Preface to the first edition

• Author: Philip H. Osborne
• Profession: Faculty of Law. The University of Manitoba
• Pages: 19-20

PR EFAC E

To the First Edition

This book has been written primarily to assist students in Canadian

law schools to understand the essential principles of the Canadian law

of torts and the social policies that support them. It does not seek to

categorize and organize the multitude of Canadian tort cases. It does

not explore the subtleties of exceptional cases. It does not delve into

f‌ine distinctions among relevant provincial statutes. It explains the

basic framework and nature of Canadian tort law from which a more

advanced study of the law may proceed.

I am mindful of the fact that in most Canadian law schools the law

of torts is a f‌irst-year course. I have, therefore, tried to make the law ac-

cessible to someone coming to the subject for the f‌irst time. I have also

included an extensive glossar y. A happy consequence of this is that the

book may have some appeal to members of the public who seek some

understanding of this fascinating corner of Canadian law. I also hope

that the book will hold some interest for members of the pract ising bar,

if onl y as a remi nder of the basic pr inciples u nderlying judicial p olicies

and current trends.

My attempt to f‌ind the path of reliable generality through t he thick-

et of tort cases and legislation has been assisted by the works of all the

writers on Canadian tort law who have gone before me. I am indebted

to them all.

I am most appreciative of the support I received from the Legal Re-

search Institute of the University of Manitoba and its director, Profes-

sor Alvin Esau. This allowed me to benef‌it from the f‌ine work done by

my research assistant, James Mercury, who conscientiously and cheer-

fully did much of the research for this book.

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