Foundations of Law and Government

Do we have a moral obligation to obey the law? Can we justify the infringement of human rights in certain situations? How do the traditions of behaviour we inherited from the British Parliament guide and limit the actions of our prime ministers and parliamentarians?

These are questions that citizens and governments confront every day. When we file our tax returns, resolve conflicts between freedom of expression and the right to privacy, or determine how far the official opposition can go in opposing a government majority, we keep these research questions alive.

By examining the foundations of law and government, Dr. Grégoire Webber, Canada Research Chair in Public Law and Philosophy of Law, aims to improve our understanding of the answers we give to these and other questions. To do this, he is focusing his research around two basic practical questions: “How should I act?” and “What is right for me to do?”. Answers to these questions situate law and government within the wider study of human affairs and of the role of the individual in community.

Ultimately, Webber’s research will enrich our understanding of the responsibilities of government, our responsibilities to each other, and our obligation to the law.