In general the law attempts to be a straightforward animal.  But what happens when there is an ambiguity?  How does the court resolve conflicting laws, or interpret words or the statutes themselves?  How to Understand Statutes & By-Laws (Carswell) provides an excellent introduction to the rules governing the reading and interpretation of statutes, by-law and other forms of legislation in Canada.  How to Understand Statutes & Bylaws addresses the history of legislation, its evolution, and the application of interpretive rules to better understand statues, by-laws and the Parliamentary process by which laws are enacted.

Look for the answer to “When is a truck not a vehicle?” in Part 2 of How to Understand Statutes and By-Laws.