1. C ANADA ’ S LEGAL SYSTEM Chapter 11 SS11

2. L AWS Laws influence almost everything we do in our daily lives. Laws regulate business conducts, trade, immigration, and government. Laws spell out the rights, privileges, and powers we enjoy as citizens and balance them with the duties expected of us. Canadian laws reflect the values that we hold in common. As a society, we choose to have laws to protect children, workers on the job, the aged, and minorities. We have the right to oppose laws that we feel are unjust and to work to change the law by legal means. Laws have to be made, enforced, and applied.

3. THE RULE OF LAW We are governed by a fixed set of lows that apply to all people equally, regardless of their position in society. Great symbol of the rule of law is the Magna Carta, 1215 signed by King John of England.

4. M AIN CATEGORIES OF L AW CIVIL LAW: deals with relationships between individuals or groups. CRIMINAL LAW: deals with matters that affect society as a whole. Criminal acts are considered to be committed against the state, not just against individual victims.

5. C IVIL LAW Usually involves a dispute over contracts, property, or personal relationships. Property ; physical (possessions), intellectual (ideas), or creative (artwork). Examples: property damage, accident victim compensation, child custody. Plaintiff : person who claims to have suffered harm, loss, or injury to self or property. Defendant : alleged wrongdoer.

6. C RIMINAL LAW Breaking a criminal law is considered to be a wrong against Canadian society. Criminal cases are carried out in the name of the Crown (R = Regina = Latin for Queen) Prosecution : Lawyers rep the Crown. Defence : representing the accused person. Only the federal government can make criminal laws, provincial governments help administer them.

7. C ANADA ’ S L EGAL T RADITION Quebec civil law based on Code Napoleon. Common Law : based on the decisions of judges in the British royal courts. It system is based on past decisions, or precedents. Statutory law : set out in acts of Parliament.

8. N OW WHAT ? Read 270-275 Do worksheet: Canadian Law Review/ Canadian Criminal Justice System/ Canadian Civil Justice System. Questions pages 273 # 2 & 3a/ 275 # 1/2a/3.