Chapter 7
The Justice System
The rule of law, your rights if accused, the courts, the police and how to get legal help.
Key principles
- Canada's justice system guarantees everyone due process: the government must respect all the legal rights a person has under the law.
- Presumption of innocence: in criminal cases, a person is innocent until proven guilty.
- The system is built on the rule of law, freedom under the law, democratic principles and due process.
- Canada has a system of written laws. Elected representatives make the laws, courts settle disputes, and police enforce the laws.
- The law applies to everyone, including judges, politicians and the police.
- Laws keep order in society, give a peaceful way to settle disputes, and express Canadians' values and beliefs.
- Lady Justice, shown blindfolded with the scales of justice, stands for applying the law fairly, looking only at the facts.
The courts
- The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court in the country.
- The Federal Court of Canada deals with matters involving the federal government.
- Most provinces have an appeal court and a trial court (sometimes called the Court of Queen's Bench or the Supreme Court).
- Provincial courts handle less serious offences.
- There are also family courts, traffic courts and small claims courts, which handle civil cases involving small amounts of money.
The police
- Police keep people safe and enforce the law.
- You can ask the police for help after an accident, a theft or an assault, if you see a crime, or if someone you know is missing.
- There are provincial police in Ontario and Quebec, and municipal police in all provinces.
- The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) enforces federal laws across Canada. It is also the provincial police in all provinces and territories except Ontario and Quebec, and the police in some cities.
- You can ask questions or make a complaint about how a police officer treated you. Almost all police forces have a process for this.
Getting legal help
- Lawyers can help you with legal problems and act for you in court.
- If you can't afford a lawyer, legal aid services are available in most communities, free or at low cost.
- Prisons punish criminals and help discourage crime.
Checked against the official study guide: Discover Canada: The justice system. Summarized in our own words.