What is a constitution
A constitution is described as “a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which state … it is governed” (“Constitution,” n.d.), which basically means a bill that sets how the state or government should operate. Constitutions are the highest law of the land, no law can be written by the nation to go against the constitution.
The constitution of Canada
The constitution of Canada consists of codified acts and uncodified traditions (“Constitution of Canada,” n.d.). This basically means that our constitution contains written acts like the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and traditions that have been handed down from Britain including how the Prime Minister is selected, which is based on the party that received the highest amount of votes. The constitution also outlines Canada's system of government including the jurisdiction of each level of government (“Constitution of Canada,” n.d.). In its written form our constitution contains two major acts including the Canada Act of 1982 and the Constitution Act of 1867 (also known as the British North America Act) (“Constitution of Canada,” n.d.).
Why constitutions are necessary
Constitutions are very important as they outline what government can and cannot do including what each level of government has jurisdiction over (“Constitution of Canada,” n.d.). The constitution also provides us with our rights and freedoms that prevent us from being discriminated against by the government (“Constitution of Canada,” n.d.). Without the constitution a country would most likely fall into anarchy. Without the basic outlines for government there would be infighting between the different levels of government, causing many problems and stalling progress.
Sources
Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution
Constitution of Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2015, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Canada