Public Law: Cases, Commentary, and Analysis, 4th Edition is the only text of its kind devoted exclusively to public law in Canada. Serving as a primer on the subject, this title will educate students about the importance of statutes and regulations both as forms of law and as political responses to pressing issues in Canadian society. This text demonstrates concepts, principles, and theory in a direct and accessible manner, contextualized with carefully selected case excerpts. Cases are presented with insightful author commentary, which offers a compelling, cohesive introduction to the subject of public law.

This edition reflects up-to-date legislation and cases, including changes to Canadian administrative law resulting from the Supreme Court’s decision in Vavilov et al.

• Recent public law developments from the Supreme Court of Canada, including analysis of the Vavliov decision on modern approach to statutory interpretation and substantive judicial review
• Expanded explanation of public law and the differences between public law and constitutional law
• Cases in the digital version that link to full-text decisions on CanLII

Chapter 1: Public Law in Canada

Part I: Setting the Stage
Chapter 2: Legal Theory in Relation to Public Law
Chapter 3: Indigenous Peoples and the Law
Chapter 4: Sources of Canadian Law
Chapter 5: Recurring Constitutional Principles in Canadian Public Law

Part II: The Key Actors in Public Law
Chapter 6: Parliament
Chapter 7: The Functions of Parliament
Chapter 8: The Executive and Its Functions
Chapter 9: The Courts and the Judiciary

Part III: Interplay Between the Courts and the Political Branches of Government
Chapter 10: Statutory Interpretation
Chapter 11: Constraints on Legislative and Administrative Action

Chapter 1: Public Law in Canada