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Jury benches
Ottawa police constable
helping a young boy at
the Aboriginal Day Flotilla
Prisons have an essential
role in punishing
criminals and deterring
crime
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Discover Canada
Courts
The Supreme Court of Canada is our country’s
highest court. The Federal Court of Canada deals
with matters concerning the federal government.
In most provinces there is an appeal court and
a trial court, sometimes called the Court of
Queen’s Bench or the Supreme Court. There are
also provincial courts for lesser offences, family
courts, traffic courts and small claims courts for
civil cases involving small sums of money.
Police
The police are there to keep people safe and to
enforce the law. You can ask the police for help
in all kinds of situations—if there’s been an
accident, if someone has stolen something from
you, if you are a victim of assault, if you see a
crime taking place or if someone you know has
gone missing.
There are different types of police in Canada.
There are provincial police forces in Ontario and
Quebec and municipal police departments in all
provinces. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) enforce federal laws throughout Canada,
and serve as the provincial police in all provinces
and territories except Ontario and Quebec, as
well as in some municipalities. Remember, the
police are there to help you.
You can also question the police about their
service or conduct if you feel you need to. Almost
all police forces in Canada have a process by
which you can bring your concerns to the police
and seek action.
Getting legal help
Lawyers can help you with legal problems and act
for you in court. If you cannot pay for a lawyer,
in most communities there are legal aid services
available free of charge or at a low cost.