How can I find out whether an offence outside Canada is considered a criminal offence in Canada?

This is a complex task as it involves comparing Canadian and foreign laws. While there are many pieces of Canadian legislation containing criminal offences, the vast majority can be found in the Criminal Code or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The definition of criminality, when dealing with applicants who may be inadmissible, can be found in Section 36 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.