1. What is the Arctic council?
Answer: b
Additional notes:
Why is it important to Canada? What countries form the Arctic council?
The Arctic council is an international forum for cooperation in the Arctic region. Countries who border the Arctic region are entitled to full membership with voting rights. There are eight of them. Currently Canada chairs the council. There are 12 countries with observer status. It is important to Canada because it gives a voice to ensuring Canadian sovereignty in the region. Full member countries are Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Russia, USA, Canada
2. The federal government announced an international education strategy to increase the number of international students participating in post secondary education from 225,000 to 450,000 by 2022. Why?
Answer: d
Additional notes:
Canada will be known internationally for the quality of its post secondary education and Canadian organizations will have access to international talent to hire.
3. Quebec is in the process of debating a controversial secular charter. What is the controversy?
Answer: c
Additional notes:
The secular charter is proposing the banning of religious symbols for civil servants, public school and university professors and health care professionals.
4. The following Canadians have accomplished significant milestones in Canadian Athletics.
Answer: d
Additional notes:
Eugenie Bouchard is the first Canadian to compete in the finals of the Australian Open Tennis tournament in 35 years. The Dufour-Lapointe sisters are all making the Canadian Olympic freestyle ski team. Anthony Calvillo is retiring after 20 successful years as a Montreal Alouette Football player.
5. Which country has agreed to curb its nuclear program?
Answer: b
Additional notes:
Iran has agreed to roll back its nuclear program in exchange for reduced economic sanctions. This means that Iran will stop producing near weapons-grade nuclear fuel and the US and European Union will suspend some the trade sanctions on Iran.
6. What type of light bulbs are banned from manufacture and sale in Canada effective January 1, 2014?
Answer: c
Additional notes:
The incandescent light bulb is an energy guzzler and the government has banned them to promote conservation. The other bulbs are more expensive; however, the government predicts households will still save money because they will consume much less energy and last longer.
7. What is a bitcoin?
Answer: c
Additional notes:
A bitcoin is a digital currency outside the domain of any central body. It does not have any government backing. Bitcoins came into existence to help people exchange goods and resources in a bartering way, and their popularity has caused the value of them to increase based on supply and demand. “The true definition of bitcoin is an open source protocol for transferring value over the Internet. Scientists believe the technology behind the bitcoin is revolutionary because it automatically validates transactions.” Globe and Mail January 13, Page B 3
A chronosynclastic infundibulum is defined as a place, or a moment, where all the different kinds of truths fit together, and where there are many different ways to be absolutely right about everything.
8. What is the Federal Spectrum Auction?
Answer: d
Additional notes:
The federal government, in an effort to expand competition in the wireless market, has held an auction to encourage new providers to bid on megahertz spectrum. This spectrum network is required for wireless providers to expand their services and increase speed of data.
9. A portion of which of the following pipelines began operating in January despite significant controversy?
Answer: b
Additional notes:
The southern leg of the Keystone pipeline began operating in January, 2014. Although the US has not made a decision on the rest of the pipeline, President Obama approved this portion two years ago.
10. What sport is estimated to lose over $225 million a season in player’s injuries?
Answer: c
Additional notes:
Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital studied the NHL for three seasons, looking at number of days off per player, documenting injury and salary losses and overall team costs as a result of injury.
Based on this study, it is estimated that the NHL loses an average of $226.6 million annually and $42.8 million due to concussions.
11. In which Olympic sport is Canada hoping to end the 20 year medal drought?
Answer: c
Additional notes:
The last Olympic Alpine medal was won in 1994.
12. The impact of a weaker Canadian dollar will:
Answer: d
Additional notes:
The weaker dollar could result in consumers paying more for imported goods and some job losses due to higher costs of materials.
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