Legal Resources
Statutes & Regulations - Canada & Alberta
Statutes are acts of legislature. They are laws enacted at either federal or provincial/territorial levels. Regulations are made by entities Parliament appoints such authority, rather than by Parliament itself.
- Justice Laws - Department of Justice CanadaOnline source of the consolidated Acts and regulations of Canada (laws). U. of L. Library has PRINT holdings of the Statutes of Canada and Revised Statutes of Canada. See also The Canadian Legal Research and Writing Guide, 2018.
- Finding Historical Federal Legislation [SFU Library Guide]Useful guide for locating historical Canadian Statutes and Regulations. [not all resources available at U. of Lethbridge Library].
- Consolidated Index of Statutory InstrumentsCanada Gazette consolidated index of federal statutes published four times a year (1955+).
- The Canada gazette, part II. [ONLINE & PRINT]Call Number: Government Documents CA1 YX 1 G392This index contains a list of all regulations and amendments to them, organized by statute.
- Consolidated Statutes and Regulations of Alberta [via CanLII Database]Searchable access to the Consolidated Statutes and Regulations of Alberta.
- Statutes of Alberta [ONLINE & PRINT]Available in print from ULethbridge Government Documents CA2 AL LEG
- Revised Statutes of Alberta (R.S.A.)Print: 1922; 1942; 1955; 1970; 1980; 2000
- The Alberta Law Collection [Historical]Bills, statutes, pre-Alberta ordinances, the Alberta Hansard and Alberta journals and the Alberta gazette.Statutes of Alberta (1905 - 1990); Revised Statutes of Alberta (1922, 1942, 1955, 1970, 1980); Ordinances of the Northwest Territories (1877 - 1905); Bills of the Alberta Legislature (1906 - 1990); Debates of the Alberta Legislature (Hansards) (1972 - 1993); Journals of the Alberta Legislature (1906 - 1989); and Alberta Gazette (includes Regulations) (1905 - 1990).
Case Law [Common Law] & Case Law Digests - Canada & Alberta
Case law, also known as common law, is comprised of judicial decisions or judge-made law.
- Supreme Court of Canada CasesJudgments since 1907 and judgments in leave applications since 2006.
- Alberta Courts JudgementsDecisions from 1998 to the present.
- Legal Research - Cases & Case Law [U. of Alberta Library Guide]Sources of case law including: Boards and Tribunals, Military Courts, and the Tax Court of Canada.
Case law digests are useful for finding cases with similar facts or dealing with a similar issue. Related U. of Lethbridge Library subject headings:
Case Law - Database Indexes
Legal indexes assign each case relevant key terms or subjects which can be searched. The Nexis Uni database has an index of Canadian and U.S. cases searchable by citation, parties involved, jurisdiction, judge or topic.
Constitution - Canada
In Canada the Constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 1867 and the Constitution Act of 1982.
- CONSTITUTION ACT, 1867Establishes Canada's system of federalism and addresses the rights and responsibilities of both federal and provincial level governments.
- CONSTITUTION ACT, 1982Offers an amendment to the 1867 constitution, establishes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and Rights of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, and more.
- CANADA ACTTransfers the constitutional amending process to the Canadian Parliament from the British Parliament.
About Primary Legal Research Sources
- Primary sources of law are the laws and regulations themselves. These include: constitutions, statutes/acts and their amendments, regulations, legal cases and judicial decisions.
- There are many sources of law/regulations at various political levels and in various locations/areas. This is called jurisdiction.
- When consulting primary legal sources it's important to be clear on the jurisdiction of interest. Consider whether the legislation is at the federal, provincial or municipal level.
- Be aware that law changes over time through amendments and new case law. Make sure the resource you are consulting is appropriate to the point in time you are researching.
What are Statutes?
Statutes are acts of legislature. They are laws enacted at either federal or provincial/territorial levels. While statutes should be consistent with the Constitution they are less stable undergoing regular amendment and revision. Except for historical purposes, the most current revision of a statute should be used.
What are Regulations?
Regulations are made by entities Parliament appoints such authority, rather than by Parliament itself. This allows for greater efficiency within government as Parliament need not be consulted to frequently enact or amend statutes. As such, regulations are a subordinate form of law. While regulations have binding legal effect they typically state general rather than specific rules.
What is a Constitution?
The ultimate authority of law in a country, a constitution sets out the state's mode of organization, establishes state institutions, regulates department functions and governs the relationship between the individual and the state.
Why is Case Law Important?
Case law can be binding depending on jurisdiction and court level. Cases pertaining to statutes are important because if a court rules a section is to be interpreted in one way that interpretation becomes law.
- Last Updated: Sep 3, 2024 12:04 PM
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