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Royal Proclamation
- Established British sovereignty
- Recognized Indigenous land rights
- Established the basis for treaty negotiations
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Quebec Act
- Extended the boundaries of Quebec
- Established French Civil law as the basis for private law
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British North America Act (Constitution Act)
- Established the Dominion of Canada
- Centralized federal and provincial governments
- Laid out the powers and responsibilities of levels of government
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Indian Act
- Consolidated previous legislation and policies
- Established a reserve system
- Regulated Indigenous governance and identity
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Persons Case
- Established women as "persons" under Canadian law
- Shaped constitutional law
- Established the principle of equality
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Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
- Forms a part of the Constitution Act
- Protects fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians
- Established legal framework for human rights and freedoms
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R. v. Sparrow
- Established the principle of "Aboriginal rights" under section 35 of the Constitution Act
- Established the duty of the Crown to consult and accommodate Indigenous peoples
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Carter v. Canada
- Declared the prohibition on physician-assisted dying in Canada invalid
- Changed attitudes toward end-of-life care and autonomy
- Expanded the scope of individual rights