Law and the Thin Veneer of Civilization

Abstract

Mr. Justice Morrow employs his sympathetic understanding of the North and it's native inhabitants in revealing discussion of the sudden, ap parent metamorphosis which has occurred as result of the recent advent of Canadian law and society in the Northwest Territories. The author con tends that although the physical attributes of Canadian society have been effectively superimposed upon the native culture, the experience of the Northwest Territory Courts suggests that the effect is merely superficial. Although uniformity of Canadian law is desirable, Mr. Justice Morrow argues that it is difficult and perhaps meaningless to achieve such uniformity through the arbitrary application of laws and penalties which are foreign to time honored native customs and cultures.