Holidays & Events
Which flower is traditionally associated with Mother’s Day in May?
A) Rose
B) Daisy
C) Carnation
D) Tulip
Answer: C) Carnation
Which city was named Canada’s capital by Queen Victoria on May 20, 1857?
A) Montreal B) Kingston C) Ottawa D) Toronto
Answer: C) Ottawa
Ottawa was selected for its location between English and French Canada and its defensibility.
Which bird is famous for its haunting call and returns to Canadian lakes in May?
A) Loon B) Goose C) Robin D) Osprey
Answer: A) Loon
What prairie province celebrates rhubarb in local May markets and pies?
A) Alberta B) Manitoba C) Saskatchewan D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Rhubarb thrives in prairie climates and is one of the first garden harvests.
In the early 1900s, what eerie May tradition took place in some parts of rural Ontario, where people would “wake the bees” by doing what?
A) Singing into hives B) Knocking on trees C) Pouring milk on the ground D) Whispering secrets
Answer: A) Singing into hives
Farmers and children would hum or sing near beehives in early May to “wake” the bees for pollination. Some believed the bees could carry news to the spirit world, so they sang greetings for the dead, too.
What’s the nickname for Victoria Day weekend in many parts of Canada?
A) The Queen’s Long Weekend
B) May Two-Four
C) Start of Summer Weekend
D) Cottage Opener
Answer: B) May Two-Four
In May 1969, which Canadian province officially adopted French as an official language alongside English?
A) Ontario B) New Brunswick C) Quebec D) Manitoba
Answer: B) New Brunswick
New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province.
Which flower is widely associated with spring and blooms heavily in Ottawa in May?
A) Daffodil B) Tulip C) Peony D) Lily
Answer: B) Tulip
Ottawa hosts the Canadian Tulip Festival, originally a thank-you gift from the Dutch royal family after WWII.
Which wild spring vegetable, often foraged in Ontario and Quebec in May, smells like garlic?
A) Morels B) Wild leeks (ramps) C) Fiddleheads D) Sorrel
Answer: B) Wild leeks (ramps)
Ramps are a prized delicacy for their pungent, garlicky flavour and short harvest window.
In parts of rural Canada, what odd tradition might farmers still quietly observe in early May to “wake the soil”?
A) Singing to seeds B) Walking barefoot in fields C) Tapping the earth with a stick D) Planting a single potato by moonlight
Answer: C) Tapping the earth with a stick
Based in old Celtic and Acadian customs, this symbolic act is believed to “wake up” the land and encourage fertility. Some older farmers still do it for good luck in May.
What Canadian province declared May 20th as Acadian Remembrance Day (Journée du souvenir acadien)?
A) Nova Scotia B) Quebec C) New Brunswick D) Prince Edward Island
Answer: C) New Brunswick
This unofficial holiday honours Acadian ancestors lost in maritime tragedies.
What major global conflict ended in May 1945, affecting millions around the world?
A) Korean War B) World War I C) Boer War D) World War II
Answer: D) World War II
Victory in Europe Day (May 8, 1945) marked the end of WWII in Europe. Over 1 million Canadians served.
Which flower is Ontario’s provincial emblem, blooming widely in May?
A) Daisy B) Trillium C) Bluebell D) Goldenrod
Answer: B) Trillium
Which fruit tree blossoms in May, bringing tourism to the Niagara region?
A) Apple B) Peach C) Cherry D) Plum
Answer: A) Apple
Apple orchards bloom in early to mid-May and attract visitors to Ontario’s fruit belt.
What Canadian legend says that turning your clothes inside out in May will bring what?
A) Early summer B) Rain C) Bear sightings D) Good fishing
Answer: D) Good fishing
A fun, old-time superstition in some fishing communities.
Which Canadian national museum often holds “Spring into History” events in May?
A) Canadian Museum of Nature
B) Canadian Museum of History
C) Canadian War Museum
D) Royal Ontario Museum
Answer: B) Canadian Museum of History
Located in Gatineau, this museum celebrates Canada’s rich past with May programming.
What Canadian maritime disaster occurred in May 1914?
A) Halifax Explosion B) S.S. Atlantic wreck C) Empress of Ireland sinking D) Ocean Ranger disaster
Answer: C) Empress of Ireland sinking
The RMS Empress of Ireland sank in the St. Lawrence River on May 29, 1914, killing over 1,000 people — a major Canadian maritime tragedy.
What insect starts to emerge in many parts of Canada in May?
A) Firefly B) Mosquito C) Ladybug D) Grasshopper
Answer: B) Mosquito
With warmer temperatures and standing water, mosquitoes become a familiar nuisance.
Which leafy green is commonly available in Canadian farmers’ markets in May?
A) Kale B) Spinach C) Lettuce D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
These greens tolerate cool weather and are harvested early in spring gardens.
Which famous Canadian lake has a mysterious “Old Man” log that drifts upright since 1890 — sometimes visible in May?
A) Lake Superior B) Lake Louise C) Lake Ontario D) Crater Lake
Answer: B) Lake Louise
“Old Man of the Lake,” seen in BC’s Crater Lake National Park, floats vertically and is tracked by scientists.
What group frequently participates in Victoria Day parades?
A) Girl Guides of Canada B) RCMP musical ride C) Royal Canadian Legion D) Canadian Ski Patrol
Answer: C) Royal Canadian Legion
Which Canadian province joined Confederation on May 12, 1870?
A) Manitoba B) Saskatchewan C) Alberta D) British Columbia
Answer: A) Manitoba
Known as the “Postage Stamp Province,” Manitoba was the fifth to join Confederation after the Red River Rebellion.
Which Canadian national park is known for its wildflower blooms in May?
A) Banff B) Waterton Lakes C) Cape Breton Highlands D) Gros Morne
Answer: B) Waterton Lakes
Located in Alberta, this park sees diverse blooms thanks to its prairie-meets-mountain ecosystem.
Which product is typically still harvested in Quebec in early May, depending on weather?
A) Blueberries B) Strawberries C) Maple syrup D) Apples
Answer: C) Maple syrup
Though maple season peaks in March and April, late harvests can extend into early May.
Which northern Canadian town may still experience 24-hour daylight by the end of May?
A) Churchill B) Whitehorse C) Iqaluit D) Tuktoyaktuk
Answer: D) Tuktoyaktuk
Located above the Arctic Circle, “Tuk” starts getting continuous daylight near the end of May.