Unit 2
Basic Legal Principles and the
Canadian Legal System

Overview

The cases, articles and materials presented in the coming units provide both a theoretical and practical understanding of how the law has served the equality interests of women. It is thus necessary to have a basic understanding of “law.” This unit provides grounding in the aspects of general jurisprudence (law) and the legal system that are most relevant to the course. In this unit we review the elements and key principles of the Canadian legal system, in particular the Canadian Constitution. (These could be subjects for an entire course.) This unit is written for novices in legal study, but it will be helpful for everyone.

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, students should be able to

1. identify the basic characteristics of a “law.”
2. discuss the basic features of a constitution and how the Canadian constitution reflects those features.
3. explain the significance of the Charter to the protection of civil liberties and the struggle for equality.