Canadian and International Law Review

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering Canadian legal history, international law, human rights, and criminal justice principles based on the provided lecture notes.

Demographic change

A change relating to birth and death rates or to trends in immigration, education, and employment.

Lobby groups

A number of people trying to influence legislators on behalf of a particular cause or interest.

Rule of law

The fundamental principle that society is governed by laws applying equally to all persons and that neither any person nor the government is above the law.

Case law

A type of law developed in England that is based on following previous judicial decisions and is common to all the people of a country.

Statute law

Laws passed by legislatures.

Crown

A lawyer employed by the state to prosecute a criminal offence.

Apartheid

A former policy of the South African government that involved discrimination and segregation directed against non-whites.

Entrenched

Forming part of the constitution and amended only through the formal constitutional process.

Consensus

Broad agreement within society required to change unjust laws.

Ad hoc groups

Lobby groups formed for a specific event or issue, such as the Coalition for Gun Control.

Royal Commissions

Bodies established by the Governor General on the advice of the Cabinet to investigate major issues and provide recommendations.

Exculpating factor

A factor that clears a defendant of blame.

Precedent

A legal decision that is taken as a guide for subsequent cases.

Civil disobedience

A peaceful form of protest by which a person refuses to obey a particular law as a matter of conscience.

Torah

A word meaning instruction, referring to the Jewish moral code that influenced Canadian law.

Code

A systematic collection of laws, written down and organized into topics, such as the Law of Twelve Tables or the Code of Justinian.

Custom

A long-established way of doing something that, over time, has acquired the force of law.

Convention

A way of doing something that has been accepted for so long that it amounts to an unwritten rule.

Patriate

To bring back decision-making powers regarding the constitution under Canadian control.

Stare decisis

A Latin term meaning to stand by the decision, referring to the obligation of judges to follow precedent from higher courts.

Ultra vires

A term meaning a government acted beyond its power, resulting in a law being struck down.

Intra vires

A term meaning a law is within the government's power and is therefore valid.

International law

A law that has jurisdiction in more than one country.

Domestic law

A law that governs activities within a particular country.

Substantive law

A law that identifies the rights and duties of a person or level of government.

Procedural law

A law that outlines the methods or procedures that must be followed in enforcing substantive laws.

Public law

The area of law that regulates activities between a state and its citizens.

Private law

The body of law that regulates disputes between individuals, businesses, or organizations; also called civil law.

Tort law

The area of private law covering civil wrongs and damages that one person or company causes to another independent of a contract.

Diplomatic immunity

Legal protection granted to diplomats from being sued or arrested in a host country while performing official duties.

Collective security

An agreement where countries act together to prevent or respond to threats against peace, typically through organizations like the UN.

National sovereignty

The authority of states to govern themselves without external interference.

Crimes against humanity

Widespread or systematic attacks directed against civilian populations, including murder, enslavement, or torture.

War crimes

Serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflict, such as targeting civilians or attacking hospitals.

Genocide

The intentional destruction in whole, or in substantial part, of a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group.

Money laundering

The process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money so that the funds appear legitimate.

Extradition

When one country sends a suspect to another country to face trial or punishment, usually requiring a treaty.

Parity

The principle of consistency where similar crimes should receive similar sentences.

Proportionality

The principle that punishment should fit the crime, ensuring more serious crimes receive harsher punishment.

Polluter Pays Principle

The environmental law principle that those who cause environmental harm must pay for cleanup.