Purposes

• Author: John Mark Keyes/Wendy Gordon
• Pages: 107-112



 

Purposes

Purposes are important elements of all communication. It is often

dicult to answer a question without knowing why it is being asked.

A simple question such as “Do you have a driver’s licence?” might

be asked to verify any number of things ranging from identity or

age to the capacity to operate a motor vehicle. And when words have

dierent possible meanings, the purposes underlying their use can

help determine which meaning is intended. It is not surprising

that the purposes of legislation have a long history of guiding its

interpretation. eir use has also been reinforced by provisions in

Interpretation or Legislation Acts, such as section  of the federal

Interpretation Act:

Enactments deemed remedial

12 Every enactment is deemed remedial, and shall be given such

fair, large and liberal construction and interpretation as best

ensures the attainment of its objects.

e use of purposes to interpret legislation is rooted in the pri-

mary role of legislators who make legislation to achieve purposes

they consider to be in the public interest. Legislative interpretation

must take these purposes into account. However, as Driedger’s Mod-

ern Principle on Interpretation suggests, purposes are not the only