Who was the first leader of a responsible government in the Canadas in 1849?
Quick answer: Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine. In our practice tests 52% of 91 answers were correct, and the most common mistake is choosing “Sir John A. Macdonald”.
Why is this the correct answer?
Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine became the first leader of responsible government in the Canadas in 1849, establishing the principle that the government must have the support of the elected assembly.
Study Tip
This leader was a key figure in the early days of Canadian politics and played a crucial role in shaping the country's future. He was a French-Canadian politician who served as the first leader of a responsible government in the Province of Canada.
What should you know about this topic?
Sir Louis-Hippolyte La Fontaine was the first leader of a responsible government in the Canadas, in 1849. Discover Canada describes him as a champion of democracy and French language rights.
Responsible government means that the government's ministers must have the support, or confidence, of a majority of the elected assembly in order to govern. If they lose that support, they must resign. Before this, appointed governors and their advisers could ignore the wishes of elected representatives. Reformers in British North America worked for years to change this. Nova Scotia became the first British North American colony to achieve full responsible government in 1847–48, and the Province of Canada followed in 1849, under Governor Lord Elgin.
La Fontaine worked closely with Robert Baldwin, a reformer from Upper Canada. Their partnership between English- and French-speaking leaders showed that the two communities could work together, and La Fontaine became the head of the first responsible government in the Province of Canada. Responsible government remains the foundation of Canada's parliamentary democracy today: the Prime Minister and Cabinet must keep the confidence of the House of Commons. Related test topics include the Province of Canada, the Fathers of Confederation, and how Canada's government works today. This principle is still how Canada's government works today. Remember the date 1849 and the partnership of La Fontaine and Baldwin, an early example of English and French Canadians working together for democracy.
Why are the other answers wrong?
- Louis Riel: Riel was the Métis leader of the Red River and North-West resistances in 1869–70 and 1885. He was not involved in responsible government in 1849.
- Robert Baldwin: Baldwin was La Fontaine's close partner and a key reformer, but Discover Canada names La Fontaine as the first leader of responsible government.
- Sir John A. Macdonald: Macdonald became Canada's first Prime Minister in 1867, after Confederation. He did not lead the 1849 responsible government.
What is the most common mistake?
Many learners pick Robert Baldwin, since he and La Fontaine are always mentioned together. Baldwin was La Fontaine's partner, but La Fontaine was the first leader of the responsible government.
How can you remember the answer?
La Fontaine was the fountain (fontaine) from which responsible government first flowed in 1849.
Original data
How many people get this question right?
52% of 91 practice answers from about 67 people were correct. The most common wrong answer is "Sir John A. Macdonald", chosen 31% 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 8th hardest of the 167 questions we have enough data to rank. The average for the Canada's History chapter is 68% 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 Canada's History questions.
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Which part of Discover Canada is this question from?
This question is from the Canada's History 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 61 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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