Here are the answers to our October quiz on key news topics, plus some additional background information.
1. Who is Prime Minister of Canada?
Answer: c
Additional notes: The Liberals led by Justin Trudeau are forming a minority government.
2. What is a minority government?
Answer: a
Additional notes: of the last seven elections in Canada, five have resulted in minority governments. This requires the parties to work together for the betterment of Canadians.
3. What is AUKUS?
Answer: d
Additional notes: This agreement infuriated many European countries and Canada because they were left out.
4. Health Canada has renamed the Covid-19 Vaccines offered in Canada. What does this mean?
Answer: d
Additional notes: Pfizer’s vaccine will now be known as Comirnaty, Moderna’s will be known as Spikevax and AstraZeneca’s will be called Vaxzevria.
5. What city was named safest city in the world in 2021?
Answer: b
Additional notes: This is based on the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cities Index, which ranks 60 international destinations based on digital security, health security, infrastructure and economic security.
6. Which Canadian city has the most residential evictions?
Answer: b
Additional notes: A UBC study shows that 10.5% of renter households in Vancouver were evicted, causing their latest move. This compares to Toronto at 5.8% and Montreal at 4.2%. B.C. as a whole has the highest eviction rate in Canada at 10.6% followed by PEI at 6.8%.
7. What does recent Facebook research indicate?
Answer: d
Additional notes: The social comparison through Instagram is at the root of the issue. Facebook is being reviewed by Congressional hearings in the US.
8. Which company is the official outfitter for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes?
Answer: b
Additional notes: Lululemon has taken over from Hudson’s Bay, who provided the athletes with their kits for the last 16 years.
9. The Federal court upheld a landmark Human Rights Compensation order. What was it for?
Answer: b
Additional notes: $40,000 is the highest amount allowed under the Canadian Human Rights Act. It will amount to billions of dollars for Ottawa.
10. What Federal statutory holiday occurred in September?
Answer: b
Additional notes: September 30 marked the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and it will coincide with Orange Shirt Day. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a response to one of the 94 calls to action issued by the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
11. The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time since 1935 to two people in what profession?
Answer: b
Additional notes: Two journalists, Dmitry Muratov from Russia and Maria Ressa from the Philippines, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy.
12. Which Canadian was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics?
Answer: c
Additional notes: David Card, along with fellow economists Joshua Angrist and Guido Imbens, shared the prize for providing new insights about the labour market.
Click here to view the questions.