The charter may directly affect criminal law procedure and may have an impact on the definition of certain crimes and the resulting punishment it is a cardinal principle of canadian criminal law that there can be no crime or punishment except in accordance with fixed predetermined law to this end the courts have concluded that a criminal prohibition must be in existence at the time of the alleged crime and that the offence created by such prohibition must be clearly ascertainable. The criminal law of canada is under the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the parliament of canada the power to enact criminal law is derived from section 91 of the constitution act 1867 most criminal laws have been codified in the criminal code as well as the controlled drugs and substances act youth criminal justice act and several other peripheral statutes. The criminal code french code criminel is a law that codifies most criminal offences and procedures in canada its official long title is an act respecting the criminal law rsc 1985 c c 46 as amended section 91 27 of the constitution act 1867 establishes the sole jurisdiction of parliament over criminal law in canada. 200 obstruction 201 gaming and betting 213 offences in relation to offering providing or obtaining sexual services for consideration 214 part viii offences against the person and reputation 214 interpretation 215 duties tending to preservation of life 219 criminal negligence 222 homicide