Modern Canada: Citizenship Test Study Notes

The Modern Canada section covers notable Canadians, achievements, and Canada's role in the world from the post-war era to the present.

Notable Canadians

Terry Fox

In 1980, Terry Fox, a young British Columbian who had lost his right leg to cancer, began his Marathon of Hope — running across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He ran an average of 42 km per day for 143 days before cancer forced him to stop near Thunder Bay, Ontario. He died in 1981 at age 22. The annual Terry Fox Run, held in his memory, has raised over $850 million worldwide for cancer research.

Rick Hansen

In 1985-1987, Rick Hansen wheeled himself around the world in his Man in Motion World Tour to raise awareness and money for spinal cord research. He visited 34 countries over 26 months.

Frederick Banting

Sir Frederick Banting, along with Charles Best, co-discovered insulin at the University of Toronto in 1921-1922. This discovery has saved millions of lives worldwide. Banting received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923.

James Naismith

Born in Almonte, Ontario, James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891 while teaching at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. Basketball is now one of the world's most popular sports.

Alexander Graham Bell

Although born in Scotland, Alexander Graham Bell made Canada his home and conducted much of his important work there. He is credited with inventing the telephone in 1874 in Brantford, Ontario.

Canadian Achievements

The Canadarm

The Canadarm (officially the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System) was a robotic arm used on NASA's space shuttles. Designed and built by Canadian engineers, it became a symbol of Canadian technological innovation. The Canadarm2 currently operates on the International Space Station.

Group of Seven

The Group of Seven were Canadian landscape painters who created a distinctly Canadian art style in the 1920s. Their bold paintings of the Canadian wilderness helped define a national visual identity. Famous members include Lawren Harris, A.Y. Jackson, and Tom Thomson (who died before the group was formally established but is closely associated with it).

Canada in the World

NATO

Canada is a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), established in 1949 for collective defence against aggression. Canada has contributed troops to numerous NATO operations.

NORAD

NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) is a joint Canadian-American organization that monitors and defends North American airspace. It was established in 1958.

United Nations

Canada is a founding member of the United Nations (1945) and has been a strong supporter of international peacekeeping. Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for proposing the first UN peacekeeping force during the Suez Crisis.

The Commonwealth

Canada is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, an association of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire.

Post-War Political Milestones

• 1965 — New Canadian flag adopted (red maple leaf)
• 1969 — Official Languages Act (English and French as official languages)
• 1982 — Constitution patriated from Britain; Charter of Rights and Freedoms entrenched
• 1988 — Canadian Multiculturalism Act
• 1995 — Quebec sovereignty referendum (No side won by 50.6%)
• 1999 — Nunavut created as a new territory

How to Study This Topic

1. Read the relevant chapter in the Discover Canada guide
2. Note the key facts, dates, and names mentioned
3. Use CitizenApp's spaced repetition to practice questions on this topic
4. Take a topic-specific practice test to identify any remaining weak spots
5. Review any questions you get wrong and re-read the relevant section

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