About Canada - Canada's Legal Tradition The ABOUT CANADA publication is a series of brief analytical overviews of modern Canadian issues and culture, written in a 3500-word newsletter format and in a style accessible to a general audience.This publication discusses how the Canadian legal system has evolved as Canada has evolved, and is today one of the unifying elements in a pluralistic society.

Building a Just Society: A Retrospective of Canadian Rights and Freedoms Building a Just Society is an eclectic Web exhibition created by Library and Archives Canada to mark the 25th aniversary of Canadian Constitution and Charter of Rights and Freedoms (adopted April 17, 1982). It is a historical collection of records (images, articles, books, etc.) about the governance and political culture in Canada, and the achievement of Canadian rights and freedoms.

Canada in the Making This site is about the history of Canada through the words of the men and women who shaped the nation. Built around the Government Documents collection of the Early Canadiana Online collection, it integrates narrative text with links to primary source texts.

The site has been designed for students and teachers of Canadian studies, history and law, but will also be useful to researchers and anyone else interested in Canada's past.

Canada's Court System (Department of Justice) This site is developed by Canada Justice and provides a general description of the court system in Canada – the types, levels of courts, their responsibilities and links to federal courts.

Canada's System of Justice (Department of Justice) This booklet created by the Department of Justice Canada will help readers understand what the law is, where it comes from, what it is for, and how it operates. It does not give complete answers to these questions, but offers a brief outline of Canada's laws and the whole justice system.

Canadian Legal System A portal to information on the Canadian legal system as offered by Thomson Nelson's Political Science Resource Centre.

Canadian Legislative Bijuralism (Department of Justice) The purpose of this website is to provide information about the implications and challenges of bijuralism in the federal legislation of Canada. It is a complete source for documents and other resources on the subject of legislative bijuralism. It was also intended as a place to share and promote knowledge of this subject.

Canadian Symbols at Parliament - Library of Parliament Canadian Symbols at Parliament is a Web site of discovery. It is a rich resource for primary teachers looking to explore with their students, the veritable treasure trove of symbols waiting to be discovered at Canada’s Parliament.

Constitution of Canada FAQs A Publication of Canadian Legal FAQs. Provides information on the division of powers among federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Guide to Making Federal Acts and Regulations The Guide describes the steps to be followed to transform policy into Federal Acts and regulations, which are forms of written law generally referred to as "legislation." It also outlines the roles of the participants in this process. The Guide also serves as a reference for those already involved in law-making and as a training tool for those who are becoming involved for the first time.

How A Bill Becomes Law in B.C.

How a bill becomes law in Canada

How Canadians Govern Themselves The late Senator Eugene Forsey’s popular booklet on the Canadian system of governance has been revised and given a fresh new look. This 5th Edition is now available online and for download in PDF format.

New Brunswick - How a Bill Becomes Law

Ontario - How Bills become Law Access to resources that explain the Ontario legislative process, track Ontario bills as they proceed through the Legislature, and provide the legislative history of bills.

Orders-in-Council, 1867-1882 This online research tool provides access to Orders-in-Council from 1867-1882. The term Orders-in-Council refers to all reports submitted to the Committee of the Privy Council which receive the Governor General's approval. Orders-in-Council are not discussed by Parliament (at least not before they have been implemented). Generally, Orders-in-Council refer to appointments of Deputy Ministers and other government officials, transactions between Government and private sectors, commutations of death sentences, etc.

Out of the Shadows: The Civil Law Tradition in the Department of Justice Canada 1868-2000 Mélanie Brunet, a historian from Hearst in northern Ontario, is the author of this 133-page study of the evolution of civil law within the Department of Justice Canada.

Parliament – How It Works (Parliamentary Internet - Background Resources for Teachers) This Web site will shed light on Canada’s parliamentary process.

Powers of the national and provincial governments From How Canadians Govern Themselves, produced by the Parliament of Canada

Structure of the Government of Canada

Teaching about Justice, Rights and Responsibilities Teacher resource materials developed to support Alberta high school teachers in educating their students about the justice system in Alberta and Canada. It addresses five areas of law within the Canadian judicial system: constitutional, aboriginal, criminal, civil and family, and youth. The resource is a valuable, Alberta-focused supplement to the current Grade 10 Social Studies curriculum and provides lesson plans and other material in an easy-to-use format for teachers.