Introduction To The Legal System

This course provides students with a conceptual framework in law and the Canadian legal system. The course begins by examining the development of the legal system in Canada, the constitutional framework, legislative powers, judicial authority within a common law context, and the role of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Students establish a sound understanding of public law/private law and substantive law/procedural law distinctions. The course examines Canadian court structure, the role of its participants, an overview of the litigation process as well as introducing the students to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The course provides students with an understanding of administrative law and the function of tribunals. Finally, the course examines several substantive areas of law including agency law, forms of doing business, property law (including real, personal and intellectual property), family law, immigration law, wills and estates, and consumer law.