Ontario · Grade 11
Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)
- CLU3M
Ontario’s Grade 11 social studies course, from Legal Skills and Careers to Criminal Law and the Justice System.
- Units
- 5
- Lessons
- 17
- Skills
- 63
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Ontario Ministry of Education
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, with its official code.
Unit 1 · 4 skills
Legal Skills and Careers
The Inquiry Process and Skill Development in Legal Studies
Skills and Careers in Law
Skills the study of law builds
I can describe the skills the study of law helps me develop.
Official code: A2.1
Thinking like a legal reasoner
I can apply legal reasoning skills in everyday situations.
Official code: A2.2
Legal issues in the news
I can use legal thinking to analyse current events.
Official code: A2.3
Careers in law
I can identify careers where a law background is an asset.
Official code: A2.4
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- A2.1
- describe ways in which investigations related to law can help them develop skills, including the essential skills in the Ontario Skills Passport
- A2.2
- apply in everyday contexts skills and work habits developed through and relevant to the study of law
- A2.3
- use the concepts of legal thinking when analysing current events related to legal issues
- A2.4
- identify careers in which a law background might be useful
Key ideas
Investigating law builds essential skills: oral communication, literacy, numeracy, decision making.
These transfer to postsecondary study, the world of work, and everyday life.
Legal study builds critical-thinking skills used to evaluate arguments.
It builds reasoning skills to draw inferences from evidence — useful far beyond the courtroom.
The concepts of legal thinking apply to real news: identify competing rights in a controversy.
Watch out for
- Thinking legal skills only matter if you become a lawyer.
- Not connecting a skill to work or everyday life.
- Thinking legal reasoning only applies to court cases.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 15 skills
Canadian Legal Heritage
Legal Foundations
The Role of Law and the Principles of Justice
Categories and role of law
I can explain the categories and areas of law and the role of law in society.
Official code: B1.1
Foundational principles of justice: rule of law, parliamentary supremacy, precedent, equality
I can explain the rule of law, parliamentary supremacy, equality before the law, and judicial precedent, and why each matters to Canada's legal system.
Official code: B1.2
Principles protecting the accused: presumption of innocence, habeas corpus, degrees of liability
I can explain the presumption of innocence, habeas corpus, and the elements of degrees of liability, and why each matters to an accused person.
Official code: B1.2
The structure of the courts
I can describe the Canadian court hierarchy and each court's function.
Official code: B1.3
Early Legal Systems and Their Legacy
Early legal systems and Canadian law
I can describe how early legal systems influenced Canadian law.
Official code: B2.1
Roman law and civil codes
I can explain how Roman law gave rise to later civil codes.
Official code: B2.2
Past legislation and the Constitution
I can analyse how past legislation shaped Canada's Constitution.
Official code: B2.3
Individuals, Groups, and Government in Canadian Law
The three branches of government
I can describe the three branches of government and how they interrelate.
Official code: B3.1
Key aspects of the Constitution
I can explain the legal significance of key aspects of the Constitution.
Official code: B3.2
The Charter and the judiciary
I can analyse how the Charter changed the role of the judiciary.
Official code: B3.3
Roles and responsibilities in the justice system
I can identify the roles and responsibilities of people and groups in the justice system.
Official code: B3.4
Social, Scientific, and Technological Forces on Law
Societal values and legal change
I can explain how changing societal values promote or prevent legal change.
Official code: B4.1
Law's response to science and technology
I can evaluate how well Canadian law keeps up with science and technology.
Official code: B4.2
People who changed the law
I can explain how individuals and groups have influenced the development of Canadian law.
Official code: B4.3
Aboriginal rights: legislation and landmark cases
I can describe how legislation and landmark cases shaped Aboriginal rights in Canada.
Official code: B4.4
The official wording · 15 outcomes
- B1.1
- explain categories of law
- B1.2
- explain the fundamental principles of justice in Canada and their significance in the legal system, including the rule of law, parliamentary supremacy, the presumption of innocence, the principle of equality before the law, the right of habeas corpus, elements in establishing degrees of liability (e.g., intent, recklessness, negligence, mens rea, actus reus), and the rule of judicial precedent
- B1.2
- the presumption of innocence, the principle of equality before the law, the right of habeas corpus, elements in establishing degrees of liability (e.g., intent, recklessness, negligence, mens rea, actus reus), and the rule of judicial precedent
- B1.3
- describe the structure of the Canadian court system, including the function and status of each court within the hierarchy of the legal system
- B2.1
- describe how early legal systems
- B2.2
- explain the relationship between Roman law and codes of law developed from it
- B2.3
- analyse how legislation of the past
- B3.1
- describe the roles of the three branches of government
- B3.2
- explain the legal significance of some key aspects of the Canadian Constitution
- B3.3
- analyse the impact of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on the role and influence of the judiciary in Canada’s legal system
- B3.4
- identify the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and groups within the Canadian justice system
- B4.1
- explain how evolving societal attitudes and values have promoted or prevented changes to Canadian law
- B4.2
- evaluate the responsiveness of Canadian legislation to societal issues
- B4.3
- explain how points of view and issues associated with diverse groups and individuals
- B4.4
- describe how legislation and recent land- mark cases relating to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples have influenced the circum- stances of Aboriginal people and the interpretation of Aboriginal rights in Canada
Key ideas
Law is divided into categories: public versus private, substantive versus procedural.
Ancient codes and customs shaped modern Canadian law.
The executive, legislative, and judicial branches each have distinct roles.
Society's values shape which laws change and which resist change.
Areas of law include criminal, constitutional, administrative, tort, family, and contract; law protects public order, human rights, and resolves disputes.
Watch out for
- Thinking all law is criminal law.
- Thinking Canadian law was invented entirely in Canada.
- Confusing the three branches or their functions.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 12 skills
Rights and Freedoms
The Charter and Human Rights Codes
Charter and human rights code protections
I can identify Charter and human rights code protections and explain their significance.
Official code: C1.1
Barriers to human rights
I can describe barriers to human rights and the laws meant to overcome them.
Official code: C1.2
Resolving human rights complaints
I can describe how human rights complaints are resolved.
Official code: C1.3
How Human Rights Law Developed
Justice, equity, and inclusiveness
I can explain how justice, equity, and inclusiveness shape human rights law.
Official code: C2.1
Social factors changing rights law
I can analyse how social factors have changed human rights law over time.
Official code: C2.2
People who built human rights law
I can analyse how individuals and groups built human rights law in Canada.
Official code: C2.3
Landmark human rights cases
I can analyse landmark human rights cases and assess their significance.
Official code: C2.4
Rights in Practice and Their Limits
Laws, inquiries, and rights in practice
I can explain the human rights significance of laws and inquiries.
Official code: C3.1
The Charter vs earlier rights protections
I can assess how Charter protections differ from earlier rights legislation.
Official code: C3.2
Balancing minority and majority rights
I can explain how the law balances minority and majority rights.
Official code: C3.3
When Rights May Be Limited
Situations where rights may be limited
I can analyse when a right or freedom may be limited under Canadian law.
Official code: C4.1
Evaluating arguments for limiting rights
I can evaluate the arguments used to justify limiting rights.
Official code: C4.2
The official wording · 12 outcomes
- C1.1
- identify the protections provided by the Charter and provincial and federal human rights codes
- C1.2
- describe historical and contemporary barriers to the equal enjoyment of human rights in Canada
- C1.3
- describe the legal instruments and procedures available for resolving complaints regarding human rights violations
- C2.1
- explain the concepts of justice, equity, and inclusiveness and the ways in which they influence human rights law in Ontario and Canada
- C2.2
- analyse how various social factors have contributed to change over time in Canadian human rights law
- C2.3
- analyse and describe how the actions of various individuals and groups have contributed to the development of human rights law in Canada
- C2.4
- analyse landmark cases related to human rights law in Canada and assess their significance
- C3.1
- explain the significance for human rights in Canada of historical and contemporary laws and judicial and other inquiries/commissions
- C3.2
- assess from a legal perspective the differences between the rights protections entrenched in the Constitution Act, 1982, and the rights protection afforded by earlier legislation such as the Canadian Bill of Rights
- C3.3
- explain how human rights legislation and the courts attempt to balance minority and majority rights
- C4.1
- analyse from a legal perspective situations in which a right or freedom may be limited in Canadian law
- C4.2
- evaluate the legal arguments used to justify laws limiting individual rights and freedoms
Key ideas
The Charter protects freedoms of religion and expression, mobility rights, equality rights, and democratic rights.
Justice, equity, and inclusiveness are the values underlying human rights law.
Laws and inquiries have both violated and protected human rights in Canada.
Section 1 of the Charter allows reasonable limits on rights that can be justified in a free and democratic society.
Human rights codes prohibit discrimination in workplaces and by organizations.
Watch out for
- Confusing Charter rights with human rights code protections.
- Treating equity and equality as identical.
- Thinking all Canadian laws have protected rights.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 17 skills
Private Law: Torts, Family, Employment, and Contracts
Civil Law
Tort Law: Civil Wrongs and Remedies
Torts and their defences
I can describe intentional and unintentional torts and their defences.
Official code: D1.1
Settling civil disputes
I can explain the processes and remedies for settling civil disputes.
Official code: D1.2
Participants in a civil dispute
I can describe the participants in a civil dispute and their functions.
Official code: D1.3
Legal reasoning in tort decisions
I can explain the legal reasoning behind tort decisions.
Official code: D1.4
Family Law: Marriage, Divorce, and Rights
Marriage and common-law relationships
I can describe valid marriage and common-law relationships and their legal implications.
Official code: D2.1
Dissolving a marriage
I can explain the legal ways a marriage can be dissolved.
Official code: D2.2
Rights on dissolution
I can explain how the rights of married spouses and common-law partners differ on dissolution.
Official code: D2.3
How family law has changed
I can analyse how societal values and decisions have changed family law.
Official code: D2.4
Employment and Labour Law
Federal and provincial jurisdiction in employment law
I can identify federal and provincial jurisdiction in employment law.
Official code: D3.1
Employment law versus labour law
I can explain the difference between employment law and labour law.
Official code: D3.2
Protecting employees' rights
I can describe issues in protecting employees' rights and the avenues for disputes.
Official code: D3.3
Roles in employment law
I can analyse the roles and responsibilities of employers, employees, and governments.
Official code: D3.4
Labour negotiations and labour law
I can analyse labour negotiations and how they shaped labour law.
Official code: D3.5
Contract Law
Elements of a legal contract
I can explain the main elements of a legal contract.
Official code: D4.1
Parties to a contract
I can explain the roles and responsibilities of the parties to a contract.
Official code: D4.2
Breach of contract
I can explain the penalties and damages for breach of contract.
Official code: D4.3
Everyday contracts and change
I can explain the legal implications of everyday contracts and how the law adapts.
Official code: D4.4
The official wording · 17 outcomes
- D1.1
- describe the legally accepted defences for some key intentional torts
- D1.2
- explain the function of the various legal processes
- D1.3
- describe the legal status and/or function of specific individuals and groups that may be participants in a civil law dispute
- D1.4
- explain the legal reasoning behind various legal decisions involving torts
- D2.1
- describe the definitions of a valid marriage and a common-law relationship in family law
- D2.2
- explain the legal differences in the ways a marriage can be dissolved
- D2.3
- explain the differences between the legal rights of married spouses and the rights of common-law partners in Ontario upon the dissolution of the marriage or common-law partnership
- D2.4
- analyse how changing societal values and legal decisions have promoted or prevented changes in family law in Canada
- D3.1
- identify the areas of federal and provincial jurisdiction in employment law and explain the key reasons for the distinction between them
- D3.2
- explain the difference in Canadian law between “employment law” and “labour law”
- D3.3
- describe issues related to the protection of employees’ rights
- D3.4
- analyse from a legal perspective the roles and responsibilities of employers, employees, and governments in employment law
- D3.5
- analyse issues related to contract negotiations between employers and organized labour
- D4.1
- explain the legal significance of the main elements of a legal contract
- D4.2
- explain from a legal perspective the roles and responsibilities of each of the parties involved in a contract
- D4.3
- explain from a legal perspective the types of penalties that may be imposed or damages that may be awarded in an action for breach of contract
- D4.4
- explain the legal implications of various types of contracts
Key ideas
Intentional torts include assault, battery, and invasion of privacy; unintentional torts include negligence and medical malpractice.
Family law defines a valid marriage and a common-law relationship differently.
Employment law is split between federal and provincial jurisdiction.
A legal contract requires consent, offer and acceptance, and consideration.
Each tort has legally accepted defences.
Watch out for
- Confusing a tort with a crime.
- Thinking common-law partners have identical rights to married spouses.
- Thinking all employment law is federal.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 5 · 15 skills
Criminal Law and the Justice System
Criminal Law
Foundations of Criminal Law
Elements and types of crime
I can explain the elements of a crime and the different types of offence.
Official code: E1.1
Offences in the Criminal Code
I can describe summary and indictable offences and their penalties.
Official code: E1.2
Youth criminal justice
I can explain the principles behind youth criminal justice in Canada.
Official code: E1.3
The Criminal Justice System at Work
Bringing an accused to trial
I can describe the requirements for bringing an accused to trial.
Official code: E2.1
The criminal trial and its participants
I can describe a criminal trial's processes and participants.
Official code: E2.2
Sentencing options and their purposes
I can explain how sentencing options connect to the purpose of a sentence.
Official code: E2.3
Appeals in criminal cases
I can describe the grounds and avenues for a criminal appeal.
Official code: E2.4
Sentencing young offenders
I can describe sentencing options for young offenders and what determines them.
Official code: E2.5
Does the System Deliver Justice?
Protecting rights in the justice system
I can assess how well the justice system protects different parties' rights.
Official code: E3.1
The purposes of sentencing and prisons
I can identify the purposes of sentencing and assess whether prisons achieve them.
Official code: E3.2
Challenges facing law enforcement
I can identify challenges facing law enforcement and evaluate responses.
Official code: E3.3
Media and perceptions of justice
I can analyse how media shape perceptions of the justice system.
Official code: E3.4
How Criminal Law Has Developed
Defences that became accepted
I can identify defences that became legally accepted and why.
Official code: E4.1
Who shaped criminal law
I can assess how individuals, groups, and cases shaped criminal law.
Official code: E4.2
Charter challenges to the Criminal Code
I can assess cases where the Charter was used to change the Criminal Code.
Official code: E4.3
The official wording · 15 outcomes
- E1.1
- explain the legal meaning of key terms used to describe the elements of a crime
- E1.2
- describe some summary and indictable offences identified in the Criminal Code of Canada, and their related penalties
- E1.3
- explain the philosophical principles and legal reasoning underlying the laws dealing with youth crime and the administration of justice for youth in Canada
- E2.1
- describe the requirements associated with the process of bringing an accused person to trial
- E2.2
- describe the processes and the roles of key participants involved in a criminal trial
- E2.3
- explain how various sentencing options
- E2.4
- describe the legal reasons/grounds for grant- ing an appeal in criminal cases
- E2.5
- describe the sentencing options for young people who contravene the existing youth criminal law
- E3.1
- assess from a legal perspective how well the rights of various parties are protected in the Canadian criminal justice system
- E3.2
- identify the purposes of sentencing
- E3.3
- identify some contemporary and emerging challenges that people face in dealing with law enforcement
- E3.4
- analyse how the media
- E4.1
- identify defences that, over time, have become legally accepted under Canadian criminal law
- E4.2
- assess, from a legal perspective, how various individuals, groups, and cases have influenced the development of Canadian criminal law
- E4.3
- assess the significance of cases in which legal rights guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms have been invoked in an effort to change the provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada
Key ideas
A crime has two elements: mens rea (the guilty mind) and actus reus (the guilty act).
Bringing an accused to trial follows protocols for legal search, arrest, and evidence collection.
The justice system must protect the rights of victims, the accused, and the convicted.
Some defences became legally accepted over time, including automatism, battered spouse syndrome, self-defence, and duress.
Offences are classified as indictable, summary, hybrid, or quasi-criminal.
Watch out for
- Thinking a crime requires only a wrongful act, not intent.
- Thinking police can search and arrest without legal limits.
- Assuming the system perfectly protects everyone's rights.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
Which course?
Ontario has 2 social studies courses for Grade 11. Here they are side by side.
- Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)This courseCLU3M5 units · 63 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversLegal Skills and Careers · Canadian Legal Heritage · Rights and Freedoms · Private Law: Torts, Family, Employment, and Contracts · Criminal Law and the Justice System
- World History to the End of the Fifteenth Century, Grade 11CHW3M5 units · 50 skillsNo provincial examWhat it coversHistorical Inquiry: Skills and Careers · Early Societies and the Rise of Civilizations · Flourishing Societies and Civilizations · The Decline of Societies and Civilizations · The Legacy of Civilizations
What a university, college or program asks for is theirs to say: check its admission page, and your school’s course guide.
The official curriculum
This page follows Ontario’s own curriculum for Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation).
Strands
| Strand | Outcomes | Taught in |
|---|---|---|
| AThe Inquiry Process and Skill Development in Legal Studies | Outcomes 4 | Taught in Unit 1Legal Skills and Careers |
| BLegal Foundations | Outcomes 14 | Taught in Unit 2Canadian Legal Heritage |
| CRights and Freedoms | Outcomes 12 | Taught in Unit 3 |
| DCivil Law | Outcomes 17 | Taught in Unit 4Private Law: Torts, Family, Employment, and Contracts |
| ECriminal Law | Outcomes 15 | Taught in Unit 5Criminal Law and the Justice System |
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation) one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation) organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 36
- Fillable fields
- 1,969
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)
What is Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)?
Ontario’s Grade 11 social studies course: 5 units and 63 skills, from Legal Skills and Careers to Criminal Law and the Justice System.
What units are in Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)?
1. Legal Skills and Careers, 2. Canadian Legal Heritage, 3. Rights and Freedoms, 4. Private Law: Torts, Family, Employment, and Contracts and 5. Criminal Law and the Justice System.
Is there a provincial exam for Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)?
No. Ontario gives no provincial exam for Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation).
What comes after Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)?
World History since the Fifteenth Century, Grade 12 (University Preparation), World History since the Fifteenth Century, Grade 12 (College Preparation), Canadian and International Law, Grade 12 (University Preparation) and World Issues: A Geographic Analysis, Grade 12 (University Preparation).
Can MapleMind help with Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation), step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation)
Practise every skill of Understanding Canadian Law, Grade 11 (University/College Preparation) in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
