Spatial demonstratives, perceptual space, and linguistic diversity

versus extrapersonal space; object location memor

The Synergistic Impact of Excessive Alcohol Drinking and Cigarette Smoking upon Prospective Memory

The independent use of excessive amounts of alcohol or persistent cigarette smoking have been found to have a deleterious impact upon Prospective Memory (PM: remembering future intentions and activities), although to date, the effect of their concurrent use upon PM is yet to be explored. The present study investigated the impact of the concurrent use of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking cigarettes (a “Polydrug” group) in comparison to the combined effect of the single use of these substances upon PM. The study adopted a single factorial independent groups design. The Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT) is a test of both time-based and event-based PM and was used here to measure PM. The CAMPROMPT was administered to 125 adults; an excessive alcohol user group (n = 40), a group of smokers who drink very little alcohol (n = 20), a combined user group (the “Polydrug” group) who drink excessively and smoke cigarettes (n = 40) and a non-drinker/low alcohol consumption control group (n = 25). The main findings revealed that the Polydrug users recalled significantly fewer time-based PM tasks than both excessive alcohol users p < 0.001 and smokers p = 0.013. Polydrug users (mean = 11.47) also remembered significantly fewer event-based PM tasks than excessive alcohol users p < 0.001 and smokers p = 0.013. With regards to the main aim of the study, the polydrug users exhibited significantly greater impaired time-based PM than the combined effect of single excessive alcohol users and cigarette smokers p = 0.033. However, no difference was observed between polydrug users and the combined effect of single excessive alcohol users and cigarette smokers in event-based PM p = 0.757. These results provide evidence that concurrent (polydrug) use of these two substances has a synergistic effect in terms of deficits upon time-based PM. The observation that combined excessive drinking and cigarette smoking leads to a greater impairment in time-based PM may be of paramount importance, given the key role PM plays in everyday independent living

They Promised to Leave Us Some of Our Land: Aboriginal Title in Canada\u27s Maritime Provinces

This thesis analyzes the status of Aboriginal title in Canada\u27s Maritime Provinces in light of the Supreme Court of Canada\u27s historic declaration of Aboriginal title in the 2014 decision of Tsilhqot\u27in Nation v. British Columbia. This thesis argues that, in light of the clarified legal principles articulated by the Court, it is very likely that Aboriginal title can be proven to have existed in the Maritime Provinces. In light of this conclusion, the inquiry then shift to whether that title was legally extinguished. The legal parameters of the extinguishment question are surveyed in considerable detail and it is concluded that title was likely never legally extinguished in the region. Having found that title was likely not extinguished in the region, the final section of the thesis analyzes how the Aboriginal peoples of the region were dispossessed of their lands and provides some provisional arguments concerning the legal framework for assessing that dispossession where legal extinguishment is not proven

They Promised to Leave Us Some of Our Land: Aboriginal Title in Canada's Maritime Provinces

This thesis analyzes the status of Aboriginal title in Canada's Maritime Provinces in light of the Supreme Court of Canada's historic declaration of Aboriginal title in the 2014 decision of Tsilhqot'in Nation v. British Columbia. This thesis argues that, in light of the clarified legal principles articulated by the Court, it is very likely that Aboriginal title can be proven to have existed in the Maritime Provinces. In light of this conclusion, the inquiry then shift to whether that title was legally extinguished. The legal parameters of the extinguishment question are surveyed in considerable detail and it is concluded that title was likely never legally extinguished in the region. Having found that title was likely not extinguished in the region, the final section of the thesis analyzes how the Aboriginal peoples of the region were dispossessed of their lands and provides some provisional arguments concerning the legal framework for assessing that dispossession where legal extinguishment is not proven

They Promised to Leave Us Some of Our Land: Aboriginal Title in Canada\u27s Maritime Provinces

This thesis analyzes the status of Aboriginal title in Canada\u27s Maritime Provinces in light of the Supreme Court of Canada\u27s historic declaration of Aboriginal title in the 2014 decision of Tsilhqot\u27in Nation v. British Columbia. This thesis argues that, in light of the clarified legal principles articulated by the Court, it is very likely that Aboriginal title can be proven to have existed in the Maritime Provinces. In light of this conclusion, the inquiry then shift to whether that title was legally extinguished. The legal parameters of the extinguishment question are surveyed in considerable detail and it is concluded that title was likely never legally extinguished in the region. Having found that title was likely not extinguished in the region, the final section of the thesis analyzes how the Aboriginal peoples of the region were dispossessed of their lands and provides some provisional arguments concerning the legal framework for assessing that dispossession where legal extinguishment is not proven

Scottish criminal cases in the supreme court : is the devolution/compatibility issues jurisdiction justifiable?

Since 1999, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) and subsequently the Supreme Court (SC) have had the ability to hear Scottish criminal cases raising devolution and (since 2013) compatibility issues. This jurisdiction is controversial because before 1999 there was a long tradition of Scots criminal law being allowed to develop in its own way without scrutiny from a UK-wide court. This thesis considers whether sending Scottish criminal cases to the JCPC/SC is justifiable. Chapter 1 considers how the jurisdiction developed and why it is controversial. Chapter 2 shows that arguments made by critics of the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction resemble those made by legal nationalists. It considers legal nationalism in Scotland, Quebec and South Africa to explore the relationship between law and national identity and to examine whether there is a need to accommodate differences between legal systems. Chapter 3 evaluates claims that Scots criminal law, procedure and evidence are distinctive when compared with English law. Chapter 4 analyses claims that the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction has an unwelcome impact on Scots law by importing human rights law into Scots law, producing decisions which fit uneasily with existing Scots law, harmonising Scots law with English law, causing confusion and prompting legislative intervention. It tests whether the JCPC/SC benefited Scots law by protecting human rights. Chapter 5 considers how courts in general, top courts and the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction might gain legitimacy and uses these findings to argue that the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction is legitimate and justifiable. It considers important questions including whether the JCPC/SC complies with limits on its powers, whether the JCPC/SC should sit with a majority of judges trained in Scots law and whether there is a need to protect human rights to the same level in each part of the UK. The thesis concludes that the jurisdiction needs little reform.Since 1999, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) and subsequently the Supreme Court (SC) have had the ability to hear Scottish criminal cases raising devolution and (since 2013) compatibility issues. This jurisdiction is controversial because before 1999 there was a long tradition of Scots criminal law being allowed to develop in its own way without scrutiny from a UK-wide court. This thesis considers whether sending Scottish criminal cases to the JCPC/SC is justifiable. Chapter 1 considers how the jurisdiction developed and why it is controversial. Chapter 2 shows that arguments made by critics of the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction resemble those made by legal nationalists. It considers legal nationalism in Scotland, Quebec and South Africa to explore the relationship between law and national identity and to examine whether there is a need to accommodate differences between legal systems. Chapter 3 evaluates claims that Scots criminal law, procedure and evidence are distinctive when compared with English law. Chapter 4 analyses claims that the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction has an unwelcome impact on Scots law by importing human rights law into Scots law, producing decisions which fit uneasily with existing Scots law, harmonising Scots law with English law, causing confusion and prompting legislative intervention. It tests whether the JCPC/SC benefited Scots law by protecting human rights. Chapter 5 considers how courts in general, top courts and the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction might gain legitimacy and uses these findings to argue that the JCPC/SC’s jurisdiction is legitimate and justifiable. It considers important questions including whether the JCPC/SC complies with limits on its powers, whether the JCPC/SC should sit with a majority of judges trained in Scots law and whether there is a need to protect human rights to the same level in each part of the UK. The thesis concludes that the jurisdiction needs little reform