Course Description:
This course explores Canadian law, with a focus on legal issues that are relevant to the lives of people in Canada. Students will gain an understanding of laws relating to rights and freedoms in Canada; our legal system; and family, contract, employment, tort, and criminal law. Students will develop legal reasoning skills and will apply the concepts of legal thinking and the legal studies inquiry process when investigating a range of legal issues and formulating and communicating informed opinions about them.
Required Learning: Big Ideas
By the end of the course students will be demonstrating knowledge of the following…
- Legal Foundations: Law is based on societal beliefs of fairness and justice, legal systems from the past influence our laws; law is administered by individuals and groups working together in the justice system and laws change over time influenced by social values, technological advances and political trends
- Rights and Freedoms: beliefs about what constitutes a human right are represented by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Ontario Human Rights Code; rights and freedoms should be balanced between minorities and majorities and individuals and society as a whole
- Civil Law: tort law provides remedies to those injured by the actions of others, family law protects all of us in domestic relations; employment law balances rights of employers and employees; contract law covers legal obligations between two parties
- Criminal Law: based on principle that society should be protected from wrongdoing, criminal process seeks to balance the rights of the accused and rights of victims, different perspectives exist on how the criminal justice system balances crime control and the principles of fairness and the protection of individual rights on the other, precedents and societal trends have changed Canadian criminal law
- Inquiry Process in Legal Studies: use legal inquiry process and develop concept of legal thinking when investigating law and legal issues
Evidence of Learning
| Unit Title / Description | Essential Questions to be Explored | Critical Evidence of Learning |
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Unit 1: Foundations Legal Principles: role and importance of law and the fundamental principles Legal Heritage: early laws and legal systems and their relationship to the Canadian legal system Legal Roles and Responsibilities: the role and function of individuals, groups, and governments Development of Law: various social, scientific, and technological factors have influenced and continue to influence the development of Canadian law |
What is just? What is fair?
How does the judiciary hold the legislative and executive branches constitutionally accountable for their actions?
How has the law changed and how has it stayed the same? |
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Unit 2: Rights and Freedoms Human Rights: the legal significance of the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian Human Rights Act Development of Human Rights Law: various factors have influenced and continue to influence the development of human rights law Protecting Rights and Freedoms: legal recognition of rights and freedoms in Canada and how those rights are interpreted and protected in practice Legal Limitations of Human Rights: analyse situations in which it may be appropriate to limit rights and freedoms, and explain the arguments for and against such limitations |
Why are human rights laws important?
How do diversity and changing beliefs about gender equality, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion influence Canadian law?
Does Canadian law provide adequate protection of human rights? What happens legally when different rights compete with each other?
What happens legally when different rights compete with each other? |
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Unit 3: Civil Law Introduction to Tort Law: foundations of tort law; the factors influencing its development; and the role of individuals, groups, and courts in its processes Introduction to Family Law: legal foundations of family law; factors influencing its development; and the role of individuals, governments, and courts Introduction to Employment Law: legal foundations of employment law; the factors influencing its development; and the role of employers, employees, and the courts in its processes Introduction to Contract Law: legal foundations of contract law; |
Why is civil law necessary?
Why is a greater degree of proof of guilt required in a criminal case than in a civil case?
How does family law reflect societal values, beliefs, and norms?
Does the law adequately protect workers? How do labour laws reflect the influence of unions?
What criteria should you use when deciding whether to sign a contract? |
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Unit 4: Criminal Law Foundations of Criminal Law: foundational concepts of criminal law and their legal significance Legal Processes and Procedures: structures and key roles and processes of the Canadian criminal justice system Criminal Justice System: assess the ability of the Canadian criminal justice system to provide appropriate and even-handed justice to people living in Canada Development of Criminal Law: various factors have influenced the development of Canadian criminal law |
Is the Youth Criminal Justice Act a “good” law? What criteria can we use to judge whether a law is “good”?
How are the rights of the accused protected during a trial? Do punishments fit the crime? Should a prisoner have rights?
How do the media influence perceptions and expectations related to a criminal trial and legal procedures?
What are some changes that have occurred in ideas about criminal justice in Canada? What are the reasons for the changes? |
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| Method of Legal Inquiry– Students will develop the skills required for legal inquiry including the interpretation of primary source documents, court visits, trial transcripts and secondary sources. Students will also explore career opportunities related to the law course. |
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Summative Assessment:
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Research Essay Final Exam |
15 % of Final grade 15% OF FINAL GRADE |
