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The Constitutional Dimensions Of Aboriginal Title, Brian Slattery Aug 2015

The Constitutional Dimensions Of Aboriginal Title, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

As the Supreme Court reaffirms in Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia (2014), Aboriginal title is a sui generis right which cannot be described in traditional property terms. This paper argues that the explanation for this fact is that Aboriginal title is not a concept of private law. It is a concept of public law. It does not deal with the rights of private entities but with the rights and powers of constitutional entities that form part of the Canadian federation. If we look for analogies to Aboriginal title, we find a close parallel in Provincial title – the rights held …


The Paradoxes Of National Self-Determination, Brian Slattery Feb 2014

The Paradoxes Of National Self-Determination, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

Some have argued that the right of national self-determination gives every national group the power to decide for itself whether to remain part of an existing state or to secede unilaterally and form its own state. Such a theory underpins the claim that Quebec is entitled to decide on its own whether or not to leave Canada. This paper examines the main philosophical arguments for the theory and finds them one-dimensional and inadequate; they fail to take account of the full range of complex issues arising in actual cases of proposed secession. If the right of national self-determination is understood …


A Theory Of The Charter, Brian Slattery Feb 2014

A Theory Of The Charter, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


The Aboriginal Constitution, Brian Slattery Jan 2014

The Aboriginal Constitution, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

In a remarkable series of cases over the past decade, from Haida Nation to Manitoba Métis Federation, the Supreme Court of Canada has thrown a strong light on three basic elements of Aboriginal law: the honour of the Crown, the Royal Proclamation of 1763, and Aboriginal Treaties. This paper argues that these form the framework of the Aboriginal Constitution, which parallels the Federal Pact between the Provinces in the Constitution Act, 1867. Indeed, the Aboriginal Constitution provides the Constitution of Canada with its most ancient and enduring roots.


Expression And Location: Are There Constitutional Dead Zones?, Brian Slattery Dec 2009

Expression And Location: Are There Constitutional Dead Zones?, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


Why The Governor General Matters, Brian Slattery Dec 2008

Why The Governor General Matters, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


The Metamorphosis Of Aboriginal Title, Brian Slattery Jan 2006

The Metamorphosis Of Aboriginal Title, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

Aboriginal title has undergone a significant transformation from the colonial era to the present day. In colonial times, aboriginal title was governed by Principles of Recognition based on ancient relations between the Crown and Indigenous American peoples. With the passage of time, this historical right has evolved into a generative right, governed by Principles of Reconciliation. As a generative right, aboriginal title exists in a dynamic but latent form, which is capable of partial articulation by the courts but whose full implementation requires agreement between the Indigenous party and the Crown. The courts have the power to recognize the core …


Aboriginal Rights And The Honour Of The Crown, Brian Slattery Jan 2005

Aboriginal Rights And The Honour Of The Crown, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


Making Sense Of Aboriginal And Treaty Rights, Brian Slattery Jan 2000

Making Sense Of Aboriginal And Treaty Rights, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


First Nations And The Constitution: A Question Of Trust, Brian Slattery Jan 1992

First Nations And The Constitution: A Question Of Trust, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


Are Constitutional Cases Political?, Brian Slattery Dec 1988

Are Constitutional Cases Political?, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

To argue that constitutional adjudication is political does not carry us very far unless we go on to specify what the pursuit of politics entails, the goals it seeks to attain, and the basic principles informing its practice. The word political has no clearly defined meaning in modern usage. Rather, it has the chameleon-like capacity to change colours so as to blend with a variety of different conceptual backgrounds. Of course, if we adopt an Aristotelian notion of politics as the pursuit of the common good of a community and the individual goods of its members, we can agree that …


The Constitutional Priority Of The Charter, Brian Slattery Dec 1987

The Constitutional Priority Of The Charter, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

What rules determine the relative priority of the various Constitution Acts among themselves? In particular, how do the Constitution Act, 1982 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms stand relative to constitutional provisions enacted after 1982? To what extent do they have the capacity to control later amendments? Various answers might be given to this question. This paper looks first at an answer with strong initial appeal. This invokes a principle of sequential ordering, which maintains that the priority between constitutional enactments is determined simply by the temporal sequence in which they were enacted. While this approach admits that …


Understanding Aboriginal Rights, Brian Slattery Jan 1987

Understanding Aboriginal Rights, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


The Hidden Constitution: Aboriginal Rights In Canada, Brian Slattery Jan 1984

The Hidden Constitution: Aboriginal Rights In Canada, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

This article reviews the constitutional and historical grounds for Aboriginal and treaty rights in Canada and discusses the legal effects of entrenching these rights in the Constitution of Canada in 1982.


The Independence Of Canada, Brian Slattery Dec 1982

The Independence Of Canada, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms - Override Clauses Under Section 33 - Whether Subject To Judicial Review Under Section 1, Brian Slattery Dec 1982

Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms - Override Clauses Under Section 33 - Whether Subject To Judicial Review Under Section 1, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

No abstract provided.


The Independence Of Canada, Brian Slattery Dec 1982

The Independence Of Canada, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

Canada is in independent state and has been for many years. Its sovereign status has long been acknowledged by the international community and the courts. So the constitutional manoeuvres that culminated in the enactment of the Constitution Act, 1982, by the British Parliament, must strike any observer as a somewhat puzzling series of events. How can we explain the fact that a sovereign state should consider itself bound to employ the legislature of another sovereign state to secure for itself a new constitution? Underlying this question are a number of fundamental issues going to the foundations of the Canadian legal …


The Land Rights Of Indigenous Canadian Peoples, Brian Slattery Jan 1979

The Land Rights Of Indigenous Canadian Peoples, Brian Slattery

Brian Slattery

The problem examined in this work is whether the land rights originally held by Canada's Indigenous peoples survived the process whereby the British Crown acquired sovereignty over their territories, and, if so, in what form. The question, although historical in nature, has important implications for current disputes involving Aboriginal land claims in Canada. It is considered here largely as a matter of first impression. The author has examined the historical evidence with a fresh eye, in the light of contemporaneous legal authorities. Due consideration is given to modern case-law, but the primary focus is upon the historical process proper.