1. What is the maximum length of time between federal elections in Canada?

• a) 3 years
• b) 4 years
• c) 5 years
• d) 6 years

2. What type of electoral system does Canada use for federal elections?

• a) Proportional representation
• b) Ranked-choice voting
• c) First-past-the-post
• d) Mixed-member proportional

3. Who is eligible to vote in Canadian federal elections?

• a) Any resident of Canada
• b) Canadian citizens 16 years of age and older
• c) Canadian citizens 18 years of age and older
• d) Permanent residents of Canada

4. Which institution is responsible for overseeing federal elections in Canada?

• a) The Canadian Electoral Commission
• b) Elections Canada
• c) Parliament of Canada
• d) The Governor General

5. Which of the following political parties has never formed a government at the federal level?

• a) Liberal Party
• b) Conservative Party
• c) New Democratic Party (NDP)
• d) Bloc Québécois

6. In what year did women gain the right to vote in federal elections across Canada (excluding Indigenous women)?

• a) 1916
• b) 1918
• c) 1920
• d) 1940

7. What is the role of the Governor General in Canadian federal elections?

• a) Organizes and oversees elections
• b) Declares the results of elections
• c) Dissolves Parliament and calls an election
• d) Counts and certifies votes

8. Which Prime Minister won the most federal elections in Canadian history?

• a) John A. Macdonald
• b) Pierre Trudeau
• c) William Lyon Mackenzie King
• d) Stephen Harper

9. In a minority government, which of the following must happen for the government to continue?

• a) The Prime Minister must win an election every year
• b) The Prime Minister’s party must have over 50% of the seats in the House of Commons
• c) The government must maintain the confidence of the House of Commons
• d) The government must win a referendum

10. How many seats are there in the House of Commons as of the 2021 federal election?

• a) 300
• b) 338
• c) 400
• d) 435

11. What is a “writ of election” in Canadian federal elections?

• a) A document that declares the winner of an election
• b) A legal order to hold an election
• c) A form voters sign before casting their ballot
• d) A certificate given to newly elected Members of Parliament

12. How long is the official campaign period for Canadian federal elections?

• a) 30 days
• b) 50 days
• c) 78 days
• d) It varies, but is usually between 36 and 50 days

13. Which Prime Minister famously said, “Just watch me,” in response to a question about how far he would go during the October Crisis?

• a) John Diefenbaker
• b) Pierre Trudeau
• c) Jean Chrétien
• d) Brian Mulroney

14. What happens if two parties have the same number of seats after a federal election?

• a) The Governor General decides who becomes Prime Minister
• b) A second election is held
• c) The party with the most votes overall wins
• d) The Speaker of the House breaks the tie

15. Which Canadian federal election saw the highest voter turnout in history?

• a) 1958
• b) 1963
• c) 1984
• d) 1972

---

Answer Key:

1. c) 5 years
2. c) First-past-the-post
3. c) Canadian citizens 18 years of age and older
4. b) Elections Canada
5. d) Bloc Québécois
6. b) 1918
7. c) Dissolves Parliament and calls an election
8. c) William Lyon Mackenzie King
9. c) The government must maintain the confidence of the House of Commons
10. b) 338
11. b) A legal order to hold an election
12. d) It varies, but is usually between 36 and 50 days
13. b) Pierre Trudeau
14. a) The Governor General decides who becomes Prime Minister
15. a) 1958