Licensing without law: legalized gambling in British Columbia

Abstract: British Columbia, like the other provinces, has experienced the rapid growth of legal public gaming over the past two decades. Such gambling schemes must be licensed or conducted by a province. Thus, a new sphere of provincial public policy has been created. This article examines the emergence of this policy in British Columbia and of the regulatory structures set up to administer it. The recognized indices of administrative law - statutory authority, structure, function, discretion, and remedies - are applied thereto, subjecting this area of public administration to critical scrutiny. It becomes clear that the licensing of lottery schemes in British Columbia is conducted by an administrative agency which is not a statutory creation and which uses licensing tools that are devoid of statutory authority. There is, in effect, licensing without law. The argument is then made that there is a duty to make law in such a situation to minimize unfettered discretionary powers. Sommaire: En Colombie-Britannique, comme dans les autres provinces, les jeux de hazard publics légaux se multiplient rapidement depuis les vingt dernières années. Ces jeux doivent se faire avec un permis ou sous la responsabilité de la province. Une nouvelle sphère de politique publique provinciale est done apparue. Get article étudie l'émergence de cette politique en Colombie-Britannique ainsi que les structures de réglementation mises en place pour veiller à son application. A partir de critères reconnus en droit administratif (autorité législative, structure, fonction, pouvoir discrétionnaire et recours), l'auteur soumet ce secteur de l'administration publique à un examen approfondi et critique. II en ressort que la délivrance des permis pour les loteries en Colombie-Britannique incombe à un organisme administratif qui n'a pas de fondement législatif, et qui recourt à des moyens de délivrance dénués de toute autorité statutaire. En fait, la délivrance des permis se fait en dehors de la loi. L'auteur soutient qu'il est nécessaire de légiférer dans pareille situation pour réduire l'utilisation de pouvoirs discrétionaires.     

COORDINATION IN STATE ADMINISTRATION: A CASE STUDY

Abstract: "Coordination is one of the perennial concerns of public administration, and has been a particular problem of State-level policy-making in Australia. This paper describes a policy initiative under the Dunstan government in South Australia which was necessarily an exercise in State administrative coordination. The story illustrates the complexity of a multi-Departmental program aimed at producing an innovative, flexible and decentralized policy. While it shows the awkwardness of conventional administrative and policy-making procedures in such a situation, it also provides examples of constructive cooperation among and readjustment within departments. The general policy "parameters" inspired by the Dunstan government are regarded as a significant influence on the outcome of the program.     

Recounting Graphic Sexual Abuse Memories in Therapy: The Impact on Women's Healing

This retrospective study investigates the impact on women's functioning of recounting during their therapy the graphic details of sexual abuse they had experienced in childhood. Fifty-nine participants residing in Southern Ontario were divided into two groups: those who spent more time (N=19) versus less time (N=40) in therapy recounting graphic abuse details. Results revealed that the group who had spent more time recounting abuse memories: (a) had mean functioning scores that were significantly lower before and during therapy, but that did not significantly differ after therapy; (b) recovered more memories of abuse during therapy, and (c) were more likely to have participated in hypnosis, and to report having been encouraged to remember details of abuse. Participants rated as most therapeutic those approaches that assisted them to increase their understanding of the abuse. Strategies related to acceptance, understanding, and making meaning were most important in promoting healing.     

Analysis of non-suspect samples lacking visually identifiable sperm using a Y-STR 10-plex

Y-STRs are valuable in the investigation of sexual assaults in which autosomal STR genotype interpretation is challenging. To detect male DNA from compromised sexual assault evidence, 45 non-suspect samples were differentially extracted and analyzed with 10 Y-STRs. These samples were positive for the presence of human seminal fluid, but were negative for spermatozoa by microscopic examination. Y-STR data were obtained in approximately 86.2% of the epithelial or sperm fractions. On samples yielding incomplete profiles, results were obtained on an average of 5 loci per sample. The inability to obtain results may be due to insufficient amplifiable male DNA, PCR inhibition, or unfounded accusations of sexual assault. This study indicates that it is possible to obtain a male STR profile even in the absence of visually identifiable spermatozoa. Furthermore, Y-STR loci should become components of CODIS if they are to be used in solving non-suspect sexual assaults.