What is the upper house of Canada’s federal legislature called?
a) House of Commons
b) House of Lords
c) Senate
d) Parliament
Answer: c
How many senators are there in the Canadian Senate?
a) 50
b) 75
c) 100
d) 125
Answer: c
What is the role of the Senate in the legislative process?
a) To propose and pass bills
b) To represent the executive branch
c) To review and amend bills
d) To appoint the Prime Minister
Answer: c
How are senators appointed to the Canadian Senate?
a) By the Governor General
b) By the House of Commons
c) By the Prime Minister
d) By direct election
Answer: a
What is the retirement age for senators in Canada?
a) 65
b) 70
c) 75
d) There is no mandatory retirement age
Answer: d
How long is the term of a Canadian senator?
a) 4 years
b) 6 years
c) 8 years
d) Until the age of 75
Answer: d
Who has the authority to fill Senate vacancies in Canada?
a) The Prime Minister
b) The Governor General
c) The Speaker of the Senate
d) The Chief Justice of Canada
Answer: b
What is the primary role of the Senate in representing the interests of different regions?
a) Advocating for provinces’ independence
b) Protecting the rights of minorities
c) Advancing the Prime Minister’s agenda
d) Reviewing international treaties
Answer: b
How does the distribution of Senate seats work among Canada’s provinces and territories?
a) Each province and territory has an equal number of seats
b) Seats are distributed based on population size
c) Seats are distributed based on land area
d) Seats are distributed based on economic strength
Answer: b
What is the primary function of the Speaker of the Senate?
a) To cast tie-breaking votes
b) To propose and draft legislation
c) To represent the Senate to the public
d) To preside over Senate debates
Answer: d
What is the official residence of the Speaker of the Senate?
a) 24 Sussex Drive
b) Stornoway
c) Rideau Hall
d) None, the Speaker does not have an official residence
Answer: d
Which of the following is NOT a qualification to be appointed as a senator in Canada?
a) Canadian citizenship
b) Residency in the province or territory they represent
c) Minimum age of 30
d) Membership in a political party
Answer: d
How does the Canadian Senate ensure representation of Indigenous peoples?
a) By appointing Indigenous senators
b) By reserving a fixed number of seats for Indigenous peoples
c) By allowing Indigenous chiefs to serve as senators
d) By allocating seats based on Indigenous population size
Answer: a
What is the purpose of a “whip” in the Senate?
a) To lead the opposition party
b) To maintain party discipline and ensure attendance
c) To chair Senate committees
d) To draft legislation
Answer: b
How does the Canadian Senate contribute to the legislative process?
a) By introducing bills and debating them
b) By proposing constitutional amendments
c) By approving the federal budget
d) By representing Canada in international negotiations
Answer: a
What is the principle that underlies the appointment of senators to represent different regions and interests?
a) Territorial integrity
b) Equality of provinces
c) Regional proportionality
d) Representation by population
Answer: c
How does the Senate contribute to the “sober second thought” in the legislative process?
a) By quickly passing bills without debate
b) By conducting thorough reviews and amendments of bills
c) By advocating for the government’s position
d) By engaging in partisan debates
Answer: b
Which political party currently forms the government in the Senate?
a) Liberal Party
b) Conservative Party
c) New Democratic Party (NDP)
d) Green Party
Answer: b
Who is responsible for the selection of the government leader in the Senate?
a) The Prime Minister
b) The Speaker of the Senate
c) The opposition party leader
d) The Governor General
Answer: a
What is the main difference between the Canadian Senate and the House of Commons?
a) Senators are appointed, while members of the House of Commons are elected
b) Senators have longer terms than members of the House of Commons
c) Senators represent provinces, while members of the House of Commons represent ridings
d) Senators have more legislative power than members of the House of Commons
Answer: a
What is the term for the practice of delaying or obstructing the passage of legislation through lengthy speeches and debates?
a) Filibuster
b) Veto
c) Adjournment
d) Override
Answer: a
Which of the following is a role of the Canadian Senate in the constitutional amendment process?
a) Initiating constitutional amendments
b) Approving constitutional amendments
c) Declaring constitutional amendments unconstitutional
d) Proposing changes to the constitution
Answer: b
What is the maximum number of senators that a province or territory can have?
a) 12
b) 24
c) 36
d) There is no maximum limit
Answer: b
What is the term for a bill that is passed by both the Senate and the House of Commons and has received royal assent?
a) Draft bill
b) Proposed bill
c) Green bill
d) Enacted bill
Answer: d
What is the role of the Senate in the event of a deadlock between the two houses of Parliament?
a) The Senate has the final say on all matters
b) The Senate casts a tie-breaking vote
c) The Senate can override the decisions of the House of Commons
d) The Senate acts as a mediator and seeks compromise
Answer: d
Which of the following statements accurately describes the principle of “responsible government?
a) The Senate is responsible for the executive branch
b) The government is accountable to the Senate
c) The government is accountable to the House of Commons
d) The government is accountable to the judicial branch
Answer: c
What is the term for a senator who is not a member of a recognized political party?
a) Independent senator
b) Opposition senator
c) Government senator
d) Elected senator
Answer: a
In the case of a tied vote in the Senate, what action is taken?
a) The Speaker of the Senate casts the deciding vote
b) The bill is automatically rejected
c) The Prime Minister casts the deciding vote
d) The bill is referred back to the House of Commons
Answer: d
How does the Senate contribute to the examination of government spending and finances?
a) By introducing budget bills
b) By allocating funds to provinces
c) By reviewing and approving the federal budget
d) By determining the salaries of government officials
Answer: c
Which principle reflects the idea that the Senate serves as a “sober second thought” by carefully reviewing legislation?
a) Parliamentary sovereignty
b) Responsible government
c) Division of powers
d) Bicameralism
Answer: d
Who represents the interests of the Crown in the Senate?
a) The Prime Minister
b) The Governor General
c) The Speaker of the Senate
d) The Chief Justice of Canada
Answer: b
What is the term for the process of a senator formally expressing their disagreement with a bill or motion?
a) Disapproval
b) Veto
c) Objection
d) Dissent
Answer: d
Which of the following is a duty of the Senate’s Committee of the Whole?
a) Drafting legislation
b) Reviewing international treaties
c) Debating legislation clause by clause
d) Advising the Prime Minister
Answer: c
What is the term for a senator who leads a committee in the Senate?
a) Chairperson
b) Speaker
c) Moderator
d) Convener
Answer: a
How does the Senate contribute to the scrutiny of government appointments, such as judges and senior officials?
a) By nominating candidates for appointment
b) By reviewing and approving appointments
c) By advising the Prime Minister on appointments
d) By conducting interviews with candidates
Answer: b
In the context of the Senate, what is a “confidence bill”?
a) A bill that has the support of the majority of senators
b) A bill that requires royal assent to become law
c) A bill that relates to matters of national security
d) A bill that, if defeated, may lead to the fall of the government
Answer: d
Which principle is associated with the Senate’s role in representing the interests of regions and minorities?
a) Bicameralism
b) Division of powers
c) Representation by population
d) Equalization payments
Answer: a
What is the term for a senator who holds a specific portfolio or area of responsibility within a political party?
a) Whip
b) Minister
c) Cabinet member
d) Caucus leader
Answer: a
How does the Senate participate in the passage of money bills?
a) The Senate has exclusive authority over money bills
b) The Senate must approve money bills before they become law
c) The Senate has no role in the passage of money bills
d) The Senate reviews money bills but cannot amend them
Answer: b
What is the term for a senator who is a member of the governing political party?
a) Government senator
b) Opposition senator
c) Independent senator
d) Crossbench senator
Answer: a
What is the significance of the “LaFontaine-Baldwin” arrangement in the early Canadian Senate?
a) It established the division of powers between federal and provincial governments
b) It ensured that senators were elected by the people
c) It promoted bilingualism and representation of French and English cultures
d) It introduced the practice of voting by secret ballot in the Senate
Answer: c
Which of the following statements accurately describes the role of the Senate in constitutional matters?
a) The Senate has the final say on all constitutional matters
b) The Senate can unilaterally amend the constitution
c) The Senate plays a consultative role in constitutional amendments
d) The Senate is excluded from the constitutional amendment process
Answer: c
Who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Speaker?
a) The Prime Minister
b) The Governor General
c) The Deputy Speaker
d) The Leader of the Opposition
Answer: c
How can a senator be removed from the Canadian Senate?
a) By the Prime Minister’s request
b) By resignation only
c) By the decision of the Senate
d) By a judicial court ruling
Answer: c
Which principle ensures that the Canadian Senate and the House of Commons must both agree to pass legislation?
a) Bicameralism
b) Division of powers
c) Territorial integrity
d) Responsible government
Answer: a
What is the term for a bill that has been defeated in the Senate?
a) Failed bill
b) Rejected bill
c) Discarded bill
d) Expired bill
Answer: b
How does the Senate contribute to the protection of minority rights and interests?
a) By having the power to dissolve the House of Commons
b) By holding veto power over House of Commons decisions
c) By proposing constitutional amendments
d) By reviewing and amending legislation with a regional perspective
Answer: d
Which Canadian Prime Minister introduced a Senate appointment process involving public consultations and advisory panels?
a) Pierre Trudeau
b) Brian Mulroney
c) Stephen Harper
d) Justin Trudeau
Answer: d
What is the term for the practice of senators voting along party lines rather than based on their individual beliefs?
a) Partisanship
b) Independency
c) Crossbench voting
d) Non-affiliation
Answer: a
How does the Senate contribute to the examination of international treaties and agreements?
a) By drafting and negotiating treaties
b) By voting on treaties before they are ratified
c) By granting royal assent to treaties
d) By conducting public referendums on treaties
Answer: b
