British North America Acts
This was an Act of the British parliament, originally called the "British North America Act, 1867". It outlined Canada's system of government, which combines Britain's Westminster model of parliamentary government with the division of sovereignty (federalism). Although it is the first of 20 "British North America Acts", it is the most famous as the primary document of Canadian Confederation. With the patriation of the Constitution in 1982, this Act was renamed "Constitution Act, 1867". In recent years, the 1867 document has mainly served as the basis on which the division of powers between the provinces and the federal government is analyzed.