== Resources ==

In this section, you will learn about:

*Canada’s Queen

Canada’s laws express the values and beliefs of Canadian society. They aim to protect individuals and provide stability for society as a whole. They also aim to make sure there is a peaceful way to settle disputes.

Canada’s legal system and political system first came from Britain. We also brought our ideas of personal rights and freedoms from Britain. In Quebec, parts of the legal system came from France.

The Canadian constitution is the set of rules that define the powers of the government and

*the right not to suffer cruel or unusual '''punishment'''

'''Equality''' is one of the most important values in Canada.

People in Canada do not get better jobs because of the amount of money they have, their social class or gender. For example, in Canada, women can have the same jobs as men and all the same responsibilities.

There are many Canadian laws that protect your rights. Laws about human rights are one example.

In the same way that the law protects you from discrimination, the law says you have a '''responsibility''' to respect other people’s rights. For example, your right to freedom of religion means you must respect the beliefs of others.

The Rule of Law means that we recognize and accept that we need laws to '''regulate''' society. We must find a way to live together peacefully. Laws exist to help us do this.

Canadians vote for people to represent us in government. The people who get the most votes become our elected representatives. It is their job to make the laws.

To vote in a BC election, you must have lived in the province for the six months before voting day. To find out how to get on the voters list for a federal election, go to Elections Canada, online at [http://www.elections.ca www.elections.ca].

In Canada, there are three levels of government: '''federal''', '''provincial''', and '''municipal'''. The Canadian constitution describes what the federal government is responsible for, and what the provincial governments are responsible for. The provincial governments can give some of their responsibilities to the municipalities.

Queen Elizabeth II, who lives in Britain, is the Queen of Canada. The elected representatives have the political power in Canada. The Queen’s role is symbolic.