1. What is law?
CLN 4CR
Lesson 2

2. What is law? In the News: Minds On: Rules v Law, Warm up questions.
Action:
What is Law note and discussion
Roncarelli v Duplessis case
Law & Morality; Law & Justice
Consolidation: R V Dudley & Stevens

3. Rules v Laws
What’s the difference? Make a list of examples. Discuss with the person next to you.

4. Answer with your neighbour…
Do laws improve our lives or make them harder?
Why do people usually obey the law, even when no one is watching?
Why is it acceptable for the government to punish people but not for the average person to do so?
Why doesn’t the Prime Minister automatically turn into a dictator when in power?
How do “the people” govern, in Canada?

5. Introduction to Canadian Law
If human nature were perfect, there would be no need for law.

6. What is Law?
Laws are a set of rules established and enforced by the government.
Laws are mandatory.
Laws involve a detailed system of consequences.

7. What if there are no laws?
Chaos and anarchy
Imagine trying to drive if there was no Highway Traffic Act

8. Why do we need laws? To prevent anarchy & chaos
To bring peace and order to society
To protect members in society
To ensure justice is served
Rule of Law: the principle of justice stating that
the law is necessary to regulate society,
that law applies equally to everyone, and
that people are not governed by arbitrary power

9. What do laws do? They protect society
They provide a way to solve problems

10. What are laws based on?
Laws reflect the values, morals, and beliefs of society
Values:
things which people feel are important (life, freedom of speech, religion)
Morals:
conformity to accepted codes of behaviour
Beliefs:
how people think (views on issues like capital punichsment, abortion, education)

11. Right and Obligations Under the law you are entitled to certain rights
With these rights come undeniable obligations
When you are 18 you are given the right to vote
You have the obligation to learn about the issues at stake
When you are 19 you are given the right to drink alcohol
With that comes the obligation to drink responsibly and not injure someone through your careless actions

12. What makes laws effective?
Fair
Organized
Reported
Published and accessible
Enforced and administered

13. Roncarelli v Duplessis [1959] SCR 121
Proof that we need strong laws to protect everyone
Reinforcing the Rule of Law

14. Law and Morality Some laws reflect the moral values of society
Can be controversial
In a multicultural, democratic system, tensions may exist between standards of right and wrong
Sometimes governments make laws that are beyond some communities

15. Examples:
Death penalty (capital punishment)
Doctor assisted death
Abortion
Same-sex marriage
Control of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana
Physical punishment of students
Prostitution legislation
Drunk driving

16. Law and Justice Justice fair behaviour or treatment
Inequality wasn’t always considered ‘unjust’
Today we consider equality the heart of justice
Is there any time when equality isn’t necessarily ‘just’?
R v Dudley and Stevens (1884), 14 QBD 273