Background

The Canadian legal system has its roots in the British common law system, the French civil law system and Aboriginal (laws developed by courts and legislatures) and Indigenous law (practices that originate and are applied by Indigenous cultures and communities). Laws are developed with the purpose of establishing standards for acceptable conduct, proscribing punishment for violations as a deterrent, establishing systems for enforcement, and peacefully resolving disputes. A primary goal of the Canadian legal system is promotion of the common good.