The National Post News Quiz
In this weekly quiz, news editor Jo-anne Macdonald offers an irreverent roundup of headlines that flashed past you over the last seven days to test how much you have been paying attention.
1 Premier Danielle Smith tabled her Sovereignty Act on Tuesday, which would grant her cabinet the right to rewrite provincial laws behind closed doors if a resolution passes in the legislature identifying a federal law deemed unconstitutional or harmful to Alberta. Which of the following clauses is not in the act? a) “Nothing in this Act is to be construed as authorizing any order that would be contrary to the Constitution of Canada.” b) “Nothing in this Act is to be construed as authorizing any directive to a person, other than a provincial entity, that would compel the person to act contrary to or otherwise in violation of any federal law.” c) “Nothing in this Act is to be construed as abrogating or derogating from any existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada that are recognized.” d) “Nothing in this Act is to be construed as a declaration of separation.”
2 Quebec Premier François Legault said he would like to see “100 per cent” of economic immigrants be francophones. His minister of the economy, however, suggested an exception be made for workers in which industry? a) Electric vehicle battery plants b) Construction c) Building maintenance d) Mafia
3 The cost of a Christmas tree is up about 10 per cent this year. Of the following possible reasons, which is not one? a) Cost of fertilizer b) Shortage of trees c) Higher fuel costs d) Explosion in the beaver population
4 The National Capital Commission recently closed the prime minister’s official residence at 24 Sussex Drive because of the deteriorating condition of the home. What is the NCC’S plan for the historic property? a) Remove asbestos and aging infrastructure in the spring and then decide next steps. b) Sell it in an “As Is” condition. c) Invite HGTV designers to submit plans and award the winning designer the TV rights for a renovation series. d) Demolish it.
5 Asked repeatedly by the Conservative leader what he knew about Chinese interference in recent Canadian elections, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that foreign interference, from China or elsewhere, did not change the election results. Which statement did he not say? a) “I can assure you and all Canadians that the 2019 and 2021 elections were not subject to interference that changed the results in any significant way.” b) “Canadians can be reassured that the integrity of our elections was not compromised.” c) “Canada has been working with its allies for years to combat foreign interference, including Chinese interference.” d) “Xi Jinping has assured me that I would not have been his choice for Canadian prime minister.”
6 Drivers were trapped in their vehicles, power was knocked out and the commute home turned into a 12-hour trek for some in Metro Vancouver Tuesday after 25 centimetres of snow blanketed B.C.’S south coast. What reason did the regional deputy director of highways give for the chaos? a) A serious lack of snow tires b) Inexperienced drivers c) Traffic congestion d) Too few snow plows
7 Russians condemned Pope Francis for what they said were racist remarks in an interview he gave to a Jesuit magazine. The Pope was asked why he appeared reluctant to criticize Vladimir Putin and Russia over the war in Ukraine. What did the Pope say? a) Chechens are generally crueller than other Russian fighters. b) Russians drink too much. c) Ukrainian generals are outmanoeuvring the Russians. d) God is on the side of the Ukrainian “martyrs.”
8 In a rare display of civil disobedience Chinese citizens took to the streets this week to demand President Xi Jinping resign over his failing ZERO-COVID) policy and strict lockdowns. They waved sheets of blank white paper, why? a) Border restrictions stopped the import of coloured paper. b) The blank sheets symbolized a lack of freedom of speech. c) They were difficult for Chinese censors to scrub clean. d) To shield their faces from state surveillance cameras.
9 Donald Trump was accused of a “serious lack of judgment” and some senior Republicans such as Senate leader Mitch Mcconnell questioned whether he should be able to run for president again in 2024. What did Trump do (this time)? a) Suggested his former chief of staff Mark Meadows ignore a court order to testify before a grand jury that’s investigating whether Trump tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia. b) Promised to pardon Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who was found guilty on Tuesday of seditious conspiracy for the attack on the Capitol. c) Wrote a scathing review of Mike Pence’s new book under the pseudonym I.M. Hangman. d) Invited rapper Kanye West now known as Ye to dinner at Mara-lago and white supremacist Nick Fuentes tagged along.
10 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin rebuked a reporter at a press conference announcing the results of trade talks. What question did the reporter ask that roiled the leaders? a) “Which one of you is the better dancer and is there video proof ?” b) “Are you two just meeting because you are similar in age and have a lot of common stuff there?” c) “Do you feel a responsibility to support other women in other countries who are seeing the most basic of human rights being repressed and violated?” d) “What does it feel like to be the youngest world leaders?”