The education system of New Brunswick comprises public and private primary and secondary schools and post-secondary institutions. By the British North America Act, 1867 (part of the constitution of Canada), education falls entirely under provincial jurisdiction. There is no federal government department or agency involved in the formation or analysis of policy regarding education. Also by constitutional right, Roman Catholics are entitled to their own school system; this led in New Brunswick to contention in the early years of the nation, and, in 1871, to the first case sent from Canada to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Maher v Town Council of Portland.