Canadian Law

While law can be broken down into functional substantive areas such as torts, administrative and wills/estates, it is first necessary to provide students with an overall background to the creation and purpose of our laws. Only when the function of law and its background are understood can an individual clearly appreciate the definition of rights, privileges and responsibilities, and the processes by which they are entrenched and enforced in a given society. This course is designed to introduce students to the law in Canada. A brief history of the development of Canada's legal system, court structure and an overview of the sources and divisions of law set the stage for an examination of the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A thorough examination of the courts and the roles of those in the courts give students insight into the operation of the legal system. Students are introduced to tort law, family law, estates, real estate and administrative law. This course is meant to give students a general understanding of how laws are defined, created, implemented, and interpreted to give them a strong foundation to build upon in their core courses.