Coquitlam library runs mock citizenship tests, aims to make process more manageable, less lonely

This is only a test. Remain calm. And remember that if you fail you might not be able be a Canadian citizen.

This afternoon, Coquitlam librarian Kelsey Waggener is set to guide a group of newcomers to Canada through a rigidly timed mock citizenship test.

“This is the hardest version that you will take of this test,” she promises.

The 20-question quiz is an effort to help prospective citizens study and to foster a sense of connection.

Having recently immigrated to Canada from the United States, Waggener says she was struck at the way the citizenship process felt isolating.

“For such a monumental thing it can be a very lonely experience,” she says.

She wasn’t part of any study groups, didn’t interact with anyone, and took the test alone, she says.

The fact that all the test resources are available online makes the process more accessible, she says. But besides the lack of “human feedback,” there’s another downside.

“There’s almost no way to practise the stress and intensity of it,” she says of the test.

It’s the reason she keeps an eye on the stopwatch during her mock exam, counting down the seconds to tax the students’ concentration.

Questions can range from what’s on the Canadian flag queries about the Group of Seven artists to what was accomplished by the Constitutional Act of 1791. (The act of British Parliament divided Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada, as every Canadian knows.)

“I became a Canadian citizen,” she says. “I know exactly how difficult it is.”

After years of delays and bureaucracy, the test can feel overwhelming.

“You’re within spitting distance of [citizenship], but you have to study and take this test.”

Besides the test itself, Waggener says she makes sure each student is given a study guide.

“The last thing I want somebody to do is to fall into the trap of trying to use something like ChatGPT to study for a test like this,” she said. “It will be very, very confident in incorrectly giving you information.”

Reaching the people who most need help with their citizenship test has been a challenge.

“It’s always a struggle trying to get the information to the people who need it,” she says.

However, the plan is to run mock citizenship tests two to four times a year, even if attendance is low.

“The people who really need it will hopefully find their way to it eventually.”

More info here.