The Canadian Constitution of 1867 as written should have provided the authoritative guide to the law governing the division of powers between the national and provincial governments of Canada, but by the 1940s the federal constitution was a very different document to that composed originally by John A. Macdonald and his colleagues. In this engaging and exhaustive examination of the critical role of the courts - the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the Supreme Court of Canada - in shaping Canadian federalism, John Saywell argues that the courts always have and still do 'make law'...

Written to honour the life and work of the late Peter N. Oliver, the distinguished historian and editor-in-chief of the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History from 1979-2006, this collection assembles the finest legal scholars to reflect on the issues in and development of the field of legal history in Canada.

Covering a broad range of topics, this volume examines developments over the last two hundred years in the legal profession and the judiciary, nineteenth-century prison history, as well as the impact of the 1815 Treaty of Paris. The introduction also provides insight into...

In 1977 even the debate over national unity was overshadowed by continuing concern for the economy. Lack of international confidence, fall of the dollar, weaknesses in the industrial sector, and near record levels of unemployment more than tested the Trudeau government. Donald Macdonald followed John Turner out of finance and was replaced by Jean Chretien, the first francophone minister of finance in Canadian history. A final decision on the northern pipeline ended years of debate, but the activities of the RCMP at home and Canadian crown corporations and multinationals abroad more than...

Here is an indispensable reference book for those concerned directly or indirectly with Canadian public affairs. The Canadian Annual Review is not only a concise and convenient record of the year, but a responsible appraisal of important developments related in perspective. It has been expressly prepared for this purpose by a special panel of recognized experts, writing under the direction of a leading Canadian historian and political commentator. As succeeding volumes appear, the Canadian Annual Review will grow in value; in the years ahead, a complete series of volumes will...