Introductory Law 521A

Unit 1: Foundations of Law

The fundamentals of law, the process of lawmaking and the division of powers, and the rights and freedoms of Canadians under the Charter and human rights legislation.

• The need for and purpose of law
• Historical roots and influences on Canadian law
• Sources that create the basis of Canadian law
• Primary categories of Canadian law
• Factors that influence change in law
• How law reform happens: pressure groups and reform bodies

• Division of powers among governments
• Issues related to Aboriginal self-government
• The lawmaking process at various levels of government
• Structure and powers of federal and provincial courts

• Impact of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Impact of legislation concerning Aboriginal peoples
• The Supreme Court's role in Charter decisions
• Comparing the Canadian and PEI Human Rights Acts

Unit 2: Criminal Law

The nature of crime and the Criminal Code, criminal investigation and arrest, the criminal trial and evidence, sentencing and corrections, and youth justice.

• Society's need to criminalize certain behaviours
• Crime, criminal law, and the Criminal Code
• Elements of a criminal offence
• Parties to an offence
• Indictable, summary, and hybrid offences
• Analysing cases under the Criminal Code

• Legal aspects of police investigation
• Rights of citizens and responsibilities of police on arrest
• Release and pre-trial procedures

• Roles of the court and its officers
• Criminal trial procedures
• Types of evidence and rules of evidence
• The jury system: selection and duties
• Standard defences to criminal charges

• Objectives of sentencing
• Traditional sentencing and alternative justice
• Release procedures after sentencing
• Canada's correctional system

• Changing attitudes toward young offenders
• Youth justice legislation over time
• Rights and protections for young offenders
• Treating young offenders differently from adults

Unit 3: Civil Law

The distinction between civil and criminal matters, tort law and its categories, and the remedies and defences available in civil actions.

• Civil versus criminal matters
• Civil versus criminal court procedures

• Torts and the purposes of tort law
• Intentional versus unintentional torts
• Three categories of torts
• Types of special liability

• Remedies for victims of civil wrongdoing
• Defences to torts
• Applying tort law to cases

Unit 4: Inquiry-Based Learning in Other Areas of Law

An independent research inquiry into a selected area of investigation within another field of law of the student's choosing.

• Inquiry into another area of law