When Law Stands Still: Land Contracts in English Law and Law's “Abandonment” of Everyday Life

After the 1989 reform on land contracts - the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989 - a contract for the sale or other disposition of an interest in land could only be made in writing. Behind what appears to be merely a “technical” rule of private law lies, hidden, something that is rather more serious than that - the figure itself of nothing less than the relationship between law and everyday life in Europe's systems of private law. Text and context, alone, are necessary but insufficient analytical steps to uncover such a figure. Instead, it is here suggested, one must rethink the relationship between law and everyday life in terms of “abandonment”.Building on (without necessarily fully endorsing) philosophical insights from Heidegger, Nancy and Agamben, the paper provides a first inroad into one of the most troubling aspects of the modern nation state - law's abandonment of everyday life. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Municipal consolidation in the 1990s: an analysis of British Columbia,New Brunswick,and Nova Scotia

Abstract: This article examines the transitional and short-term impacts of consolidation in three Canadian municipalities - the City of Abbotsford (British Columbia), the City of Miramichi (New Brunswick), and the Halifax Regional Municipality (Nova Scotia). The study involves an analysis of the administrative, financial and political impacts of the restructuring in these three urban regions, as well as the provinces' roles in the reform process. The analysis of the transition period identifies the many municipal functions and local services that must be considered in a restructuring initiative. The reorganization of intricate administrative and political structures that sustain municipal functions is a complex task and will be unique to each region considering reform. The complexity of municipal restructuring allows no easy answer as to whether consolidation will lead to effectiveness and efficiency improvements in service delivery or municipal governance. Ultimately, the success of consolidation in achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness will depend on the specific circumstances of the municipalities considering reform. Sommaire: Dans cet article, on examine les répercussions transitoires et à court terme de la consolidation dans trois municipalités canadiennes, la ville d'Abbotsford (Colombie-Britannique), la ville de Miramichi (Nouveau-Brunswick) et la municipalitb régionale d'Halifax (Nouvelle-Écosse). L'étude comprend une analyse des répercussions administratives, financières et politiques de la restructuration dans ces trois régions urbaines ainsi qu'une analyse du rôle des provinces dans le processus de réforme. L'analyse de la période de transition ceme les nombreux services locaux et les fonctions municipales dont on doit tenir compte dans toute initiative de restructuration. La réorganisation des structures administratives et politiques corn-pliquées qui sous-tendent les fonctions municipales est me tâche complexe qui est particulière à chaque région. Face à la complexité de la restructuration municipale, il n'y a pas de réponse facile pour savoir si la consolidation permettra d'améliorer l'efficacité de la prestation des services ou de la gestion municipale. Finalement, pour obtenir une plus grande efficacité, la consolidation devra tenir compte des circon-stances particulières des municipalités qui envisagent une réforme.     

Law is Myth

International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique - Any title for this paper beginning with the words “law as...” would have been...