TERMIUM Plus®

From: Translation Bureau

On social media

Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.

LEGALITY [32 records]

Record 1 2026-02-19

English

Subject field(s)
  • Military Strategy
  • War and Peace (International Law)
  • International Relations
DEF

... the use of legal actions to attack or discredit a person, state, [or other] especially as done by a state in conjunction with a military campaign ...

CONT

Lawfare typically involves the use of legal systems to damage an opponent's reputation, challenge the legality of their actions, or impose bureaucracy in a deliberately obstructive manner.

OBS

The designation "lawfare" is a contraction of the words "law" and "warfare."

French

Domaine(s)
  • Stratégie militaire
  • Guerre et paix (Droit international)
  • Relations internationales
DEF

Instrumentalisation du droit pour s'attaquer à une personne morale ou physique, à la réputation d'une institution ou d'un État, en particulier pour atteindre des objectifs militaires ou politiques.

CONT

Des militants rebelles mènent une guerre juridique contre leur gouvernement.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Estrategia militar
  • Guerra y paz (Derecho internacional)
  • Relaciones internacionales
OBS

persecución judicial; instrumentalización de la Justicia; judicialización de la política; lawfare: La Fundación del Español Urgente (Fundéu BBVA), con el asesoramiento de la Real Academia Española, indica que "persecución judicial", "instrumentalización de la Justicia" o "judicialización de la política" son alternativas válidas en español a la palabra inglesa "lawfare". [...] La palabra "lawfare" está formada por "law" (ley) y "warfare" (guerra). [...] El término se emplea en el ámbito militar para describir un método de guerra asimétrica no convencional en el que la ley es usada como un medio para conseguir un objetivo militar. En el ámbito de la política, designa el uso de procedimientos judiciales con fines de persecución política, desacreditación o destrucción de la imagen pública e inhabilitación de un adversario político.

Save record 1

Record 2 2025-10-21

English

Subject field(s)
  • Constitutional Law
OBS

The constitutional legality of laws and regulations are determined by the courts.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit constitutionnel
OBS

La légalité constitutionnelle d'une norme découle de sa conformité avec la Constitution qui est la loi suprême du Canada.

Spanish

Save record 2

Record 3 2024-03-27

English

Subject field(s)
  • War and Peace (International Law)
  • Military Law
CONT

... of precluding the wrongfulness of State conduct not in conformity with one of the rules of the law of war which impose limitations on the belligerents regarding the means and methods of conducting hostilities between them, the general purpose being to attenuate the rigours of war ...

CONT

Necessity and proportionality have always been core principles of both branches of the jus belli principles that apply to both the authority to employ military force and the regulation of actual employment. However, in the jus ad bellum context, they have never before been viewed as principles to regulate operational and tactical execution. Instead, in that context they frame the legality of national or multinational resort to military force in self-defense. Once the decision is made to employ force pursuant to this authority, the jus in bello variant of these principles(necessity of the mission and proportionality of collateral damage) operate to regulate the application of combat power during mission execution(in other words, they provide the foundation for the regulation of the application of combat power in the context of the self-defense-justified mission).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Guerre et paix (Droit international)
  • Droit militaire

Spanish

Save record 3

Record 4 2024-03-27

English

Subject field(s)
  • War and Peace (International Law)
  • Military Law
CONT

Jus in bello, also referred to as international humanitarian law (IHL), applies to all warring parties irrespective of the reasons for the conflict. It does not speak to whether or not the cause of war is just. Instead, this body of law seeks to protect war victims and their fundamental rights, no matter to which party they belong.

CONT

Necessity and proportionality have always been core principles of both branches of the jus belli principles that apply to both the authority to employ military force and the regulation of actual employment. However, in the jus ad bellum context, they have never before been viewed as principles to regulate operational and tactical execution. Instead, in that context they frame the legality of national or multinational resort to military force in self-defense. Once the decision is made to employ force pursuant to this authority, the jus in bello variant of these principles(necessity of the mission and proportionality of collateral damage) operate to regulate the application of combat power during mission execution(in other words, they provide the foundation for the regulation of the application of combat power in the context of the self-defense-justified mission).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Guerre et paix (Droit international)
  • Droit militaire
CONT

Le droit international humanitaire a pour but de limiter les souffrances causées par la guerre en assurant, autant que possible, protection et assistance aux victimes. Il traite donc de la réalité d'un conflit sans considération des motifs ou de la légalité d'un recours à la force. Il en réglemente uniquement les aspects ayant une importance humanitaire. C'est ce que l’on appelle le jus in bello (le droit dans la guerre).

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Guerra y paz (Derecho internacional)
  • Derecho militar
DEF

Jus in bello: [derecho que] regula el comportamiento de los durante las hostilidades.

OBS

Jus in bello Se distingue del jus ad bellum, o condiciones en que es lícito el recurso a la fuerza armada.

OBS

derecho de guerra, Jus in bello y derecho internacional humanitario: Expresiones reproducidas del Glosario Provisional de Términos Jurídicos con la autorización de la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra.

Save record 4

Record 5 2024-03-27

English

Subject field(s)
  • War and Peace (International Law)
  • Military Law
DEF

The right to resort to war.

CONT

Jus ad bellum refers to the conditions under which states may resort to war or to the use of armed force in general.

CONT

Necessity and proportionality have always been core principles of both branches of the jus belli principles that apply to both the authority to employ military force and the regulation of actual employment. However, in the jus ad bellum context, they have never before been viewed as principles to regulate operational and tactical execution. Instead, in that context they frame the legality of national or multinational resort to military force in self-defense. Once the decision is made to employ force pursuant to this authority, the jus in bello variant of these principles(necessity of the mission and proportionality of collateral damage) operate to regulate the application of combat power during mission execution(in other words, they provide the foundation for the regulation of the application of combat power in the context of the self-defense-justified mission).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Guerre et paix (Droit international)
  • Droit militaire
CONT

Le jus ad bellum (droit de faire la guerre) […]

Spanish

Save record 5

Record 6 2023-09-20

English

Subject field(s)
  • Offences and crimes
  • Citizenship and Immigration
  • Rights and Freedoms
OBS

International human trafficking involves someone who in the process of being trafficked, crosses an international border, regardless of the victim's immigration status. The legality or illegality of border crossing in this case is irrelevant.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Infractions et crimes
  • Citoyenneté et immigration
  • Droits et libertés
OBS

La traite de personnes internationale est associée aux cas de victimes qui, durant le processus de la traite, franchissent une frontière internationale, quel que soit leur statut d'immigrant. La frontière peut être franchie légalement ou non.

Spanish

Save record 6

Record 7 2016-08-30

English

Subject field(s)
  • Police

French

Domaine(s)
  • Police
OBS

légalité de la fouille : terme tiré du Mini-lexique de l’arrestation et de la détention et reproduit avec l'autorisation du Centre de ressources en français juridique de l'Université de Saint-Boniface.

Spanish

Save record 7

Record 8 2016-08-30

English

Subject field(s)
  • Police
OBS

Of the permises.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Police
OBS

légalité de la perquisition : terme tiré du Mini-lexique de l’arrestation et de la détention et reproduit avec l'autorisation du Centre de ressources en français juridique de l'Université de Saint-Boniface.

Spanish

Save record 8

Record 9 2016-08-30

English

Subject field(s)
  • Tort Law (common law)
  • Offences and crimes
  • International Law
  • National and International Security

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit des délits (common law)
  • Infractions et crimes
  • Droit international
  • Sécurité nationale et internationale
OBS

légalité des opérations : terme tiré du mini-lexique Terrorisme et sécurité nationale et reproduit avec l'autorisation du Centre de ressources en français juridique de l'Université de Saint-Boniface.

Spanish

Save record 9

Record 10 2015-03-02

English

Subject field(s)
  • International Public Law
  • Political Geography and Geopolitics
  • International Relations
DEF

An international or administrative boundary whose existence and legality is not recognized but which is a practical division between separate national and provincial administrating authorities.

OBS

de facto boundary: term and definition standardized by NATO in the AAP-6 standard published in 1998, but not included in the 2015 version.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit international public
  • Géographie politique et géopolitique
  • Relations internationales
DEF

Frontière internationale ou limite administrative dont l'existence et la légalité ne sont pas reconnues, mais qui constitue pratiquement une séparation entre autorités administratives nationales et provinciales distinctes.

OBS

frontière de fait : terme et définition normalisés par l'OTAN dans la norme AAP-6 de 1998, mais non repris dans l'édition de 2015.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Derecho internacional público
  • Geografía política y geopolítica
  • Relaciones internacionales
DEF

Frontera internacional o administrativa cuya existencia y legalidad no están reconocidas pero que es la división práctica que separa a las autoridades administrativas provinciales o nacionales.

Save record 10

Record 11 2015-03-02

English

Subject field(s)
  • International Public Law
  • Political Geography and Geopolitics
  • International Relations
DEF

An international or administrative boundary whose existence and legality is recognized.

OBS

de jure boundary: term and definition standardized by NATO in the AAP-6 standard published in 1998, but not included in the 2015 version.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit international public
  • Géographie politique et géopolitique
  • Relations internationales
DEF

Frontière internationale ou limite administrative dont l'existence et la légalité sont reconnues.

OBS

frontière de droit : terme et définition normalisés par l'OTAN dans la norme AAP-6 de 1998, mais non repris dans l'édition de 2015.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Derecho internacional público
  • Geografía política y geopolítica
  • Relaciones internacionales
DEF

Frontera internacional o administrativa cuya existencia y legalidad están reconocidas.

Save record 11

Record 12 2012-09-25

English

Subject field(s)
  • PAJLO
  • Property Law (common law)
CONT

The concept referred to in this text as "condominium" is referred to by different names in different jurisdictions. In Australia, and also in British Columbia, it is known as "strata title." It is also referred to as "horizontal property regimes", "horizontal real property", and "apartment ownership", and ... as "horizontal property". (Rosenberg, 1969, p. 1-10)

CONT

Flat ownership has been an accepted practice in English law for many centuries... There are a number of early English decisions which take for granted the legality of flat ownership, and deal with the relative rights of the owners.(Rosenberg, p. 2-8)

French

Domaine(s)
  • PAJLO
  • Droit des biens et de la propriété (common law)
OBS

Il s'agit ici du sens technique des expressions «flat ownership» et «apartment ownership». En d'autres contextes, elles peuvent se rendre par «propriété de l'appartement, propriété des appartements».

OBS

propriété par appartements : terme normalisé par le Comité de normalisation dans le cadre du Programme national de l'administration de la justice dans les deux langues officielles (PAJLO).

Spanish

Save record 12

Record 13 2012-03-27

English

Subject field(s)
  • Courts
  • Practice and Procedural Law
  • Public Administration (General)
DEF

Orders suspending administrative decision-making or action pending the outcome of other proceedings before the court or an administrative tribunal, seen most commonly in the form of interim or interlocutory injunctions or stays of proceedings.

CONT

By way of interlocutory relief the respondents appended to their actions motions to have all the seized documents impounded pending a final judgment on the legality of the search warrants.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Tribunaux
  • Droit judiciaire
  • Administration publique (Généralités)
CONT

À titre de redressement interlocutoire, les intimés joignent à leurs recours des requêtes en entiercement de tous les documents saisis jusqu'à ce qu'un jugement final soit rendu sur la légalité des mandats de perquisition.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Tribunales
  • Derecho procesal
  • Administración pública (Generalidades)
Save record 13

Record 14 2011-12-14

English

Subject field(s)
  • General Vocabulary

French

Domaine(s)
  • Vocabulaire général

Spanish

Save record 14

Record 15 2011-03-02

English

Subject field(s)
  • Political Theories and Doctrines
  • Special-Language Phraseology
CONT

A State that is incapable of defending its legality maintains a system of democracy of low-intensity citizenship... A situation in which one can vote freely and be confident that the vote will be properly scrutinised, but where one cannot expect just treatment from the Police or from the administration of justice, all of which calls seriously into question the liberal component of that democracy and which gravely restricts citizenship.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Théories et doctrines politiques
  • Phraséologie des langues de spécialité
CONT

Un état qui est incapable de maintenir sa légalité entretient une démocratie à citoyenneté de faible intensité [...] Une situation où l'on peut voter librement en sachant que son bulletin de vote sera convenablement pointé, mais où l'on ne peut s'attendre à un traitement juste de la part de la police ou de l'administration de la justice, voilà qui remet sérieusement en question la dimension libérale de cette démocratie et qui restreint gravement la citoyenneté.

Spanish

Save record 15

Record 16 2009-10-01

English

Subject field(s)
  • Rules of Court
  • Penal Law
CONT

Even what previously may have a relatively straightforward prosecution can become prolonged as a result of extended motions focused on such things as the legality of the investigation, the constitutionality of the legislation or of the investigation, disclosure issues, allegations of abuse of process, or unreasonable delay.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Règles de procédure
  • Droit pénal
CONT

Même une poursuite qui, auparavant, aurait pu être relativement simple, peut se prolonger par le cumul de requêtes contestant la légalité de l'enquête, la constitutionnalité du texte législatif ou de l'enquête, la divulgation ou invoquant des allégations d'abus de procédure ou de délais déraisonnables.

Spanish

Save record 16

Record 17 2004-08-12

English

Subject field(s)
  • Translation (General)
  • Laws and Legal Documents
DEF

accordance with law; lawfulness.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Traduction (Généralités)
  • Lois et documents juridiques
DEF

Ce qui se conforme à une règle de fond ou de forme.

Spanish

Save record 17

Record 18 2004-07-21

English

Subject field(s)
  • Tort Law (common law)
DEF

In reference to the action of replevin, to redeliver goods which have been distrained, to the original possessor of them, on his pledging or giving security to prosecute an action against the legality of the distress.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit des délits (common law)
OBS

En parlant du saisissant.

Spanish

Save record 18

Record 19 2003-05-28

English

Subject field(s)
  • Legal System

French

Domaine(s)
  • Théorie du droit
DEF

Caractère de ce qui est légal et, par extension, conforme au droit.

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Régimen jurídico
Save record 19

Record 20 2001-11-22

English

Subject field(s)
  • Commercial Law
OBS

of wares.

CONT

Where a court is satisfied, on application of any interested person, that any registered trade-mark or any trade-name has been applied to any wares that have been imported into Canada or are about to be distributed in Canada in such a manner that the distribution of the wares would be contrary to this Act, or that any indication of a place of origin has been unlawfully applied to any wares, the court may make an order for the interim custody of the wares, pending a final determination of the legality of their importation or distribution in an action commenced within such time as is prescribed by the order.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit commercial
CONT

S'il est convaincu, sur demande de toute personne intéressée, qu'une marque de commerce déposée ou un nom commercial a été appliqué à des marchandises importées au Canada ou qui sont sur le point d'être distribuées au Canada de telle façon que la distribution de ces marchandises serait contraire à la présente loi, ou qu'une indication de lieu d'origine a été illégalement appliquée à des marchandises, le tribunal peut rendre une ordonnance décrétant la rétention provisoire des marchandises, en attendant un prononcé final sur la légalité de leur importation ou distribution, dans une action intentée dans le délai prescrit par l'ordonnance.

Spanish

Save record 20

Record 21 2001-01-02

English

Subject field(s)
  • Penal Law
  • Sentencing
OBS

nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege: ... no-one should be subject to prosecution for a crime unless pursuant to a previous law establishing that crime.

OBS

nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege and principle of legality : Expressions and observation reproduced from the Glosario Provisional de Términos Jurídicos with the permission of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit pénal
  • Peines

Spanish

Campo(s) temático(s)
  • Derecho penal
  • Penas
DEF

[Principio por el cual] nadie puede ser condenado o sancionado por acciones u omisiones que en el momento de producirse no constituyan delito, falta o infracción administrativa, según la legislación vigente en aquel momento.

OBS

La expresión "principio de legalidad" ha sido definida en la Constitución española, art. 25.1.

OBS

nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege: Expresión latina que quiere decir "no hay crimen ni pena sin ley previa". Constituye una garantía individual, en cuya virtud no se puede interpretar que un acto cualquiera es delictivo e incluso en una sanción penal si no ha sido considerado expresamente como tal en una norma anterior.

OBS

nullum crimen, nulla poena sine lege y principio de legalidad: Expresiones, definición y observación reproducidas del Glosario Provisional de Términos Jurídicos con la autorización de la Oficina de las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra.

Save record 21

Record 22 1999-06-29

English

Subject field(s)
  • Titles of Laws and Regulations
  • War and Peace (International Law)
OBS

A diplomatic instrument, signed on Feb. 26, 1909, which contained the terms for an international law of naval warfare. To codify the principles of international maritime law in regard to prize cases(prize courts pass on the legality of capture at sea during wartime), experts from Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the United States met in London in 1908. The 71 articles of the declaration embody their conclusions.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Titres de lois et de règlements
  • Guerre et paix (Droit international)
OBS

Expression abrégée qui désigne la Déclaration relative au droit de la guerre maritime signée à Londres le 26 février 1909.

Spanish

Save record 22

Record 23 1996-11-12

English

Subject field(s)
  • Government Accounting
CONT

Accrual of liabilities results in a charge to an appropriation, and subsequently a payment may be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Section 33 certification of requisitioning authority is required when the debt is charged against the appropriation and again when the debt is settled. This permits financial officers to review the legality of the transaction and to exercise the appropriate controls in both instances. Where PAYE is not used and both the payment and the charge to the appropriation are effected by a payment requisition, section 33 is required only once.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Comptabilité publique
CONT

L'inscription d'éléments de passif donne lieu d'abord à une imputation à un crédit et, plus tard, à un paiement sur le Trésor. Il faut faire certifier les demandes de paiement en vertu de l'article 33 lorsque la dette est imputée au crédit et à nouveau quand la dette est réglée. Cette mesure permet aux agents financiers de vérifier la légitimité de l'opération et d'appliquer les contrôles prévus dans les deux cas. Lorsqu'on n'a pas recours au CAFE et que le paiement et l'imputation au crédit sont effectués au moyen d'une demande de paiement, le recours à l'article 33 n'est nécessaire qu'une fois.

Spanish

Save record 23

Record 24 1996-09-06

English

Subject field(s)
  • Property Law (common law)
CONT

Equity in the sense of fairness is frequently opposed to law and legality, because that which is fair does not always constitute a legal claim or defence. Hence, when a legal rule or remedy is capable of two interpretations or applications, one literal or restrictive, and the other liberal(that is, calculated to make the rule or remedy operate fairly, and to extend its benefit to as many cases as possible), the latter is called the equitable construction or application.(Jowitt's, 2nd ed. 1977, p. 712).

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit des biens et de la propriété (common law)
OBS

Équivalent français normalisé par le Comité de normalisation du PAJLO.

Spanish

Save record 24

Record 25 1996-08-07

English

Subject field(s)
  • Laws and Legal Documents

French

Domaine(s)
  • Lois et documents juridiques

Spanish

Save record 25

Record 26 1995-09-25

English

Subject field(s)
  • Legal Documents

French

Domaine(s)
  • Documents juridiques

Spanish

Save record 26

Record 27 1995-09-25

English

Subject field(s)
  • Legal Documents

French

Domaine(s)
  • Documents juridiques

Spanish

Save record 27

Record 28 1995-09-15

English

Subject field(s)
  • Government Accounting
CONT

Accrual of liabilities results in a charge to an appropriation, and subsequently a payment may be made out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Section 33 certification of requisitioning authority is required when the debt is charged against the appropriation and again when the debt is settled. This permits financial officers to review the legality of the transaction and to exercise the appropriate controls in both instances. Where PAYE is not used and both the payment and the charge to the appropriation are effected by a payment requisition, section 33 is required only once.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Comptabilité publique
CONT

L'inscription d'éléments de passif donne lieu d'abord à une imputation à un crédit et,plus tard, à un paiement sur le Trésor. Il faut faire certifier les demandes de paiement en vertu de l'article 33 lorsque la dette est imputée au crédit et à nouveau quand la dette est réglée. Cette mesure permet aux agents financiers de vérifier la légitimité de l'opération et d'appliquer les contrôles prévus dans les deux cas. Lorsqu'on n'a pas recours aux CAFE et que le paiement et l'imputation au crédit sont effectués au moyen d'une demande de paiement, le recours à l'article 33 n'est nécessaire qu'une fois.

Spanish

Save record 28

Record 29 1993-04-07

English

Subject field(s)
  • Legal Documents
  • Phraseology

French

Domaine(s)
  • Documents juridiques
  • Phraséologie

Spanish

Save record 29

Record 30 1992-11-12

English

Subject field(s)
  • Programming Languages

French

Domaine(s)
  • Langages de programmation

Spanish

Save record 30

Record 31 1988-09-28

English

Subject field(s)
  • Law of Evidence
DEF

An investigation that has no clearly defined objective or that does not stick to its stated or authorized objective and that engages in expedients of doubtful propriety or legality...

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit de la preuve

Spanish

Save record 31

Record 32 1987-03-11

English

Subject field(s)
  • Law of the Sea
  • War and Peace (International Law)
CONT

Prize procedure. The captured vessel and its cargo, once in the port of the captor or of an allied State, shall be turned over, with all necessary documents, to the competent authority.... The legality and the regularity of the capture of enemy vessels and of the seizure of goods must be established before a prize court.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Droit de la mer
  • Guerre et paix (Droit international)
DEF

Manière dont la capture ou saisie de la propriété privée est effectuée sur mer par un belligérant et dont la régularité en est jugée.

Spanish

Save record 32

Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank

© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau

Features

GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)

Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.

Writing tools

The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.

Glossaries and vocabularies

Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.

Date Modified: