Acknowledgements

• Author: Gregory Tardi
• Pages: 17-18

xv

Acknowledgements

In introducing me to his son over a cup of coee, a colleague in the

legal profession once described me in the following terms: “is is

Gregory Tardi, whom I have known for a long time. For years, he

has been dissatisf‌ied with the accepted classif‌ications and analysis

in public law, so he has added his own.” Many of my colleagues,

friends, and students, as well as others who have read my writ-

ings, have known for a long time the truth kindly expressed in

that introduction. Indeed, I have devoted considerable attention to

developing a more profound understanding of the motivations for

the actions of states, their institutions, and their public ocials.

is has turned into a lifelong interest, which I continue to exercise

here, and which I will endeavour to pursue in the future. Public life

provides an inf‌inite well of material, and there is no greater chal-

lenge for the observer and analyst than to hold every action, every

instrument, up to the standard of Democracy. I have found that pol-

itical law helps in this regard. I hope the reader will agree with me.

Among my professional colleagues, I am indebted to sev-

eral who have guided my thinking over the years, and helped in

the preparation of this book: Richard Balasko, Kathy Brock, Yan

Campagnolo, Steve Chaplin, Lou Davis, Wendy Gordon, Andrew

Heard, Gaston Jorré, Hoi Kong, Suzanne Legault, Marc Mayrand,