Welcome
Keys to the Court
Do you know when the Supreme Court of Canada was created?
Instructions
Click and drag the slider to reveal the answer.
In 1875, Canada’s Parliament passed a law officially establishing the Supreme Court. Through pivotal cases and the involvement of justices, lawyers, and citizens from across the country and a wide range of backgrounds, the Supreme Court gradually took shape over time. Each of these actors played a part in reflecting Canada’s diverse regions, legal traditions, and social realities.
Find the Keys to the Court
Join us on this journey as we meet current and former justices, lawyers who argue before the Court, academics, and citizens who took their case all the way to the Supreme Court, from the 1970s to today. Along the way, you’ll unlock behind-the-scenes insights, explore the Court’s rich history, and discover its fundamental role in shaping Canadian society. This course will give you the keys to the Court, helping you understand how it works, why it matters, and how its decisions impact us all.
Feel free to explore the course at your own pace. There’s no set order—you can dive into the modules that interest you most. Use the menu on the left side of your screen to navigate through the sections, revisit topics, or jump ahead whenever you like.
Indigenous Affirmation
This course has been produced by Jurivision.ca, the audiovisual platform for law at the University of Ottawa, which sits on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Nation. Take a moment to discover this special acknowledgment.
Instructions
Use the slider to reveal an English translation of the land acknowledgment.
Instructions
Listen to an audio clip of the above affirmation read by Joan Commanda Tenasco, an Anishinàbekwe from Kitigàn Zìbìng near Maniwaki, Quebec.