Quiz about our history at Public Services and Procurement Canada

Swahili. In English, this phrase translates to: “Happy birthday, Canada; congratulations on 150 years!”

The round dance. The round dance requires participants to join hands and side-step to the beat of the drum. The union of hands symbolizes the equality of all people in the circle.

c. 12,000.

The Agroforestry Development Centre had been providing loyal service to farmers growing and shipping seedlings. Farmers used the seedlings as a “shelterbelt,” a barrier of plants used to protect crops and soils from the elements.

Carry the Kettle First Nation in Saskatchewan expressed its interest in the 256 hectare (634-acre) property soon after Agriculture and Agri-food Canada announced the Agroforestry Development Centre at Indian Head would be closed. The sale was successfully finalized in April 2017.

c. Canada signed 11 treaties with First Nations, in part, to deal with the waves of settlers moving across the Prairies. Under these treaties, Canada promised to reserve alternative lands for First Nations (that is, create reserves). While many First Nations in Saskatchewan received the full land allocations promised under the treaties they signed with the Government of Canada, others did not.

North-West Mounted Police.

The Canadian Pacific Railway. While workers from the Department of Public Works were building the Canadian Pacific Railway, the North-West Mounted Police were ensuring their safety.

b. Surveying parties.

b. 1 million. For generations, the only way to reach Prince Edward Island was by ferry. But thoughts of a bridge were never too far from Islanders’ minds. In 1988, Islanders voted 59.4% in favour of a bridge. After years of planning, official construction of the bridge began in October 1993. The bridge took almost 4 years to build.

c. The bridge is supported by 65 piers. In the middle of the bridge, the piers are separated by spans as long as 250 metres each. During the height of construction, 1 span was built every week.

The Confederation Bridge was named in honour of the Charlottetown Conference of 1864. This famous conference helped pave the way to Confederation just 3 years later.

a. 100,000

c. 18

c. Russian

True. The team had to create many words to designate new weapons and the most recent innovations in military strategy when no word existed in the other official language.

All of the above.

Grain elevators, which are the tall buildings farmers use to store grain.

22 years. During his time as Cabinet minister, C.D. Howe led many major projects, including Canadian National (CN) Railways and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

5,900 submissions.

Donovan’s 20-year-old daughter, Joan O’Malley: “I really didn't realize what I was getting into when I got that phone call from my father in 1964. I was just doing my father a favour, not participating in history. And sewing the flag was not easy. I was no professional; I had just sewed some of my clothes before this. My sewing machine wasn't made for such heavy material. But eventually, the flag came together.”

Dr. George Stanley.

What year did Queen Elizabeth II sign the royal proclamation for the new flag?

How many points are on the flag’s maple leaf?

In which year did the National Flag of Canada first enter space?

What does a vexillologist study

In 1982, the National Flag of Canada was brought to the top of what mountain by Laurie Skreslet?

b) False. The Centre Block was completely destroyed by the blaze. Only the Library of Parliament survived. After the fire, the rubble from the old building was removed, and Public Works started to build a new Centre Block building in its place.

The Library survived because of the foresight of librarian Alpheus Todd and clerk Connie MacCormac. Todd had insisted that the architect put in iron fire doors. MacCormac ordered the doors to be slammed shut before evacuating.

Gothic Revival style. The design of the Centre Block, however, is based on Beaux-Arts principles.

They were both designed by Thomas Fuller, the Chief Dominion Architect with Public Works from 1881 to 1896. Fuller designed the original Centre Block building. The building was destroyed by a massive fire in 1916. Only the Library survived.

a) Department of Munitions and Supply.

Public Works Canada, Supply and Services Canada, the Translation Bureau, and the Government Telecommunications Agency.

d) 1839

Telephones. By 1886, the Department of Public Works had provided telephones as a standard fixture in government offices across Canada, but it wasn't until 1890 that workers in government buildings enjoyed electric lights, and then only in urban areas.

d) All of the above. Sir Sandford Fleming is known for designing Canada’s first postage stamp, engineering railways and inventing standard time. This Public Works employee also surveyed and mapped much of our country.

b) Saskatchewan. The town of Fleming, Saskatchewan, was named after this famous Public Works employee.