Canadian law history

Canadian law history reflects its evolution from Indigenous legal traditions to a colonial legal system based on British law. In 1867, the British North America Act united colonies into the Dominion of Canada, establishing a constitutional framework. Over time, Canada developed its own legal identity, including the 1982 patriation of the Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, safeguarding individual rights. Canadian law balances parliamentary sovereignty with constitutional protections, shaping everything from criminal justice to civil rights. This history illustrates Canada’s transition from colonial rule to an independent nation with a distinctive legal system rooted in parliamentary democracy and constitutional law.