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Updated for the 2025 Exams

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  • Audio Courses
  • Exam Study Guide
  • Exam Outline
  • Secondary Materials
  • End of Chapter Quizzes
  • Sample Exam Model Answer Frameworks
  • Lecture Handouts

Foundations of Canadian Law

Modules

  • 1
    Introduction to the Course
    • An Introduction to Foundations of Canadian Law
  • 2
    Resources
    • NCA Syllabus
    • Foundations of Canadian Law Study Guide
    • The Constitution Acts 1867 to 1982
    • Foundations of Canadian Law Lecture Worksheet
    • Foundations of Canadian Law Outline
  • 3
    Topic 1: Basic Theories
    • 1.1 Introduction
    • 1.2 Legal Theories
    • 1.2.1.1 Natural Law
    • 1.2.1.2 Positivism
    • 1.2.2.1 Feminist Legal Theory
    • 1.2.2.2 Critical Legal Studies
    • 1.2.2.3 Economic Theory of Law
    • On Analogic Reasoning - Cass R. Sunstein
    • Law and Economics - Trebilcock
    • Clutterbuck - Rethinking Baker: Critical Race Feminist Theory of Disability
    • Arabs, Muslims, Human Rights, Access to Justice and Institutional Trustworthiness - Reem Bahdi
    • Legal Positivism - Leslie Green
    • Stacey Maynard. Arrested (In)Justice.
    • Chapter 1 Exit Quiz
  • 4
    Topic 2: Indigenous Peoples and the Law
    • 2.0 Introduction
    • 2.1 Federal Legislative Jurisdiction over Aboriginals
    • 2.2 Provincial Legislative Jurisdiction over Aboriginals
    • 2.3 Honour of the Crown
    • 2.3.1 Mikisew Cree First Nation v. Canada (Governor General in Council)
    • 2.4.1 Traditional Aboriginal Rights
    • 2.4.1.1 Brown v Canada
    • 2.4.2 Treaty Rights
    • 2.4.3 Aboriginal Title
    • 2.5 Indigenous Self-Governance
    • 2.5.1 Pastion v. Dene Tha’ First Nation
    • Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
    • 'Seven Gifts: Revitalizing Living Laws through Indigenous Legal Practice' - John Borrows
    • UNDRIP’s Fundamental Flaw - Hayden King
    • 'Braiding the Incommensurable: Indigenous Legal Traditions and the Duty to Consult' - Sarah Morales
    • Bill C262: An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
    • 'Implementing UNDRIP in Canada: Challenges with Bill C-262' - Thomas Isaac and Arend J.A. Hoekstra
    • 'A Memo to Canada: Indigenous People are not Your Incompetent Children' - Alicia Elliot
    • United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
    • Bill C-262 An Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
    • Implementing UNDRIP: some reflections on Bill C-262 - Nigel Bankes
    • The Source Nature and Content of the Crown?s Underlying Title to Aboriginal Title Lands - Kent McNeil
    • Sanderson - Redressing the Right Wrong
    • Naomi Walqwan Metallic.A Human Right to Self-Government over First Nations Child and Family Services and Beyond.
    • Brenda Gunn. Implementing the UN Declaration through Domestic Legislation.
    • Chapter 2 Exit Quiz
    • Scott Carriere. Whose Sovereignty is it Anyway?
  • 5
    Topic 3: Sources of Canadian Law
    • 3.0 Introduction
    • 3.1 The Common Law and Civil Law Traditions
    • 3.2 Bijuralism
    • 3.3 Precedent
    • 3.4 Court Hierarchy
    • 3.4.1 Reference re Supreme Court Act, ss. 5 and 6
    • 3.5 Statues
    • 3.6 International Law
    • 3.7 Treaty-making in Canada
    • 'Some thoughts on Bijuralism in Canada and the World' - Marie-Claude Gervais and Marie-France Seguin
    • Grimard v. Canada 2009 FCA 47
    • 'Precedent Revisited: Carter v Canada (AG) and the Contemporary Practice of Precedent' - Debra Parkes
    • Equity is Not a Single Thing - Lionel Smith
    • 'Conscience as the Organising Concept of Equity' - Alastair Hudson
    • 'The Role of Domestic Courts in Treaty Enforcement: A Comparative Study' - Gib Van Era
    • Claire L'Heureux-Dube. The Dissenting Opinion: Voice of the Future?
    • Chapter 3 Exit Quiz
  • 6
    Topic 4: Fundamental Principles of the Canadian Legal System
    • 4.1 Written Sources of the Constitution
    • 4.1.2 Case Law
    • 4.2 Unwritten Sources of the Constitution
    • 4.3 Principles Underpinning Public Law
    • 4.3.1 Rule of Law
    • 4.3.2 Constitutional Supremacy
    • 4.3.3 Parliamentary Supremacy
    • 4.3.4 Federalism
    • 4.3.5 Separation of Powers
    • 4.3.6 Judicial Independence
    • Alyn James Johnson. The Judges Reference and the Secession Reference at Twenty.
    • Chapter 4 Exit Quiz
  • 7
    Topic 5: Parliament and its Components
    • 5.1 Introduction
    • 5.2 The Monarch and Governor General
    • 5.3 Parliament
    • 5.4 Parliamentary Privilege
    • 5.4.1 Chagnon v. Syndicat de la fonction publique et parapublique du Québec
    • 5.4.2 Duffy v The Senate of Canada
    • 5.5 Senate
    • 'Reforming the Senate of Canada: Frequently Asked Questions' - Barnes et al
    • Chapter 5 Exit Quiz
  • 8
    Topic 6: Functions of Parliament
    • 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4 Summoning, Proroguing, and Dissolving Parliament
    • 6.5 Key Actors in Parliament
    • Chapter 6 Exit Quiz
  • 9
    Topic 7: The Executive and its Functions
    • 7.0 Introduction
    • 7.1 Key Actors
    • 7.2 Sources of Executive Power
    • 7.2.1 Tesla Motors Canada ULC v Ontario (Ministry of Transportation)
    • 7.2.2 Toronto v Ontario
    • Lorne Sossin. The Puzzle of Independence and Parliamentary Democracy in the Common Law World.
    • Chapter 7 Exit Quiz
  • 10
    Topic 8: The Courts and the Judiciary
    • 8.1 Structure of the Court System
    • 8.2 Judicial Appointments
    • 'Judging Sexual Assault Trials: Systemic Failure in the Case of Regina v. Bassam Al-Rawi' - Elaine Craig
    • Reflections: On Judicial Diversity and Judicial Independence - Sonia Lawrence
    • Eszter Bodnar. What Can the World Learn from Canada.
    • Chapter 8 Exit Quiz
  • 11
    Topic 9: Statutory Interpretation
    • 9.1 Introduction
    • 9.2 Interpretation Act 1985
    • 9.3 Interpretation Rules in Acts and Regulations
    • 9.4 Common Law Rules
    • 9.5 Modern Approach to Statutory Interpretation
    • 9.5.1 Common Issues
    • 9.5.2 Rules of Statutory Interpretation
    • Some Problems with the Shared Meaning Rule as Formulated in R v Daoust and The Law of Bilingual Interpretation - RUTH SULLIVAN*
    • Constitutional Inconsistency in Legislation — Interpretation and the Ambiguous Role of Ambiguity - John Mark Keyes and Carol Diamond
    • Chapter 9 Exit Quiz
  • 12
    10. Constraints on Legislative and Administrative Action
    • 10.1 Introduction
    • 10.2 Judicial Review in a Democratic Society
    • 10.3 Judicial Review of Administrative Action
    • Canada (Attorney General) v. Bri-Chem Supply Ltd., 2016 FCA 257
    • R v Vavilov (2019)
    • Mary Liston. Transubstantiation in Canadian Public Law.
    • Paul Daly. Vavilov and the Culture of Justification in Contemporary Administrative Law.
    • Christie Ford. Vavilov, Rule of Law Pluralism, and What Really Matters.
    • Chapter 10 Exit Quiz
    • Paul Daly. Vavilov Hits the Road.
  • 13
    Next Steps
    • Closing Comments FREE PREVIEW
    • Foundations of Canadian Law Practice Exam #1
    • Practice Exam #1 Answer Framework
    • Additional Practice Questions
    • Foundations of Canadian Law Practice Exam #2
    • Practice Exam #2 Answer Framework

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