n. — Law
an act of the British Parliament that created the Dominion of Canada in 1867.
Type: 4. Culturally Significant — The British North America Act, or the BNA Act, refers to an Imperial Act by the British Parliament in 1867 that made Canada a "self-governing Dominion of the British Commonwealth" (see Maple Leaf Web reference). Confederation was accomplished by way of uniting the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (see Canadian Encyclopedia reference). The British North America Act was signed by Queen Victoria in March of 1867 and proclaimed into law on July 1st of the same year (see Canada Day).
The term British North America Act was offered as a "Short Title" for citing the document, in place of the much longer A Bill Intitled An Act for the Union of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and the Government thereof; and for Purposes connected therewith. Although this term was used in a piece of British legislation, it is marked as culturally significant, as it is a critical component of Canadian history. Note that the name for the British North America Act was changed to Constitution Act in 1982 during Canada's "movement toward[s] 'patriation' of the Constitution" (see Canadian Encyclopedia reference, see Constitution Act 1867). Accordingly, the British North America Act was sometimes referred to as "Canada's original constitution" (see the 1990 quotation), or the "Canadian Constitution" before it was amended and re-named.