What must all people in Canada do regarding the law?

Obeying the law is a fundamental responsibility shared by all people living in Canada, citizens and non-citizens alike. The principle is built into the Constitution Act, 1867 and the Constitution Act, 1982, both of which entrench the rule of law. The preamble to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms explicitly recognises that Canada is founded upon principles that recognise the supremacy of God and the rule of law, distinguishing the country from regimes where rulers act above the law.

Three levels of law operate in Canada simultaneously. Federal law is enacted by Parliament under the powers listed in section 91 of the Constitution Act, 1867 and includes the Criminal Code (originally enacted in 1892), the Income Tax Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Provincial law is enacted under section 92 and includes most property law, family law, education law, and traffic law. Municipal bylaws enacted under provincial authority cover zoning, noise, parking, and local taxation.

The Criminal Code is the largest body of federal criminal law and applies uniformly across Canada. Quebec's Civil Code of Quebec governs civil obligations in that province, while the other nine provinces and three territories use English common law. The Supreme Court of Canada is the final court of appeal for all areas of law and binds all lower courts. The Federal Court of Canada hears specialised matters including immigration, intellectual property, and disputes with the federal government.

Police forces enforce the criminal law: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is the federal police service and provides contract policing in eight provinces and three territories. Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador maintain provincial forces (the OPP, the Surete du Quebec, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary). Major cities including Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg run municipal police forces. Regulatory and administrative tribunals from the Canadian Human Rights Commission to provincial labour boards enforce non-criminal laws.