Introduction to the Justice System in Canada
A healthy democratic society functions best when its population is educated and engaged as active and informed citizens. This tool is designed to help educators help students think critically about the history and basic principles of the justice system in Canada. The tool focuses specifically on certain key moments, documents, and institutions that are fundamental to the origin and development of the current system in Canada.
By learning about the history of how this system was developed, applied, and received in Canada, we can better understand our society today, and our place in it. How did we get here? What impact do our laws have on our daily lives? How do we in turn have an impact on this system? What does it mean to be a Canadian citizen or resident, and to live under the "rule of law"? It is also necessary to examine the legacy and consequences of policies to which Indigenous peoples and others have been subjected. Though Canada is now recognized as an international leader in human rights, much work remains to be done to ensure human rights and equality are legally protected and enjoyed by everyone in Canada.