With The Amazing Race Canada stopping in Ottawa this week, I half-expected the Prime Minister to be involved in some sort of challenge. That didn’t happen, but it did embrace the capital of Canada and everything that goes along with it.

This Leg featured the dreaded Double U-Turn, the ultimate in game play on The Amazing Race Canada and a real opportunity for folks to lay the groundwork for friction between squads. Would Andrea and Adam use last week’s first-place finish to gain momentum and take out other teams? Would Ivana’s bad back derail she and Korey for good? Sam and Paul stated from their cab ride to the airport that they were ready to use the Double U-Turn to their advantage, but would they really do it, or would another duo make a move on them?

Adam and Andrea sought teamwork from past buddies Ebonie and Andrea and Sam and Paul, hoping the trio of teams could work together but—more importantly—not U-Turn each other. It was a smart move, but would it work out?

All of the teams arrived in Ottawa on the same flight, negating any attempt at a head-start. Korey and Ivana sprinted into the lead, arriving at City Hall and then departing for Hog’s Back Falls to use a series of sponsorship vehicles to spell one letter in the word “Canada.” Listen, I get having to celebrate a sponsor—it helps pay the bills—but parking cars to spell a word is lame. Still, the challenge was enough to see some teams shift position, as Kenneth and Ryan completed it first, followed by Ebonie and Andrea and Korey and Ivans. Sam and Paul forgot to use their in-car cameras, which slowed them down.

Ryan, Andrea, Korey, Adam, Karen and Paul opted to do the Road Block, a patriotic test involving grooming an RCMP horse, dressing it up and then riding it alongside two officers. Yes, that involved some horse bum-wiping, and a lot was made of that task. It seems like Kenneth and Ryan and Ebonie and Andrea are always going head-to-head and that was the case here too, as the pairs completed the task No. 1 and 2.

The week’s Detours had squads either building a flower cart and filling it with tulips of certain colours in a specific order or seek out 20 pieces of art from a cavernous warehouse. Not surprisingly, all of the teams chose the tulips (as would I, if anyone is asking). That meant a log jam of teams at the same location and the chance for folks like Karen and Bert or Sam and Paul to move up the ranks. That’s exactly what happened to Sam and Paul, who took the time to ask for directions before leaving for Commissioner’s Park. The result? The last-place team coming out of the horse test arrived at the park first, followed by Bert and Karen. (I can confirm from personal experience that Ottawa is a tricky city to drive in.) Ivana and Korey parked last.

Bert and Karen departed the tulips first and headed for the famous ByWard Market in search of the equally famous BeaverTails stand and the dreaded Double U-Turn board. Karen and Bert, who haven’t been much of a threat so far this season, opted not to U-Turn anyone and drove to the Canadian Museum of History. Sam and Paul arrived at the U-Turn board next and stuck with their alliance, protecting Adam and Andrea and Andrea and Ebonie and forcing Team Give’r to embrace their arty side. Adam and Andrea arrived at the U-Turn board next and—thinking Andrea and Ebonie must have already come by and not U-Turned anyone—opted to leave without putting anyone’s picture up. First rule of The Amazing Race Canada? Never assume anything. That opened up the chance for Korey and Ivana to make a power move and they took full advantage by U-Turning Ebonie and Andrea. (Also, what are the chances that Ryan would see his brother, Johnny, in downtown Ottawa?) Kenneth and Ryan didn’t let being U-Turned get them down; the best buds zipped over to the art storage facility and blew through the 20 images and were leaving for the museum as Ebonie and Andrea arrived.

Meanwhile, Sam and Paul were the first to get a taste of what it takes to become a Canadian citizen when they had to complete a citizenship test packed with multiple-choice questions. Sam passed, but Paul failed. Karen passed, but Bert failed. Adam and Andrea both passed and they departed for the museum’s upper terrace to meet Jon at the Pit Stop, landing a cross-country trip for two in the process. They have quickly become the team to beat this season after winning back-to-back Legs. Thank goodness I’m a Canadian citizen from birth because the test was clearly too much for the teams. After eight tries Paul finally passed; Korey and Ivana were next, and Bert (after 14 attempts) and Karen followed. After Team Give’r nailed their tests, it was over for Ebonie and Andrea … until Jon informed them it was a non-elimination Leg. Clearly, the gals have luck on their side because they were saved a second time.

Here’s how the teams finished this Leg of the Race:

1. Adam and Andrea (won a five-stop cross Canada trip)
2. Sam and Paul
3. Korey and Ivana
4. Karen and Bert
5. Kenneth and Ryan
6. Ebonie and Andrea (non-elimination Leg)

What did you think of this Leg of The Amazing Race Canada? How would you have done with the citizenship test? Let me know in the comments below.

The Amazing Race Canada airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV.

Images courtesy of Bell Media.