Explore the origins of Canadian law through the lens of Indigenous legal traditions and colonial legal systems. This article examines how Indigenous nations governed through oral laws and kinship-based justice before French and British settlers introduced European legal frameworks. Learn how these systems conflicted, the impact on Indigenous governance, and the growing movement to restore legal pluralism in Canada.

The Laws of Ur-Nammu, dating to around 2100 BCE, are the oldest known legal code in history — predating Hammurabi by centuries. Issued in ancient Sumer, this early Mesopotamian code emphasized fairness and monetary compensation over physical punishment, offering deep insight into early justice systems and social values. Its legacy helped shape the foundations of written law in human civilization.