Constitutional Vocabulary

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  1. judicial decision
    (law) the determination by a court of competent jurisdiction on matters submitted to it
    Sources of the Canadian Constitution
    Diverse set of written and unwritten rules

    The Canadian Constitution is based upon a diverse collection of written statutes, orders, judicial decisions, and unwritten conventions and traditions.
  2. Aboriginal
    a dark-skinned member of a race of people living in Australia when Europeans arrived
    This amendment included a domestic constitutional amending formula (ending the tradition of constitutional acts and amendments being passed by the British Parliament), the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (which provided for constitutionally protected rights for citizens), and statements concerning key areas in Canadian governance (such as equalization payments between provinces, multiculturalism, and Aboriginal rights).
  3. Constitution
    the constitution written at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and subsequently ratified by the original thirteen states
    The Canadian Constitution: Introduction to Canada’s Constitutional Framework
    Feature by Jay Makarenko |Judicial System & Legal Issues | Aug 1, 2007
    The Constitution is Canada’s premier political institution, representing the basic “rulebook” by which Canadian politics operate.
  4. federalism
    government divided between central and regional powers
    Moreover, this document established many of the basic institutions of government in Canada, such as the Monarchy, the Parliamentary system, and federalism.
  5. constitutional
    existing as an essential characteristic
    The Canadian Constitution: Introduction to Canada’s Constitutional Framework
    Feature by Jay Makarenko |Judicial System & Legal Issues | Aug 1, 2007
    The Constitution is Canada’s premier political institution, representing the basic “rulebook” by which Canadian politics operate.
  6. constitutionalism
    advocacy of government according to founding principles
    Supreme Law and Constitutionalism
    The Constitution is recognized as the supreme law in Canada.
  7. natural resource
    material in the environment that can be used by people
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legisl...
  8. governor general
    a governor of high rank
    Important examples include the predominant role and influence played by the Prime Minister of Canada (in Cabinet and in the executive branch in general), the subordinate position of the Governor General of Canada, and the practice of responsible government (with Cabinet required to resign if it cannot hold a majority of support in the House of Commons).
  9. centralize
    concentrate legal power in one main governmental authority
    They may, for example, interpret the constitutional principle of federalism in a more centralized (pro-federal government) or decentralized (pro-provinces) terms.
  10. federal government
    a government with strong central powers
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legisl...
  11. provincial
    associated with an administrative district of a nation
    In this context the state is understood as encompassing all branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) and levels (federal, provincial, territorial, and local) of government.
  12. judiciary
    the system of law courts that administer justice
    It establishes the distribution of functions and powers between the different parts or branches of government, such as between the political executive (Monarch and Cabinet), the legislatures (House of Commons and Senate), and the judiciary (Canada’s courts).
  13. federal
    of a government with central and regional authorities
    In this context the state is understood as encompassing all branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) and levels (federal, provincial, territorial, and local) of government.
  14. charter
    a document creating an institution and specifying its rights
    This amendment included a domestic constitutional amending formula (ending the tradition of constitutional acts and amendments being passed by the British Parliament), the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (which provided for constitutionally protected rights for citizens), and statements concerning key areas in Canadian governance (such as equalization payments between provinces, multiculturalism, and Aboriginal rights).
  15. Commons
    the common people
    It establishes the distribution of functions and powers between the different parts or branches of government, such as between the political executive (Monarch and Cabinet), the legislatures (House of Commons and Senate), and the judiciary (Canada’s courts).
  16. judicial
    expressing careful judgment
    The Canadian Constitution: Introduction to Canada’s Constitutional Framework
    Feature by Jay Makarenko |Judicial System & Legal Issues | Aug 1, 2007
    The Constitution is Canada’s premier political institution, representing the basic “rulebook” by which Canadian politics operate.
  17. statute
    an act passed by a legislative body
    Sources of the Canadian Constitution
    Diverse set of written and unwritten rules

    The Canadian Constitution is based upon a diverse collection of written statutes, orders, judicial decisions, and unwritten conventions and traditions.
  18. House of Commons
    the lower house of the British parliament
    It establishes the distribution of functions and powers between the different parts or branches of government, such as between the political executive (Monarch and Cabinet), the legislatures (House of Commons and Senate), and the judiciary (Canada’s courts).
  19. monarchy
    autocracy governed by a ruler who usually inherits authority
    Moreover, this document established many of the basic institutions of government in Canada, such as the Monarchy, the Parliamentary system, and federalism.
  20. legislate
    make laws or bills
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legislate<...
  21. legal status
    a status defined by law
    This means the principles and rules contained within it have a special legal status in Canadian political society.
  22. legislature
    an assembly that makes, amends, or repeals laws
    It establishes the distribution of functions and powers between the different parts or branches of government, such as between the political executive (Monarch and Cabinet), the legislatures (House of Commons and Senate), and the judiciary (Canada’s courts).
  23. jurisdiction
    the territory within which power can be exercised
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legisl...
  24. privy council
    an advisory council to a ruler
    In particular, this would include the judgments of the British Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (which acted as Canada’s last court of appeal in constitutional matters until 1949) and the Supreme Court of Canada (which later replaced the British Judicial Committee as the nation’s highest court).
  25. cabinet minister
    the job of a senior minister who is a member of the cabinet
    British Orders-in-Council, by contrast, are executive decisions made by the British Cabinet (Prime Minister and cabinet ministers).
  26. parliamentary
    relating to or having the nature of a law-making body
    Moreover, this document established many of the basic institutions of government in Canada, such as the Monarchy, the Parliamentary system, and federalism.
  27. citizen
    a native or naturalized member of a state
    It represents, in essence, the basic “rulebook” of Canadian politics, setting out the nation’s fundamental political principles, the powers and duties of government, and the rights and privileges of citizens.
  28. Senate
    the upper house of the United States Congress
    It establishes the distribution of functions and powers between the different parts or branches of government, such as between the political executive (Monarch and Cabinet), the legislatures (House of Commons and Senate), and the judiciary (Canada’s courts).
  29. Department of Justice
    the United States federal department responsible for enforcing federal laws (including the enforcement of all civil rights legislation); created in 1870
    For more information on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: visit, Department of Justice: Text of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

    Language and Aboriginal Rights
    Not only does the Constitution provide for individual rights and freedoms, but also two important sets of group rights.
  30. cabinet
    a storage compartment for clothes and valuables
    It establishes the distribution of functions and powers between the different parts or branches of government, such as between the political executive (Monarch and Cabinet), the legislatures (House of Commons and Senate), and the judiciary (Canada’s courts).
  31. legislative
    relating to a lawmaking assembly
    In this context the state is understood as encompassing all branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) and levels (federal, provincial, territorial, and local) of government.
  32. Prime Minister
    the person who holds the position of head of the government in the United Kingdom
    Regardless of whether one is the Monarch, the Prime Minister of Canada, a provincial Premier, or an elected representative in a legislature, all are legally obligated to act in accordance with the constitutional rulebook.
  33. political party
    a group that tries to run the government
    Many different types of organizations have constitutions, ranging from companies, to voluntary organizations, to political parties.
  34. judicial branch
    part of the government that administers justice
    Nevertheless, the judicial branch, as constitutional adjudicators and interpreters, play an important role in the evolution of the Canadian Constitution.
  35. local government
    the government of a local area
    The Constitution also provides the basic rules governing the relationship between different levels of government, such as the federal (or national), provincial and territorial (regional), and local governments.
  36. legislative branch
    the part of the government that makes laws
    Judicial Constitutional Interpretation
    Only the executive and legislative branches of government (together) have the authority to enact formal constitutional amendments.
  37. ethnic
    distinctive of the ways of living of a group of people
    A second set of constitutional group rights centres on Aboriginal ethnic groups.
  38. executive branch
    part of U.S. government responsible for carrying out laws
    Important examples include the predominant role and influence played by the Prime Minister of Canada (in Cabinet and in the executive branch in general), the subordinate position of the Governor General of Canada, and the practice of responsible government (with Cabinet required to resign if it cannot hold a majority of support in the House of Commons).
  39. unconstitutional
    not consistent with or according to fundamental laws
    When inconsistency occurs with another law, the Constitution is always recognized as being preeminent (it is often the case that the other law will be declared ‘unconstitutional’ because of this inconsistency and, as a result, will have no legal force).
  40. legislation
    the act of making or enacting laws
    This piece of legislation, originally passed by the British Parliament in 1867, is Canada’s founding document, providing for the joining of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec into the Dominion of Canada.
  41. territorial
    of or relating to a geographical area
    In this context the state is understood as encompassing all branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) and levels (federal, provincial, territorial, and local) of government.
  42. pension
    regular payment to allow a person to subsist without working
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legislate in ...
  43. colony
    a group of organisms of the same type living together
    Constitutionally important orders in Canadian constitutional history include the Rupert’s Land and North-Western Territory Order, 1870 (which transferred Hudson Bay Company lands to Canada), the British Columbia Terms of Union, 1871 (joined British Columbia to Canada), the Prince Edward Island Terms of Union, 1873 (joined that colony to Canada), and the Adjacent Territories Order, 1880 (extended Canada’s borders to include the Arctic Islands).
  44. legal
    established by or founded upon law or official rules
    The Canadian Constitution: Introduction to Canada’s Constitutional Framework
    Feature by Jay Makarenko |Judicial System & Legal Issues | Aug 1, 2007
    The Constitution is Canada’s premier political institution, representing the basic “rulebook” by which Canadian politics operate.
  45. minister
    a person authorized to conduct religious worship
    Regardless of whether one is the Monarch, the Prime Minister of Canada, a provincial Premier, or an elected representative in a legislature, all are legally obligated to act in accordance with the constitutional rulebook.
  46. dominion
    control or power through legal authority
    Chief amongst these is the Statute of Westminster, 1931, which recognized Canada (as well as many other dominions of the British Empire) as being completely independent of Britain.
  47. representation
    standing in for someone and speaking on their behalf
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legislate in ...
  48. lieutenant
    a commissioned military officer
    The Act further provides for the offices of the Governor General of Canada (at the federal level) and Lieutenant Governors (at the provincial level), recognized as the Monarch’s representatives in Canada.
  49. regime
    the governing authority of a political unit
    Other formal constitutional amendments of note include:

    Constitution Act, 1907 (established a new regime of federal-provincial relations)
    Constitution Act, 1930 (transferred ownership of natural resources from the federal government to Western provinces)
    Constitution Act, 1940 (transferred unemployment insurance to federal jurisdiction)
    Newfoundland Act, 1949 (resulted in Newfoundland officially becoming part of Canada)
    Constitution Act, 1951 (allowed the federal government to legisl...
  50. democratic
    based upon the principles of social equality
    Key Charter rights include fundamental freedoms (the freedoms of religion, expression, and association), democratic rights (such as the right to vote and run for political office), mobility rights, legal rights (such as the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure and the right not to be arbitrarily detained and imprisoned), and equality rights (the right to be treated equal before the law and the right be free from discrimination).
  51. senator
    a member of a legislative assembly
    This would include amendments to the following items:

    The principle of proportionate representation in the House of Commons;
    The powers of the Senate and the method of selecting Senators;
    The number of members by which a province is entitled to be represented in the Senate and the residence qualifications of Senators;
    The Supreme Court of Canada (other than its composition);
    The expansion of provincial borders into the territories; and,
    The establishment of new provinces.
  52. Union
    the United States
    Constitutionally important orders in Canadian constitutional history include the Rupert’s Land and North-Western Territory Order, 1870 (which transferred Hudson Bay Company lands to Canada), the British Columbia Terms of Union, 1871 (joined British Columbia to Canada), the Prince Edward Island Terms of Union, 1873 (joined that colony to Canada), and the Adjacent Territories Order, 1880 (extended Canada’s borders to include the Arctic Islands).
  53. economic
    of or relating to production and management of wealth
    Another significant amendment was the Constitution Act, 1982, which committed the federal government and provinces to ensuring some level of economic and social equality between Canadian regions.
  54. conservative
    resistant to change
    They may interpret individual freedoms in a more liberal or conservative manner (which will affect the sorts of actions an individual may or may not be free to take).
  55. Justice
    the U.S. department responsible for enforcing federal laws
    For more information on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: visit, Department of Justice: Text of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

    Language and Aboriginal Rights
    Not only does the Constitution provide for individual rights and freedoms, but also two important sets of group rights.
  56. revenue
    the entire amount of income before any deductions are made
    The Constitution Act, 1867 outlines specific powers and jurisdictions for each of these levels of government, such as what public policy fields each may legislate in, as well as how each level of government may raise revenue.
  57. liberal
    showing or characterized by broad-mindedness
    They may interpret individual freedoms in a more liberal or conservative manner (which will affect the sorts of actions an individual may or may not be free to take).
  58. election
    a vote choosing the winner of a position or political office
    Other examples include the Supreme Court Act, the Parliament of Canada Act, and the Canada Elections Act, which all govern the operation of important institutions in Canadian politics.
Created on Sat Oct 06 12:41:01 EDT 2012

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