Quebec law

Quebec law is unique in Canada because Quebec is the only province in Canada to have a juridical legal system under which civil matters are regulated by French-heritage civil law. Public law, criminal law and federal law operate according to Canadian common law. Quebec law is under the shared responsibility of the federal government and the provincial government. According to the Constitution of Canada, these two governments are each responsible for enacting law when it falls under their sphere of competence. As such, the federal government is responsible for criminal law, foreign affairs, commerce, interprovincial transportation, and telecommunications. The provincial government is responsible for private law, the administration of justice and several social domains, such as social assistance, healthcare, education, and natural resources. The four classic sources of law, legislation, case law, doctrine and customary law, together make up Quebec law. Legislation is the primary source, but because private law is mostly exercised under a civil tradition, case law is also a strong source. The law is made up of the Constitution of Canada, the laws of the Quebec Legislature and the rules related to legislating. English is not an official language in Quebec law. However, both English and French are required by the Constitution Act, 1867 for the enactment of laws and regulations, and any person may use English or French in the National Assembly and the courts. The books and records of the National Assembly must also be kept in both languages. Quebec's legal system was established when New France was founded in 1663. In 1664, Louis XIV decreed in the charter creating the French East India Company that French colonial law would be primarily based on the Custom of Paris, the variant of civil law in force in the Paris region. Justice was administered according to the “Code Louis”, consisting of the 1667 ordinance on civil procedure and 1670 ordinance on criminal procedure. Trials were conducted under an inquisitorial system.