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McGill Style Guide

Statutes

Title (Italics),

statute volume

jurisdiction

year,

chapter

(session or supplement),

pinpoint.

Example

Criminal Code,

RS

C

1985,

c C-46

 

s 745.

Criminal Code, RSC 1985, c C-46, s 745.

Income Tax Act,

RS

C

1985

c 1

(5th Supp),

s 18.

Income Tax Act, RSC 1985, c 1 (5th Supp), s 18.

Children's Law Reform Act

RS

O

1990

c C-12

 

s 49.

Children's Law Reform Act, RSO 1990, c C-12, s 49.

See section 2.1 of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (7th ed.) for complete rules on citing Statutes

Constitutional Statutes

When citing constitutional statutes, use the statutes' new title, not the title it was originally enacted under. To find the new title of a constitutional statute, consult the Schedule to the Constitution Act, 1982

For example:

British North America Act, 1930 (UK), 20 & 21 Geo. V, c 26 would instead be cited as Constitution Act, 1930 (UK), 20 & 21 Geo. V, c 26

British North America Act, 1930 is the old title and Constitution Act, 1930 is the new title

Amendments, Repeals, and Re-enactments

To indicate statutes that have been amended, repealed or re-enacted, use the following rules:

Indicating amended statutes

citation for original statute

ADD as amended by

citation for amending statute

Indicating repealed statutes

citation for original statute

ADD as repealed by

citation for repealing statute

Act amending an earlier act

citation for new statute

ADD amending

citation for amended statute

Act repealing an earlier act

citation for new statute

ADD repealing

citation for repealed statute

For example:

Municipal Government Act, RSA 2000, c M-26, s 694(4), as amended by Municipal Government Amendment Act, SA 2003, c 43, s 4.

See section 2.1.11 of the Canadian Guide to Uniform Legal Citation (7th ed.) for complete rules on citing Amendments, Repeals, and Re-enactments

Jurisdiction Abbreviations

Alberta

A

British Columbia

BC

Canada

C

Lower Canada

LC

Manitoba

M

New Brunswick

NB

Newfoundland (Statutes and Regulations repealed before 6 December 2001 / Gazette published before 21 December 2001)

N

Newfoundland and Labrador (Statutes and Regulations in force on or after 6 December 2001 / Gazette published 21 December 2001 and after)

NL

Northwest Territories

NWT

Nova Scotia

NS

Nunavut (1 April 1999 and after)

Nu

Ontario

O

Prince Edward Island

PEI

Province of Canada                  

Prov C

Quebec

Q

Saskatchewan

S

Upper Canada

UC

Yukon

Y
Your professor may have different citing expectations than library staff. Always check at the beginning of term and before starting assignments that the citing rules you are using are appropriate for your class.

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