LAW International Law

Here are a few legal definitions to get you started understanding treaty research:

• Treaty = An agreement formally signed, ratified, or adhered to between two countries or sovereigns; an international agreement concluded between two or more states in written form and governed by international law. — Also termed accord; convention; covenant; declaration (Black's Law Dictionary 11th ed. 2019).
• Protocol = A treaty amending and supplementing another treaty (Black's Law Dictionary 11th ed. 2019).
• International Agreement = An international agreement in writing between two states (a bilateral treaty) or a number of states (a multilateral treaty). Such agreements can also be known as conventions, pacts, protocols, final acts, arrangements, and general acts. Treaties are binding in international law and constitute the equivalent of the municipal-law contract, conveyance, or legislation… (A Dictionary of Law (9th ed.) (Oxford University Press) “International Agreement”).
• International Instruments = A broader term used by international organizations such as the United Nations.

For treaties with the Indigenous Peoples in Canada, please use the Indigenous Peoples and the Law guide:

Here are a few resources of bilateral and multilateral treaties available for Canada:

Here are links to a selected list of commonly used subject-specific treaty sources:

Many United Nations Treaties have a dedicated website. These websites usually contain the text of the treaty and related documents, information about the treaty and how it is administered, and tribunal decisions. This is a selected list of treaty websites and links.