English law is often important to Canadian legal research because Canadian law is rooted in English law; it was the legal system of most of the colonies that would later become Canada. Post-Confederation, Canada retained strong ties to the English legal system. In fact, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council heard appeals from the Supreme Court of Canada well into the twentieth century.
Today, English law does not play as large of a role as it once did in the Canadian system. However, English legal research may still be needed to understand the Canadian legal tradition. Namely, it can help us understand the history of some Canadian statutes and common law. English law can still be persuasive if there is little or no law on a particular issue in Canada.
Although Canadian law is founded on English law, parts of the English legal system are quite different from the Canadian legal system. Below are some books and book chapters that can help familiarize you with the English legal system, including the court system and legislative process.
The English Legal System by 
Governing Britain by