canadian citizenship wasn’t determined by difficult it was to obtain, but rather by how strong Canada’s economy and how greatly are individual liberties are protected. I have a similar issue with the “responsibilities and privileges of citizenship” section. Previously, this meant testing voting and an understanding of Canada’s electoral system. Now, a plethora of new subjects from volunteerism and architecture are introduced. Since when is volunteerism and the protection of Canada’s architectural heritage a feature of being a Canadian citizen? Personally, I think the old system of testing an understanding of the democratic process, the ability in which to participate in is what distinguishes citizens from permanent and temporary residents, is the only topic that should be tested under the “rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship section”.
Mandatory Questions Removed
Previously, the citizenship test contained certain mandatory questions which needed to be answered correctly by applicants in order to pass. These questions tested the applicant’s knowledge of “the right to vote”, the “right to run for elected office”, and “voting procedures related to elections”. Remarkably, these three questions, which I believe are the only true questions that test an understanding of the rights and privileges of Canadian citizenship, are no longer mandatory.
Applicants who have failed the test for incorrectly answering one (or more) of the mandatory questions, and who have as of October 14th have not yet been scheduled for a hearing or retest will no longer need to re-write the test, and will instead be referred to a citizenship judge.
Applicants who have failed the test for incorrectly answering one (or more) of the mandatory questions and who as of October 14th have been scheduled for a retest will also no longer have to have to re-write the test.
Where a hearing resulting from a re-test has been scheduled, then the citizenship judge will decide whether they will conduct a paper review or proceed with a full hearing.