Whistler
1) Whistler will soon see its first cannabis retail shops open in the resort, more than five years after legalization. In what year did drug prohibition begin in Canada?
A) 1968 B) 1997 C) 1867 D) 1908
2) The Resort Municipality of Whistler is undertaking a major upgrade of the resort’s beloved Rainbow Park. For how much did the RMOW originally expropriate the land in question in 1987?
A) $367,000 B) $1.3 million C) $1 D) $781,000
3) Whistler’s Canada Day parade will not return to the resort this year. When was the last time it was held?
A) 2018 B) 2021 C) 2019 D) 2010
4) Grizzly bear sightings in the Whistler Valley have increased in recent years, as backcountry recreation ramps up and both human and bear populations grow. Grizzly bears are discernible by the big humps on their backs. But what is inside the hump?
A) Bone B) Baby grizzlies C) Fat D) Muscle
5) The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s Balance Model Initiative is confronting some hard truths about the resort’s potential future. By how much does the model anticipate Whistler’s population will grow by 2040?
A) 165 per cent B) 57 per cent C) 32 per cent D) 84 per cent
6) Whistler housing is notoriously expensive, whether you’re buying or renting. According to a recent report, what percentage of Whistler households spend more than 30 per cent of their income on lodging?
A) Just over 15 per cent B) Just below 75 per cent C) Nearly 30 per cent D) 100 per cent
7) Whistler pioneer and Freedom of the Municipality holder Garry Watson passed away in April. How many people hold Freedom of the Municipality in Whistler?
A) 14 B) 12 C) 8 D) 22
8) An enhanced rezoning is underway for Whistler’s Northlands development, leaving the fate of the Whistler Racket Club, which currently sits on the land in question, up in the air. Which famous sports superstar has NOT been linked to a development in Whistler?
A) Golfer Jack Nicklaus B) Snowboarder Ross Rebagliati C) Tennis phenom Björn Borg D) Vancouver Canucks legend Roberto Luongo
9) The Whistler 360 Health Collaborative is now connecting Whistlerites with their new family doctor. Approximately how many people had signed up for the non-profit’s patient registry waitlist as of May 2023?
A) 700 B) 1,000 C) 1,500 D) 2,000
10) Whistler and Vancouver will host the Invictus Games in 2025. Which member of the British Royal Family is behind the Games?
A) Prince Harry B) Prince William C) King Charles III D) Queen Elizabeth II
Answers
1) D. Drug prohibition in Canada began in 1908, a project of Mackenzie King before he became Canada’s 10th prime minister. 2) A. The RMOW paid the Saxton family, owners of the land, $367,000. In 2012, a judge valued the land significantly higher, and ordered the municipality to pay an additional $2.4 million. 3) C. 4) D. According to bearsmart.com, the grizzly bear’s hump is actually a large muscle. 5) B. The Balance Model predicts a total population of about 22,000 people by 2040, a 57-per-cent increase over its current population of nearly 14,000. 6) C. According to a provincially mandated housing needs report, 1,360 Whistler households—or nearly 30 per cent—reported spending 30 per cent or more on housing in the 2016 Census (a number that has likely gone up since then). 7) A. The Freedom of the Municipality is the highest honour a council can bestow, and it honours citizens for their outstanding contributions to the community. In practical terms, it gives the recipient the right to vote in Whistler elections regardless of property ownership or residency in Whistler. 8) D. There’s the Nicklas North Golf Course, Rebagliati Park, and the ill-fated Björn Borg Whistler Resort… but no Luongo Lounge (as far as we know). 9) D. More than 2,000 locals had added their name to Whistler 360’s patient registry as of May. Of those, 650 had been booked for patient-intake appointments with their new doctor. 10) A. The Games were founded by the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, in 2014. The 2025 instalment marks the first time they will be held in British Columbia, and the first to include winter sports.
Canadiana
1) What year did “O Canada” officially become the national anthem?
A) 1980 B) 1867 C) 1906 D) 1880
2) Which Canadian region boasts the tallest vertical drop on Earth?
A) B.C. B) Alberta C) Yukon D) Nunavut
3) What percentage of Canada’s population is foreign-born, as per the 2021 census?
A) 11 per cent B) 23 per cent C) 18 per cent D) 31 per cent
4) Roughly how many Indigenous communities are there in Canada?
A) 125 B) 470 C) 630 D) 850
5) Canadian engineer John Hopps created what important piece of medical equipment?
A) The stethoscope B) The MRI machine C) The hearing aid D) The pacemaker
6) Sticking with the medical theme, Toronto doctors Frederick Banting and John Macleod won the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for what discovery?
A) Insulin B) The electrocardiogram C) Human blood groups D) Penicillin
7) Canada’s Hudson’s Bay region has less of what than anywhere else in the world?
A) Palm trees B) Gravity C) Family doctors D) Rats
8) ‘Eh’ is listed as a word in the dictionary.
A) True B) False
9) Which Canadian town will soon lose its status as home to the world’s largest hockey stick?
A) Sudbury, Ont. B) Duncan, B.C. C) Swift Current, Sask. D) Prince George, B.C.
10) Canada has 2,860 of these, more than any other country in the world.
A) Tim Hortons B) Polar bears C) Hockey rinks D) Cannabis stores
Answers
1) A. Although ‘O Canada’ was first composed in 1880, it wasn’t until a century later that it was officially proclaimed the national anthem. 2) D. Nunavut’s Baffin Island is home to Mount Thor, which features the world’s tallest vertical drop at 1.25 kilometres (or 4,100 feet). The granite mountain’s 105-degree overhang technically means its slope is even steeper than vertical. 3) B. According to the 2021 Census, 8,361,505 people living in Canada are immigrants. 4) C. The more than 630 communities in Canada represent more than 50 First Nations and 50 Indigenous languages. 5) D. 6) A. 7) B. Technically, if you were to visit Canada’s Hudson Bay region, you would weigh slightly less than you would anywhere else in the world (only about 0.006 of a pound less, so don’t book your flights just yet). 8) A. According to Merriam-Webster, “Eh” is an interjection “used to ask for confirmation or repetition or to express inquiry, used especially in Canadian English in anticipation of the listener’s or reader’s agreement.” 9) C. The 66-metre hockey stick made out of steel and Douglas fir is set to be dethroned by Lockport, Ill., once construction of a new rink gets and 76-m hockey stick are completed. 10) C.
Politics
1) What Canadian Prime Minister once lived in Whistler?
A) Stephen Harper B) Justin Trudeau
C) Kim Campbell D) John Turner
2) How many Canadian premiers are women?
A) None B) Three C) Five D) Seven
3) Which settlement was B.C.’s first capital?
A) Victoria B) New Westminster C) Fort St. James D) Fort Langley
4) How many new ridings will B.C. have heading into the next provincial election?
A) Zero B) Six C) Eight D) 10
5) How many Canadian provinces have elected openly separatist representatives?
A) None B) One C) Three D) All
6) In 2023, the BC Liberal Party changed its name to what?
A) BC United Party B) United Conservative Party
C) BC Party D) Neo-Liberal Party
7) Which Canadian Prime Minister brought in the Indian Act?
A) John A. Macdonald B) Alexander Mackenzie
C) Pierre Trudeau D) Charles Tupper
8) Which former governor general is being criticized for their close relationship with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa’s probe of foreign election interference?
A) David Johnston B) Adrienne Clarkson
C) Mary Simon D) Julie Payette
9) How many times has Canada’s new King, Charles III, visited Canada?
A) Zero B) Five C) 18 D) 24
10) Which Canadian province or territory saw the most growth in the last census?
A) Yukon B) British Columbia
C) Prince Edward Island D) Ontario
Answers
1) B. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau grew up visiting Whistler with his family; he would come back in his 20s to work as a snowboard instructor at Blackcomb Mountain. His brother Michel Trudeau also worked as a lift attendant at Whistler Blackcomb. 2) B. There are currently three female first ministers in Canada: Caroline Cochrane, Premier of the Northwest Territories; Heather Stefanson, Premier of Manitoba; and Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta. 3) D. Fort Langley was the original provisional capital of the colony. New Westminster took the position a few years later. 4) B. Due to British Columbia’s rapid growth over the last census, the province will receive six new ridings: four in the Lower Mainland, one on Vancouver Island, and one in the Interior. 5) C. Throughout Canada’s history, only Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Quebec have elected representatives that advocated for leaving Canada. 6) A. 7) B. Liberal Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie officially brought in the Indian Act in 1876, aimed at consolidating various pieces of pre-Confederation legislation and forcing the country’s Indigenous population to abandon their respective language and culture. 8) A. 9) C. Charles III has made 18 official trips to Canada, though none since becoming King last year. 10) A. Between 2016 and 2021, Yukon’s population grew by 12.6 per cent.
Arts
1) Who was the first Canadian female solo artist to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts?
A) Celine Dion B) Anne Murray C) Avril Lavigne D) Alanis Morissette
2) Which B.C. carver who traces his ancestry to the Tahltan and Tlingit peoples had his first-ever career retrospective at Whistler’s Audain Art Museum last year?
A) Dempsey Bob B) Xwalacktun (Rick Harry) C) Neil Baker D) Joe Campbell
3) What was the first Canadian TV series to win an Emmy, taking home a whopping nine awards at the 2020 event?
A) Reservation Dogs B) Orphan Black C) The Handmaid’s Tale D) Schitt’s Creek
4) What long-running comedy series starring Canadians Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles shot its final season in early 2023?
A) The Drew Carey Show B) Abbott Elementary
C) The Goldbergs D) Whose Line Is It Anyway?
5) Canadian megastar Ryan Reynolds purchased the previously down-and-out Welsh soccer club, Wrexham, in 2021, with which fellow actor?
A) Glenn Howerton B) Charlie Day C) Rob McElhenney D) Danny DeVito
6) Which Canadian tech company was dramatized in a 2023 film starring the aforementioned Glenn Howerton and Canadian Jay Baruchel?
A) Shopify B) Hootsuite C) Bitbuy D) Blackberry
7) The Red River Jig is a traditional folk dance from what Canadian Indigenous community?
A) The Inuit B) The Métis C) The Mi’kmaq D) The Haida
8) Late rapper Tupac Shakur counted this Canadian as his favourite actor, who sent Shakur letters while he was in prison to keep his spirits up.
A) Jim Carrey B) Catherine O’Hara C) Keanu Reeves D) Michael J. Fox
9) This Canadian musical icon appeared on a commemorative $1 coin last year.
A) Lenny Breau B) Diana Krall
C) Nelly Furtado D) Oscar Peterson
10) This Sri Lankan-born Canadian author of numerous books, including The English Patient, has a species of spider named after them.
A) Margaret Atwood B) Joseph Boyden
C) Michael Ondaatje D) Alice Munro
Answers
1) B. Murray earned the accolade for her 1970 song, “Snowbird.” 2) A. Bob’s exhibit, Wolves, featured a selection of masks, panels, wall sculptures, vessels and regalia. 3) D. The show was also the first comedy or drama series to sweep all four Emmy acting categories. 4) D. 5) C. The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia star purchased the club with Reynolds for $2.5 million, helping lead the team to the Vanarama National League championship in April. 6) D. 7) B. 8) A. 9) D. 10) C. In 2016, a new species of spider, Brignolia ondaatjei, discovered in Sri Lanka, was named after the writer.
Food for Thought
1) What animal, which used to roam the prairies, is making a comeback as an alternative to beef?
A) Deer B) Ox C) Bison D) Caribou
2) What comes before ‘Gundy’ in the name of a Nova Scotian fish dish?
A) Morrison B) Solomon C) Ocean D) Lunenberg
3) What number is used in Labatt’s beer brand celebrating the company’s anniversary?
A) 25 B) 50 C) 100 D) 150
4) Which of the following sushi rolls was invented in Vancouver in the 1970s?
A) California roll B) Philadelphia roll C) Alaska roll D) Spider roll
5) Canada produces roughly what percentage of the world’s maple syrup?
A) 25 B) 40 C) 50 D) 70
6) This Canadian treat originated in the late 1970s at a community fair near Ottawa, based on a cherished family recipe.
A) Butter tarts B) Nanaimo bars C) Flapper pie D) BeaverTails
7) The hearty Newfie feast called Jigg’s Dinner typically features which of the following proteins?
A) Salt beef B) Cod C) Roast pork D) Crab
8) This thick-crust pizza, featuring hefty layers of meat and vegetable toppings, with baked cheese melted over top, originated in what Canadian city?
A) Halifax B) Toronto C) Victoria D) Regina
9) This savoury pie is commonly found at celebrations in Québecois households.
A) Shepherd’s pie B) Tourtière C) Country mince pie D) Pigeon pie
10) Last year, Vancouver saw its first entries in the esteemed Michelin Guide. How many restaurants earned their first Michelin star?
A) 4 B) 8 C) 12 D) 15
Answers
1) C. 2) B. Solomon Gundy is a sort of catch-all name for pickled herring—including in Jamaica, which counts a similar dish of the same name. 3) B. 4) A. Invented by famed sushi chef and restaurateur Hidekazu Tojo, the California roll was named thus because of its use of avocado and crab. 5) D. 6) D. Pam and Grant Hooker began selling the pastries at a fair in Killaloe, west of Ottawa, in 1978. 7) A. Jigg’s Dinner also typically includes potatoes, vegetables and dumplings. 8) D. 9) B. 10) B. The Vancouver restaurants that made the list are: AnnaLena; Barbara; Burdock & Co; Kissa Tanto; Masayoshi; Published on Main; iDen & Quan Ju De Beijing Duck House; and St. Lawrence.
Sports
1) Which was the last Canadian NHL team to win the Stanley Cup?
A) Montreal Canadiens B) Quebec Nordiques C) Edmonton Oilers D) Calgary Flames
2) What was the name of the Montreal Expos’ first home field?
A) Jarry Field B) Hiram Bithorn Stadium
C) Olympic Stadium D) Percival Molson Memorial Stadium
3) At the 2022 Winter Olympics, Russian figure skater Anna Shcherbakova won gold in women’s singles amidst a drug scandal involving her teammate, Kamila Valieva. Who was the highest-placing Canadian in that event?
A) Piper Gilles B) Madeline Schizas C) Kaetlyn Osmond D) Tessa Virtue
4) Alexandria Loutitt (who competed in Whistler this February) is the most recent ski jumper to win gold for Canada on the FIS World Cup circuit. Who was the last Canadian to achieve this feat before her?
A) Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes B) Steve Collins C) Horst Bulau D) Taylor Henrich
5) Andre de Grasse is the reigning Olympic champion in the men’s 200-metre sprint. How fast did he run to claim gold during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games?
A) 19.80 seconds B) 19.62 seconds C) 19.41 seconds D) 20.05 seconds
6) Which Sea to Sky mountain biker finished second in the U19 age category of 2022’s Canadian Open DH race at Crankworx Whistler?
A) Marcus Goguen B) Jackson Goldstone C) Lucas Cruz D) Tegan Cruz
7) Whistler freestyle skier Jude Oliver names Alex Hall as one of his role models. What is Alex Hall best known for in the freestyle community?
A) Being the first athlete ever to land a 2160 in official big air competition
B) Being the defending Olympic champion in men’s ski big air
C) Winning a World Cup medal in all three freestyle ski disciplines: halfpipe, big air and slopestyle
D) Being the inaugural Olympic champion in men’s ski slopestyle
8) Former BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke signed in the NFL after throwing 25 touchdown passes in just 10 CFL regular-season games last year. Which of the following BC Lions alumni have been named to the NFL’s All-Pro team?
A) Doug Flutie B) Cameron Wake
C) Mervyn Fernandez D) Geroy Simon
9) Whistler snowboarder Jasmine Baird took gold in the first FIS World Cup big air contest ever held in a stadium. Which stadium was it?
A) Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton, Alta.)
B) McMahon Stadium (Calgary, Alta.)
C) “The Big House” (Ann Arbour, Mich.)
D) BMO Field (Toronto, Ont.)
10) On Jan. 13, 2020, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the second Canadian NBA player to ever post a triple-double (20 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and 10 assists). Who are the only other players in NBA history to achieve a 20-20 triple double in their second year?
A) LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Wilt Chamberlain
B) Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
C) Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Oscar Robertson
D) LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson
Answers
1) A. The Montreal Canadiens last won the Stanley Cup in 1993. 2) A. 3) B. Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont. wound up 19th as top Canadian. Piper Gilles and Tessa Virtue are both ice dancers, while Kaetlyn Osmond earned bronze in 2018. 4) C. Horst Bulau won World Cup ski jumping gold in 1983. Taylor Henrich was the last Canadian woman to win a World Cup medal with two bronzes in 2015. 5) B. Andre de Grasse ran 200 metres in a personal best and Canadian record time of 19.62 seconds. 6) D. Tegan Cruz of Pemberton claimed silver in the event—Jackson Goldstone won and Marcus Goguen came third. Lucas Cruz, Tegan’s older brother, ended up fourth in the Pro division. 7) A. Park City, Utah’s Alex Hall became the first freestyle skier to stomp a 2160 (i.e. six full rotations in the air) at the 2022 Winter X Games. 8) B. Edge rusher Cameron Wake was selected to a total of four All-Pro teams in his NFL career, including First-Team All-Pro in 2012 when he was considered the best player at his position. 9) A. Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton hosted some of the world’s top freestyle snowboarders on Dec. 10, 2022—when Jasmine Baird prevailed with a score of 159.50. 10) C.
