All About Canada Trivia Quiz

Answer: The British North America Act came into force then

The British North America Act, now known as the Constitution Act, was signed by Queen Victoria on March 29, 1867. It came into force on the July 1, 1867, creating the Dominion of Canada. At the time, Canada was quite small, as the BNA Act united Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.

The latter two provinces were the same size as they are now, however Quebec and Ontario were much smaller.

Answer: Viola Desmond

Viola Desmond, a successful, black business woman, was born in 1916 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In November 1946, she went to a movie in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. She sat in the 'whites only' section of the theatre and was told to move. Viola refused and was arrested, jailed overnight, and fined.

Her story is one of the most well known incidents of racial discrimination in Canadian history, and her inclusion on the Canadian $10 bill signifies her contribution to civil rights in Canada.

Answer: The passage of the Canada Act

In 1982, Canada gained full constitutional independence from Britain through the Canada Act. This act severed all ties to Britain and gave Canada the right to amend its constitution without the consent of Britain. The Canada Act was approved by the British Parliament in March 1982, and was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth in April of the same year, making Canada a completely independent nation.

Answer: Ottawa

The official celebrations of Canada Day are in around the capital city, Ottawa. Festivities also occur in places such as LeBreton Flats and Parliament Hill, with ceremonies at noon, many live shows, and fireworks at night. The largest event is in Ottawa, but all provinces and territories have similar celebrations in parks, legislative buildings, and other public spaces.

Answer: Canada was granted full legal autonomy

The Statute of Westminster granted Canada full legal autonomy, thus Canada was given a push toward further independence from Britain. The statute withdrew the UK's power to legislate for Canada and formally signified Canada as legislatively equal to Britain. It gave Canada the ability to make laws and to repeal older British ones, should the need arise.

Answer: Laura Secord

Laura Secord was at home nursing her husband, James who had been injured at the Battle of Queenston Heights during the War of 1812. American officers entered her home and began discussing the upcoming surprise attack on the British at Beaver Dams. She traveled 32 km (19 miles) to warn Lieutenant Fitzgibbon of the impending raid, and he was able to raise his allies and defeat the Americans at the Battle of Beaver Dams. Laura Secord is now the name of a company that sells chocolates and other confections, named after the intrepid Canadian heroine.

Answer: suffragists from Alberta

Women were not considered to be 'persons' under Canadian Law due to The British North America Act 1867. Because they were not 'persons', women were not permitted to serve in the Canadian Senate. A group of 5 Albertan woman, now known as The Famous Five, decided to have this ruling overturned.

These ladies Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir, and Nellie McClung, worked hard to change the law, and in 1929, the Persons Case established that women are in fact persons under Canadian Law. Thus women were permitted to be appointed to the Senate.

Answer: Marathon of Hope

At the young age of 18, Terry Fox was diagnosed with osteosarcoma cancer in his right leg. The doctors decided to amputate the leg to prevent the cancer from spreading. During his hospital stay, Terry was deeply affected by the horrific suffering of other patients, especially the children.

He began his Marathon of Hope in April 1980 and ran 5,373 km (3,339 mi) in 143 days. At that point, he was very sick, and unfortunately it was determined that the cancer had spread to his lungs, so he was unable to continue the run. Now Canada hosts yearly Terry Fox runs all over the country.

Answer: a horrific explosion

On December 6, 1917, a deadly accident known as the Halifax Explosion occurred. It was the world's largest pre-atomic explosion and had the force of approximately 2.9 kilotons (12 terajoules) of TNT. The explosion happened when two ships, a French cargo ship the "Mont Blanc", and a Norwegian vessel, the "Imo", collided in the Halifax Harbour.

The "Mont Blanc" was carrying explosives meant for the WWI war effort. The resulting explosion killed at least 1,782 people and injured over 9,000. Many people were blinded as they looked out of their windows at the time of the explosion and glass shards damaged their eyes.

Answer: Denmark

The war, known as the Whisky War (or the Liquor War), was a bloodless war between Denmark, and Canada. The subject of this 'war' was Hans Island, a small place, 1,290 x 1,199 m (4,232 x 3,934 ft), located between Canada's Nunavut Territory and Denmark's autonomous territory of Greenland. Both countries claimed it, so in 1984, Canada put a Canadian flag and a bottle of Canadian whiskey on the island.

That same year, the Danes left a Danish flag and a bottle of Schnapps. This began a comical swapping of flags and alcoholic beverages as the countries vied for control of the island. It was finally resolved in 2022, when both sides agreed to ending the dispute. The island was split in half, creating a land border between the two countries. An exchange of whiskey bottles ended the friendly dispute.