Levels of Government & Responsibilities
The following briefly outlines the responsibilities of each level of government. All Canadian citizenship exam questions are taken from the most recent 'Discover Canada' book:
| Responsibilities | Federal | Provincial & Territorial | Municipal (local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Defence |  | ||
| Foreign Policy | | ||
| Citizenship | | ||
| Policing | | (Ontario/Quebec) | |
| Criminal Justice | | ||
| International Trade | | ||
| Aboriginal Affairs | | ||
| Immigration | | | |
| Agriculture | | | |
| Environment | | | |
| Education | | ||
| Health Care | | ||
| Natural Resources | | ||
| Highways | | ||
| Property and Civil Rights | | ||
| Social and Community Health | | ||
| Recycling Programs | | ||
| Transportation and Utilities | | ||
| Snow Removal | | ||
| Firefighting | | ||
| Emergency Services | | ||
| Garbage Removal | | ||
| Urban or Regional Planning | | ||
| Streets and Roads | | ||
| Recreation Facilities | | ||
| Public Transit | |
The Federal Government oversees issues of national importance such as the military, treasury, currency, national healthcare, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and external affairs. The Government of Canada has the right to collect tax from citizens’ income and other sources, such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to fund its operations. It operates under two official languages, English and French.
Provincial governments oversee the laws concerning health services delivery, education, social and community services, provincial police forces, and other regional concerns. Like the federal government, provincial governments have the power to collect income taxes and provincial sales taxes (PST).
Unlike the senior levels of government, local governments have no powers to levy income or sales taxes, but rather collect revenues from property taxes and depend upon federal and provincial cash transfers to operate their programs.
Try our free Canadian citizenship exam questions. Our test quiz and flashcards are designed to help you prepare for and pass your Canadian Citizenship Test. Use this online tool to prepare for 'Government & Responsibilities' portion of the Discover Canada book.