Canadian Values & Identity
Key Takeaways
- Equality of women and men under the law is a core Canadian value; 'barbaric cultural practices' such as honour killings and forced marriage are crimes severely punished under Canadian law.
- Canada's institutions uphold 'Peace, Order, and Good Government,' a key phrase from the 1867 British North America Act (the original constitution).
- Canada is the only constitutional monarchy in North America and has the oldest continuous constitutional tradition in the world.
- Multiculturalism is described as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian heritage and identity, built on respect for pluralism and living in harmony.
- The Oath of Citizenship pledges allegiance to King Charles the Third and recognizes the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
Shared Canadian Values
Canadian rights and responsibilities reflect a set of shared values that Discover Canada states clearly. The test rewards knowing these as named values, not vague ideas. Expect at least one question on equality of women and men, and several on identity themes such as multiculturalism and "Peace, Order, and Good Government."
The Equality of Women and Men
In Canada, men and women are equal under the law. This is a value the guide states directly and that the test asks about.
Discover Canada is explicit that Canada's openness does not extend to "barbaric cultural practices" that tolerate spousal abuse, "honour killings," female genital mutilation, forced marriage, or other gender-based violence. People guilty of these crimes are severely punished under Canada's criminal laws.
Exam tip: if a question asks how Canada treats honour killings or forced marriage, the answer is that they are crimes, severely punished — never "tolerated" or "a private family matter."
Pillars of Canadian Identity
Canada is known around the world as a strong and free country, and Canadians are proud of a unique identity built on the following pillars.
- Peace, Order, and Good Government — a key phrase from Canada's original 1867 constitution, the British North America Act.
- Ordered liberty, enterprise, hard work, and fair play — values that built a prosperous society.
- The oldest continuous constitutional tradition in the world.
- The only constitutional monarchy in North America.
Peace, Order, and Good Government
Peace, Order, and Good Government (sometimes abbreviated POGG) comes from the British North America Act of 1867 and describes how federal powers are framed. The test may contrast this with the American phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" — POGG is the Canadian one.
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is described as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian heritage and identity. Canadians celebrate one another's presence and work hard to respect pluralism (the coexistence of many cultures and beliefs) and to live in harmony.
It is also one of the additional rights protected in the Charter, which links this section back to your Charter knowledge.
Bilingualism and Diversity
Canada has two official languages — English and French — with equal status in Parliament and throughout the federal government. Bilingualism is part of Canadian identity, and minority language education rights are protected.
| Value | What it means |
|---|---|
| Equality of women and men | Men and women are equal under the law |
| Rule of law | No one, including government, is above the law |
| Peace, Order, and Good Government | Federal governing principle from 1867 |
| Multiculturalism | Pluralism celebrated as part of identity |
| Official bilingualism | English and French have equal status |
The Oath of Citizenship
New citizens confirm their commitment to these values by taking the Oath of Citizenship at a citizenship ceremony, where they also receive their citizenship certificate and may sing the national anthem, O Canada.
The current Oath pledges to:
- Be faithful and bear true allegiance to King Charles the Third, King of Canada, his heirs and successors.
- Faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
- Fulfil your duties as a Canadian citizen.
Updated fact: the Oath was amended (in force June 2021) to add the explicit recognition of Aboriginal and treaty rights. With King Charles III now the Sovereign, the Oath refers to the King, not the Queen. The test may check whether you know the Oath names Indigenous peoples and the reigning monarch.
Why This Matters for the Exam
Values questions tie the whole "Rights and Responsibilities" chapter together and are usually straightforward recall. The most common are: the equality of women and men, the meaning of multiculturalism, and what the Oath of Citizenship affirms.
Worked example. Question: "Which phrase describes a founding Canadian principle of government?" Options: "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," "Peace, Order, and Good Government," "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," "E Pluribus Unum." Step 1: identify the American (first and last) and French (third) phrases. Step 2: the Canadian phrase, from the 1867 BNA Act, is Peace, Order, and Good Government. Answer: the second option.
Common Mistakes
Do not confuse Canadian and American values. "The pursuit of happiness" and "the right to bear arms" are American. And remember the Oath now names King Charles the Third, not Queen Elizabeth — outdated study materials still say "Queen," which is now a trap.
Where Canadian Values Come From
Canadian values are not invented for the test — they grow out of history. The guide describes a belief in ordered liberty, enterprise, hard work, and fair play that let Canadians build a prosperous society in a rugged land stretching from the Atlantic shores to the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic Circle. Poets have hailed Canada as the "Great Dominion."
Knowing this framing helps you answer "identity" questions that ask what Canadians value or how Canada describes itself.
The Citizenship Ceremony
The values in this chapter come together at the citizenship ceremony. There, applicants who have passed the test and met all requirements take the Oath, receive a citizenship certificate, and join the Canadian family. Singing O Canada is part of the ceremony. A question may ask what happens at the ceremony or when you become a citizen — the answer centers on taking the Oath.
Linking Values, Rights, and Responsibilities
The three sections of this chapter form one connected idea: values explain why Canadians hold certain rights and accept certain responsibilities.
- The value of equality supports equality rights in the Charter.
- The value of the rule of law supports the responsibility to obey the law.
- The value of democracy supports the right and responsibility to vote.
- The value of multiculturalism supports both Charter protection and the welcoming of newcomers.
Seeing these links makes the whole topic area easier to remember and lets you reason your way to an answer even on a question you did not memorize directly.
Final Self-Check
- Can you state that men and women are equal under the law and that honour killings and forced marriage are crimes?
- Do you know Peace, Order, and Good Government comes from the 1867 BNA Act?
- Can you explain multiculturalism as a respect for pluralism?
- Do you know the Oath names King Charles the Third and the rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples?
Master these and you have the full Rights, Responsibilities, and Values chapter ready for test day.
How does Canadian law treat practices such as 'honour killings' and forced marriage?
The phrase 'Peace, Order, and Good Government' comes from which document and describes what?
In the current Oath of Citizenship, new citizens pledge allegiance to whom and affirm the rights of which peoples?