Instructions: For each question, click on the radio button beside your answer. When you have completed the entire quiz, click the “Submit my answers” button at the bottom of the page to receive your results.

Question 1:

In matters such as the selection of the Prime Minister and the dissolution of Parliament, ________ is infinitely more important than the discretion of the monarch.
a) constitutional convention
b) consultation with an advisory board
c) good knowledge of Canada’s party system
d) the opinion of citizens
e) both b and c

Question 2:

The role of the monarchy in Canada’s system of government is best described as ________.
a) activist
b) advisory
c) symbolic
d) mentoring
e) legislative

Question 3:

The role of the Prime Minister and cabinet is best described as ________.
a) central—they are at the centre of the policy-making process
b) advisory—they act as advisors to Parliament
c) liaising—they liaise between the federal government and the provinces
d) intermediary—they take orders from the monarch
e) symbolic—they do not affect the day-to-day workings of Parliament

Question 4:

Cabinet ministers are typically ________.
a) senators
b) career bureaucrats
c) private citizens
d) the monarch’s top officials
e) members of the House of Commons

Question 5:

The Privy Council is essentially made up of ________.
a) the Prime Minister’s office
b) the cabinet, under Prime Minister’s leadership
c) the Governor General’s office
d) the senators who belong to the same party as the government
e) officers appointed by the Governor General

Question 6:

The Prime Minister does not have the power to ________.
a) appoint provincial premiers
b) appoint members to cabinet
c) appoint deputy ministers
d) decide when a new election will be held
e) appoint judges

Question 7:

________ is not an important source of prime ministerial power.
a) The preamble of the Constitution
b) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms
c) Statute law
d) Conventions
e) All of the above are important sources of prime ministerial power

Question 8:

Each new session of Parliament begins with ________.
a) the swearing in of the Prime Minister and cabinet
b) the election of the party whips
c) the election of the Speaker of the House
d) the Budget Speech
e) the Speech from the Throne

Question 9:

Central agencies are ________.
a) the administrative offices of the Governor General
b) the original Crown Corporations
c) the offices of Supreme Court judges
d) the units of support of cabinet’s decision-making activities
e) the arms of the Department of Finance

Question 10:

________ is not one of the central agencies of the Canadian bureaucracy.
a) The Department of Finance
b) The Special Committee of Council
c) The Treasury Board Secretariat
d) The Prime Minister’s Office
e) The Privy Council Office

Question 11:

The Department of Finance is able to influence the entire spectrum of government policy through its role in ________.
a) advising the opposition parties on economic policy
b) the annual formulation of the expenditure budget
c) the formulation of the governing party’s electoral platform
d) advising the Governor General on financial matters
e) managing the Canada Health Transfer program

Question 12:

The Privy Council Office is ________.
a) the Governor General’s secretariat
b) the cabinet’s secretariat
c) a principal source of policy advice to the Prime Minister
d) both a and c
e) both b and c

Question 13:

The Clerk of the Privy Council reports to ________.
a) the Speaker of the House of Commons
b) the Prime Minister’s Office
c) the House of Commons
d) the Prime Minister
e) cabinet as a whole

Question 14:

Responsibilities of the Prime Minister’s Office do not include ________.
a) providing the Prime Minister with advice on policy
b) providing cabinet with logistical support
c) administrating the Prime Minister’s affairs
d) preparing the Prime Minister for Question Period
e) liaising with ministers, caucus, and the party

Question 15:

The term “prime ministerial government” refers to the increased power of the Prime Minister, ________.
a) the increased role of cabinet, and the decreasing role of Parliament
b) the decreased role of cabinet, and the increased role of Parliament
c) the reduced role of cabinet, and the reduced role of Parliament
d) the increased role of cabinet, and the increased role of Parliament
e) the unchanged role of cabinet, and the increased role of Parliament

Question 16:

There are an estimated 80 independent parliamentary officers at the federal, provincial, and territorial levels, but they do not include ________.
a) the Auditor General
b) the Privacy Commissioner
c) the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
d) the Multiculturalism Commissioner
e) the Parliamentary Budget Officer

Question 17:

According to the textbook, at ________, the 2008 federal election saw the lowest voter turnout since Confederation.
a) 22 per cent
b) 68 per cent
c) 39 per cent
d) 71 per cent
e) 59 per cent

Question 18:

Adequate cabinet representation of ________ has always been considered particularly important.
a) the provinces, dominant religious denominations, and labour organizations
b) farmers, non-profit groups, and women
c) the regions, the poor, people of colour, and small businesses
d) the regions, the provinces, francophones, anglophones, and economic interests
e) women, dominant religious denominations, and economic interests

Question 19:

Representation in the Senate is on the basis of ________.
a) region
b) province
c) constituency
d) municipality
e) nation

Question 20:

Functions performed by the legislature include ________.
a) scrutiny of government performance
b) constituency representation
c) legitimation of the political system
d) debate of issues
e) all of the above

Question 21:

The most fundamental function of the legislature is ________.
a) giving policy advice
b) passing laws
c) formulating policy platforms
d) “sober second thought”
e) launching new initiatives

Question 22:

Some senators argue that Senate committees are more effective than the House of Commons committees because senators ________.
a) possess greater expertise
b) are independent of party discipline
c) have more support from their respective party leaders
d) possess more legitimacy
e) do not focus their attention on Question Period

Question 23:

The term “democratic deficit” refers to _________.
a) the lack of voter participation in federal elections
b) the difference in powers of the Senate and House of Commons
c) citizen disinterest in parliamentary activities
d) marginalization of the legislature and centralization of power around the PM and cabinet
e) marginalization of cabinet and centralization of power around Senate

Question 24:

Most of an MP’s time is spent on _______.
a) party work
b) legislative work
c) constituency work
d) policy and issue development
e) caucus meetings

Question 25:

The requirement that individuals be looked at in terms of their group characteristics and the possible advantages or disadvantages they may have experienced as a result of these attributes is called _______.
a) individual equality
b) substantive equality
c) individual perspective
d) relative perspective
e) relative equality

Question 26:

When the monarch is not in Canada, her or his duties are carried out by the Prime Minister.
a) True
b) False

Question 27:

The relationship between the media and the political executive is mutually dependent.
a) True
b) False

Question 28:

MPs who are not members of the cabinet have the right to introduce private members’ bills.
a) True
b) False

Question 29:

The Prime Minister gives the Speech from the Throne to open each session of Parliament.
a) True
b) False

Question 30:

The estimates tabled by the Minister of Finance every winter represent the government spending plans for the forthcoming fiscal year.
a) True
b) False

Question 31:

Scholars cited in the textbook argue that the Privy Council Office is the lead agency for the formulation of substantive policy and strategic planning.
a) True
b) False

Question 32:

The Treasury Board is the only cabinet committee that has a statutory basis.
a) True
b) False

Question 33:

The Prime Minister’s Office is staffed chiefly by partisan appointees rather than by career public servants.
a) True
b) False

Question 34:

The influence of legislatures on policy is much greater than that of cabinet or the bureaucracy.
a) True
b) False

Question 35:

The Canadian legislature comprises two parts: the Senate and the House of Commons.
a) True
b) False

Question 36:

Senators are appointed for four-year terms of office.
a) True
b) False

Question 37:

Parliamentary committees regularly have a significant impact on the bills placed before them.
a) True
b) False

Question 38:

Responsibility for Canada’s judicial system is divided between Ottawa and the provinces.
a) True
b) False

Question 39:

Females represent about two-thirds of judges in Canada.
a) True
b) False

Question 40:

The courts are entirely separate from the political process.
a) True
b) False

Higher Education

Canadian Democracy, Eighth Edition: Chapter 9