We hope everyone is enjoying a beautiful fall! In this update, we are proud to share what Law and Language in a Changing World has done since our last update. We’ve rebranded from Legislative Intent and Ordinary Meaning to reflect our broader focus on law and language.
Upcoming talks
We’ve some talks scheduled for winter 2026, and we’ll provide more details soon. Stay tuned!
Past talks
On October 27, 2026, we hosted Dr. Thomas Adams, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Law, who presented a talk titled “Statutory Interpretation in the Face of Legislation.” Dr. Adams discussed circumstances in which it is legitimate for courts to make decisions about the effects of legislation that are inconsistent with the legislation’s content, albeit consistent with the separation of powers. He highlighted two particular circumstances: where the legislature made a drafting mistake, and where the legislature’s intent differs from the literal interpretation of a statute. Dr. Adams provided examples of such circumstances for the audience, including Riggs v Palmer.
Blog posts
On July 6, 2026, Dr. Jérémy Boulanger-Bonnelly, Assistant Professor at McGill University’s Faculty of Law, published a blog post titled “Taylor: New Lessons in Constitutional and Bilingual Interpretation.” Dr. Boulanger-Bonnelly comments on the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision Taylor v Newfoundland and Labrador, in which the Supreme Court unanimously held that Newfoundland and Labrador’s pandemic travel restrictions infringed the Charter’s mobility rights, but, disagreed over the source of the right to interprovincial travel. Dr. Boulanger-Bonnelly argues that constitutional interpretation should be purposive and attentive to both the English and French versions of the Constitution Act, and that the French wording of s. 6(2)(a) suggests it is the correct source of the right. This article is a great read for anybody interested in bilingual interpretation.
New podcast
We are excited to announce the inaugural episode of A Matter of Interpretation! This is a new podcast brought to you by Law and Language in a Changing World. In each episode we will explore a new topic related to law and language with a different legal scholar.
In our first episode, Dr. Felipe Jiménez, Professor of Law at the University of Southern California, critiques the narrow focus of the judiciary and legal academics on establishing interpretive rules. He instead suggests addressing broader questions about the ethics of adjudication. Dr. Jiménez contends that legal systems would benefit if they prioritized the development of virtuous adjudicators and the processes through which adjudicators are selected. The discussion explores how a shift in focus toward an ethic of adjudication could foster greater predictability, professionalization, and accountability within the legal system.
You can listen to our podcast on our podcast page or on both major podcast platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ApD2I04OvGjfbBkRhMtM0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/a-matter-of-interpretation/id6828548223
Thank you for checking in and stay tuned for more updates!
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