Name two responsibilities of the federal government.
Quick answer: National defence and foreign policy. In our practice tests 83% of 100 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “Recycling and education”.
Why is this the correct answer?
The federal government is responsible for national defence and foreign policy, among other areas like currency, criminal law, and immigration. These are matters that affect the whole country.
Study Tip
Think about the roles that the federal government plays in maintaining national security and interacting with other countries.
What should you know about this topic?
Canada is a federal state, which means powers are shared between the federal government in Ottawa and the provincial and territorial governments. The Constitution Act, 1867 (first called the British North America Act) set out which level of government handles which areas. This division helps a large and diverse country work as one while letting regions manage local matters.
According to Discover Canada, the federal government is responsible for matters of national and international concern. These include national defence, foreign policy, interprovincial trade and communications, currency, navigation, criminal law and citizenship. National defence covers the Canadian Armed Forces. Foreign policy covers Canada's relations with other countries, such as treaties and membership in groups like the United Nations and NATO.
Provincial governments are responsible for areas such as education, health care, natural resources, property and civil rights, and highways. Municipal (local) governments handle services like policing, firefighting, snow removal, recycling, transit and local roads. Some areas, such as agriculture and immigration, are shared between federal and provincial governments. Questions about who does what appear often on the citizenship test, so it helps to sort services into three columns: federal, provincial and municipal. A useful study habit is to ask, for each service, whether it affects the whole country, one province, or one town. That question usually points you to the right level of government.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- Recycling and education: Recycling is usually municipal, and education is provincial.
- Citizenship and highways: Citizenship is federal, but highways are generally a provincial responsibility.
- National defence and firefighting: Defence is federal, but firefighting is a municipal service.
What is the most common mistake?
Answers that mix one federal power with one local or provincial service, such as citizenship and highways, are traps. Both items must belong to the federal level.
How can you remember the answer?
Federal handles anything that crosses borders: defending them (defence) and dealing beyond them (foreign policy).
Original data
How many people get this question right?
83% of 100 practice answers from about 70 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "Recycling and education", chosen 7% 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 76th easiest of the 167 questions we have enough data to rank. The average for the How Canadians Govern Themselves chapter is 77% 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 How Canadians Govern Themselves questions.
Practice This Chapter
Test yourself with questions from How Canadians Govern Themselves. Timed mock tests, instant scoring, and detailed explanations.
Which part of Discover Canada is this question from?
This question is from the How Canadians Govern Themselves 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 47 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.
How should you study for the citizenship test?
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.