Resources
Canada was created by an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom called the British North America Act (1867) — now known as the Constitution Act (1867) — uniting the British colonies of the United Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
The Constitution of Canada includes the Constitution Act (1867) and the Constitution Act (1982). It is the supreme law of Canada. It reaffirms Canada’s dual legal system and also includes Aboriginal rights and treaty rights.
When Canada was created, it was a self-governing British colony. The British North America Act (1867), codified many constitutional rules for Canada, but major changes to the Constitution could only be made by the United Kingdom Parliament. In 1982, the Charter was enacted as part of Canada’s Constitution along with a set of procedures allowing the Constitution to be amended in Canada.
This section contains the texts of the various constitutional enactments, historical documents, academic commentary and other resources for understanding our Constitution.
This content has been updated on 24 January 2017 at 12 h 34 min.