Law and Language in a Changing World is an interdisciplinary initiative on law and language based at the University of Western Ontario.
Upcoming events
Thomas Adams (Oxford)
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 12:30–1:50 pm
In-person and Zoom
Latest posts
- Taylor: New Lessons in Constitutional and Bilingual InterpretationJérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly Introduction Constitutional interpretation has been the subject of heated debates in recent years. In some decisions, the Supreme Court of Canada reframed the long-standing purposive method as “purposive textual interpretation,”[1] treating text as the “primal constraint”[2] of the interpretive process rather than its starting point. In others, however,… Read more: Taylor: New Lessons in Constitutional and Bilingual Interpretation
- Winter updateWe hope everyone had a lovely holiday season! In this second newsletter update, we are proud to share what the Legislative Intent and Ordinary Meaning project on law and language at Western Law has been up to lately. Upcoming talks We are excited to welcome Robert Mullins (Queensland) to Western… Read more: Winter update
- Interview with Ross PeyROSS PEY is a PhD candidate specializing in statutory interpretation (including comparative statutory interpretation) at the University of Western Ontario. His thesis maps the current approach to statutory interpretation in the UK, including the nature of bilingual interpretation in Wales. In Edinburgh, he analyzed the interpretation and operation of Brexit… Read more: Interview with Ross Pey
- Fall updateWe hope everyone is having a nice fall. In this first newsletter update, we are proud to share what the Legislative Intent and Ordinary Meaning project on law and language at Western Law has been up to lately. Upcoming talk On November 13, 2025, we are delighted to be hosting… Read more: Fall update
- Telus v FCM and “Starting With The Text”Mark Mancini The modern approach in statutory interpretation requires courts to consider the text, context, and purpose(s) of the enactment. That much is clear. But alongside this instruction, there is another: courts should start with the text (CISSS A, 2024 SCC 43, at para 27). This instruction is ambiguous because,… Read more: Telus v FCM and “Starting With The Text”
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