Name two key documents that contain our rights and freedoms.
Quick answer: Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Magna Carta (the Great Charter of Freedoms). In our practice tests 91% of 80 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “The Canadian Constitution and English common law”.
Why is this the correct answer?
Two key documents are the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) and the Magna Carta (1215). The Magna Carta, signed in England, established the principle that no one is above the law — a foundation of Canadian rights.
Study Tip
These documents are fundamental to Canada's history and are often considered cornerstones of our democratic system. Think about documents that have been influential in shaping the rights and freedoms of Canadians.
What should you know about this topic?
Canadians' rights and freedoms come from a long legal tradition. Discover Canada explains that these rights are rooted in Magna Carta, also called the Great Charter of Freedoms, signed in England in 1215. Magna Carta established that even the monarch must obey the law, and it laid the groundwork for ideas such as the right to a fair trial and protection from unlawful imprisonment (habeas corpus).
The second key document is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It became part of the Constitution of Canada in 1982, when the Constitution was brought home (patriated) from Britain. The Charter begins with the words that Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law. It protects fundamental freedoms (such as freedom of religion, expression, peaceful assembly and association), democratic rights, mobility rights, legal rights, equality rights, official language rights and minority language education rights. It also mentions Aboriginal peoples' rights and multiculturalism.
Together, these two documents show how modern Canadian rights grew from centuries of British parliamentary tradition. For the test, link this question to topics like the rule of law, mobility rights, the presumption of innocence and the 1982 patriation of the Constitution.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- Laws passed by Parliament and English common law: Ordinary laws and common law are not the founding rights documents; Magna Carta and the Charter are.
- The Canadian Constitution and English common law: The Constitution includes the Charter and common law influences Canadian law, but neither is the pair of key rights documents named in the guide.
- Civil code of France and the Canadian Constitution: Quebec uses a civil code for private law, but the French civil code is not a source of Canadian rights and freedoms.
What is the most common mistake?
People sometimes choose "the Constitution" or "common law" because they sound official, but the two named documents Discover Canada highlights are Magna Carta and the Charter.
How can you remember the answer?
"Two Charters": the Great Charter (Magna Carta, 1215) and the Canadian Charter (1982), separated by almost 800 years.
Original data
How many people get this question right?
91% of 80 practice answers from about 57 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "The Canadian Constitution and English common law", chosen 6% of the time. The data covers practice tests on BecomeACitizen.ca from March 31, 2026 to September 30, 2026.
How hard is this question compared with others?
It is the 29th easiest of the 167 questions we have enough data to rank. The average for the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship chapter is 86% correct, and the average across all questions is 75%. You need 75% to pass the real test.
These are practice questions written from the official Discover Canada guide. IRCC does not publish the real test questions. See the full ranking in the 20 most-missed citizenship test questions or browse more Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship questions.
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Which part of Discover Canada is this question from?
This question is from the Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship section of the Canadian citizenship test. The test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions drawn from the official Discover Canada study guide. You need to score at least 75% (15 out of 20 correct) to pass.
This chapter has 33 questions in our database. Studying chapter by chapter is one of the most effective ways to prepare, as it helps you build deep understanding of each topic before moving to the next.
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Start by reading the complete how-to-pass guide, then work through each chapter in the study mode. When you feel ready, take a full exam simulation with the real 45-minute time limit.