FOREWORD
The law affects Canadians every day. There are, we know, laws
against crimes such as robbery or murder. But there are also laws
that apply to us when we pursue everyday activities, such as
driving a car, renting an apartment, getting a job or getting
married. In fact, there are laws concerning almost every aspect of
our daily lives.
Many people believe that our laws are too difficult to be
understood, except by lawyers. It is true that in a complex world
the laws can be lengthy and technical. If a person needs help in
understanding how the law applies to a specific problem, he or she
can always consult a lawyer. But the fundamentals of Canadian law
are based on common sense. These ideas and principles concern every
Canadian and are something every Canadian should strive to
understand. What is the "law"? Where does it come from? What is it
for? How does it operate?
This booklet does not give exhaustive answers to these
questions. Rather, it provides a brief outline of Canada's system
of law and justice in an attempt to demystify it and stimulate
thought and discussion. As members of society, we must decide what
our laws will be. But, when creating new laws or changing old ones,
it is important to understand the basic principles of our legal
heritage.
A law is more than a command: it is an attempt to balance fairly
the rights and obligations that people share as members of society.
For example, when a law gives a person a legal right, it may also
impose a legal duty upon that person, or upon another. It is the
overall apportionment of rights, duties, privileges and powers, and
how they are administered, that make up our legal system.
Our system of justice can function well only if people
understand their legal rights. But people must also live up to
their legal responsibilities, such as being willing to serve on a
jury or coming forward to testify at a trial. Above all, citizens
in our democratic society have a duty to learn as much as they can
about the laws and about how the system of justice works. That is
one of the purposes of this booklet.
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