Grade 5 · Social Studies · Unit 1 of 6
Levels of Government
Who does what in Canada?
What your child practises
Federal, provincial/territorial, municipal and Indigenous governments: who leads them, what each looks after, and how they're funded.
BC Curriculum learning standard: Levels of government (First Peoples, federal, provincial, and municipal), their main functions, and sources of funding
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Who leads a city or town council?
🏘️- the Premier
- a Senator
- the Prime Minister
- the Mayor
Show answer
the Mayor
Hint: Voters in a city or town elect a mayor and councillors to run local government.
Question 2
Which level of government is responsible for Canada's army, navy and air force?
🪖- provincial
- federal
- municipal
Show answer
federal
Hint: Defending the whole country is a federal job.
Question 3
Who leads the federal government of Canada?
🍁- a Premier
- the Prime Minister
- the Governor General
- a Mayor
Show answer
the Prime Minister
Hint: The Prime Minister leads the federal government. Premiers lead provinces and territories, and mayors lead cities and towns.
Question 4
The Government of Canada recognizes that Indigenous peoples have an inherent right to self-government. What does 'inherent' mean here?
- the right was a gift from the Prime Minister
- the right was invented in 2020
- the right comes from being the first peoples of this land, not from another government
- the right only applies in big cities
Show answer
the right comes from being the first peoples of this land, not from another government
Hint: Indigenous peoples governed themselves long before Canada existed. 'Inherent' means the right already belongs to them.
Question 5
Noah wants to share his opinion about Canada's rules for new immigrants. Which level of government is responsible for this?
Canada's levels of government Level Leader Elected representatives Looks after (examples) Federal Prime Minister Members of Parliament (MPs) passports, the military, money Provincial or territorial Premier Members of the legislature (MLAs in most provinces) schools, hospitals, highways Municipal Mayor Councillors garbage pickup, local streets, tap water - federal (Parliament and the Prime Minister)
- municipal (the city or town council)
- provincial (the legislature and the Premier)
Show answer
federal (Parliament and the Prime Minister)
Hint: Think about which level of government is responsible. Local services are municipal; schools and health care are provincial; things for the whole country are federal.
Question 6
Which level of government is mainly responsible? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: 🍁 federal · 🏛️ provincial · 🏘️ municipal
- 🚰tap water and sewers
- 🐕dog licences
- 🪖the Canadian Armed Forces
- 🏫public schools
- 📬mail delivery by Canada Post
- 🏞️provincial parks
Show answer
🍁 federal: the Canadian Armed Forces, mail delivery by Canada Post · 🏛️ provincial: public schools, provincial parks · 🏘️ municipal: tap water and sewers, dog licences
Hint: Federal looks after the whole country. Provincial looks after things like schools and hospitals. Municipal looks after local services.