The Canadian Constitution
The Constitution of Canada is made up of a variety of legal documents and legal principles and precedents inherited from Britain.
The major constitutional documents are the Constitution Acts (formerly called the British North America Acts) passed from time to time between 1867 and 1982. Up until 1981 these acts were passed by the British Parliament, but since 1981 Canada has had the power to amend its own constitution.
The Constitution Act 1982 was the first of the constitutional amendments passed by the Canadian Parliament. Among other things, the 1982 act contained the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and a formula (agreed to by the provinces) for amending the constitution in future.
The key sections of the Constitution Act are sections 91 and 92, which assign areas of law-making responsibility to the federal and provincial governments. These areas cannot be modified except by an amendment to the constitution or by federal-provincial agreements.
- Constitution Acts, 1867 and 1982 (the 1867 act contains the main constitutional provisions. The 1982 act adds the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the constitutional amending formula and various other provisions)
- Distribution of Legislative Powers (this link goes directly to sections 91 and 92 of the Constitution Act, 1867)
- Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Canadian Constitutional Documents (William F. Maton). Full text of historic constitutional documents, including the Manitoba Act of 1870.
- See the article "Constitution" in the Canadian Encyclopedia.
