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1973-1974

Foreword

With this issue the Faculty of Law at Dalhousie University offers a new legal periodical to the judgment of the public. The originating editors hope that it will have a long and reasonably useful career. You may ask why Canada needs yet another legal journal. Already there are something like fifteen sponsored by Canadian law schools, the precise figure depending upon one's understanding of terms, not to mention an approximately equal number by other organizations. It almost seems as if no law school thinks it can regard itself as worthy of the name unless it publishes some sort of journal. Considerations of prestige alone would hardly justify the Dalhousie Law Journal, but if our existence serves to encourage creative research and writing among law teachers, among students, and generally among the legal profession and related disciplines, that may be justification. Or so we like to believe. As editors, we have no preconceived notions of the direction in which the law should move, unless it be that we should have no preconceived notions. This journal will be promoting no special philosophy - social, economic, political, or other. Differences of opinion will not frighten us, even strongly expressed differences, provided only that we believe the opinions to be held sincerely. Indeed the chief function of a legal periodical is to supply a forum for the exchange of opposing views. The editors commence publication without lofty pretensions. At this stage we want only to add that we shall be endeavouring to produce a stimulating journal exemplifying those qualities that most people would characterize as scholarly, among them thoroughness, precision of thought, independence of judgment.