Social studies · Grades 3–12

Government & citizenship · Quick reference

Reference sheet for Grades 3 to 12: 5 key ideas, including levels of government in Canada, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and how a federal bill becomes law. Ask how far the responsibility reaches: the whole country, one province or territory, or one city or town.

Make a worksheet

Rule and key idea

Levels of government in Canada

Ask how far the responsibility reaches: the whole country, one province or territory, or one city or town.

federal · provincial/territorial · municipal

In Canada, which level of government is mainly responsible for city bus service? → municipal (local)

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

The Charter (1982) groups rights into categories. Charter rights are subject to reasonable limits set out in section 1.

freedoms · democratic · mobility · legal · equality · language rights

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of expression, including freedom of the press. Which group of Charter rights is this? → fundamental freedoms

How a federal bill becomes law

A bill must pass the same stages in both houses of Parliament before it receives Royal Assent and becomes law.

readings → committee → report → third reading → Senate → Royal Assent

A government bill starts in the House of Commons. Which stage comes first: first reading or second reading? → first reading

Provincial and territorial capitals

Canada has ten provinces and three territories. Each capital city is where that government’s legislature meets.

13 provinces and territories · 13 capitals

Victoria is the capital of which province or territory? → British Columbia

Reading election results

A candidate can win with the most votes (a plurality) without having a majority. A majority means more than half of all votes cast.

plurality: most votes wins · majority: more than half

In a class election, Ivan got 6 votes, Chen got 4 votes and Jada got 16 votes. The candidate with the most votes wins. Who won? → Jada

Check yourself

Four practice questions on this topic. Try each one before you open the answer.

A government bill starts in the House of Commons. Which stage comes first: third reading or Royal Assent?
- third reading
- Royal Assent
Show the answer
third reading Order: first reading → second reading → committee stage → report stage → third reading → consideration by the Senate → Royal Assent.
A government bill starts in the House of Commons. Which stage comes first: consideration by the Senate or second reading?
- consideration by the Senate
- second reading
Show the answer
second reading Order: first reading → second reading → committee stage → report stage → third reading → consideration by the Senate → Royal Assent.
A government bill starts in the House of Commons. Which stage comes first: consideration by the Senate or third reading?
- consideration by the Senate
- third reading
Show the answer
third reading Order: first reading → second reading → committee stage → report stage → third reading → consideration by the Senate → Royal Assent.
A government bill starts in the House of Commons. Which stage comes first: first reading or Royal Assent?
- Royal Assent
- first reading
Show the answer
first reading Order: first reading → second reading → committee stage → report stage → third reading → consideration by the Senate → Royal Assent.